Mental Illness in Veterans Neglected Following War

For those who enter the battlefields, many may be haunted by scenes of grief, death and pure horror long after the fighting has ended.

In fact, a new study shows that many veterans who suffer a mental health condition following war, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, spend an average between two years after deployment learning to cope with the added medical situation.

The Mayo Clinic classifies post-traumatic stress disorder as a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event that may bring disturbing nightmares back to the forefront of that person's mind. 

The results of the study showed that as many as 75 percent of veterans had not received proper care for this problem, which would involve, according to the clinic, medication and/or a combination of different therapies to help he or she cope.

The study notes that immediate attention to the problem is essential as mental illness can greatly impair a person's life and interfere with many aspects of their overall health, including their ability to work and relationships with others. According to psychologist at the San Francisco Veterans Medical Center, via Live Science, "If we can get them into care sooner, that's less time that they have to live with some of those challenges after they return from deployment."

The study looked at veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan wars who visited Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers between 2001 and 2011. It found that an average of seven and a half years lapsed between the first mental health visit and the start of treatment.

Researchers believe treatment access must be increased, including a better acceptance of these problems, as well.

The findings were published in the December 2012 issue of the journal Psychiatric Services.