Mental Health Tuesday for October 7, 2008

Mental Health Tuesday is broadcast the first Tuesday of every month by KULY, 1420 AM, in Ulysses.

The Area Mental Health Center has noticed an increase in the number of returning servicemen and women with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. To meet this need, the Area Mental Health Center offers the first six sessions of mental health treatment at no cost to military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

One recent survey showed that 12% of personnel returning from Iraq had symptoms of PTSD and another 4% had symptoms of depression. Of those returning from Afghanistan, 6% reported symptoms of PTSD and another 5% reported symptoms of depression. This compares to 10% of personnel returning from the first Gulf War with symptoms of PTSD and 15% of personnel returning from Vietnam with PTSD.

Since the Vietnam era, military psychologists have failed to develop a test to determine who will and who will not develop PTSD. It appears that no such differentiation is possible. Instead, it appears that the duration and intensity of the combat, not the personality of the soldier, determines the onset of symptoms.

Much more about PTSD, and other anxiety conditions, can be found in this booklet published by the National Institute of Mental Health, linked below:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/nimhanxiety.pdf

Marshall