The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may go down as among the most closely studied in our nation’s history. Chastened from the often indifferent or hostile reception that Vietnam-era veterans received upon returning home, the U. S. Department of Defense — and indeed, American society as a whole — have labored to avoid mistakes of the past.
Unfortunately, the wars with their multiple protracted deployments have exacted an enormous toll in innumerable ways. What’s worse, we seem to be losing ground on some frontiers.
USA Today recently reported the findings of a new DoD study on suicides among military personnel. According to the story, “Suicide within the military has soared since 2005 as the military has waged two wars at once, and this year may set a record with troops committing suicide at the rate of one per day, according to Pentagon figures.”
Finally, after years of mounting suicides, the Pentagon has started to devote significant resources to study and address the problem. Army Col. Carl Castro, who is coordinating $50 million in research into suicide prevention and treatment, told USA Today: “The core of the issue is that it’s not that people who attempt suicide … want to harm themselves as much as they want the pain they’re currently in to stop, and they don’t see any other way out.”
The study conducted comprehensive interviews with 72 military personnel who attempted suicide. Researchers, led by Craig Bryan, co-author of the study by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah, found that the soldiers often listed many reasons — an average of 10 each — for suicide, illustrating the complexity of the problem. Other common reasons included the urge to end chronic sadness, a means of escaping people or a way to express desperation.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Another Pentagon study showed that suicide rates were particularly high among personnel who were divorced — 24 percent higher than among single or married people. Moreover, diagnoses for mental health problems have been on a steady uptick for over a decade. Mental health issues rates have risen 65 percent in the military since 2000, with almost 1 million troops diagnosed with at least one mental health issue, according to the new data.
Fortunately, the Pentagon has taken notice and is working to curb the problem. Even so, a fundamental fact remains: Subjecting an individual to high amounts of nearly constant stress for years on end is inherently damaging to the psyche. In short, you simply cannot subject someone to the present level of demand without amplified potential for harm.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has been deeply involved with the ways deployment-related stress affects families. One tool they offer is their Facts for Families, Coming Home: Adjustment for Military Families (available at http://www.aacap.org/galleries/FactsForFamilies/89_coming_home_adjustments_for_military_families.pdf ). This brief publication sums up several key points about the transition back to family life.
Among the more salient points to consider are: The returning family member may seem preoccupied with the experience of their deployment; they may be unable to talk about it or may excessively talk about it; the returning family member may have suffered physical or emotional injury or disability; the returning family member may expect extra attention and support for some time after their return; the returning family member may have serious concerns about his financial or employment future.
Beyond this, they admonish us to remember that it is a period of adjustment for all concerned. The other adults in the family and the children may experience difficulties. AACAP asks us to remember that this kind of adjustment takes time… often a long time. To that we would add — remember that help is available.