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Thousands of Veterans Return with Mental Illness
Nearly a third of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who received care from Veterans Affairs between 2001 and 2005 were diagnosed with mental health or psychosocial ills, a study published Monday has concluded.
Companion Reading:
:: About mental illness, and types of mental illness
:: The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill's policy statement on veteran care
:: The stigma of mental illnesses in the military
:: Can the Veterans Administration deliver the necessary care?
Discussion Questions:
- When you think of someone with a mental illness, what image(s) come to mind? Do the fact sheets from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) contradict your view? Why?
- Two factors may influence higher levels of mental illness among younger vets. What are they?
- Former Sen. Max Cleland, a veteran who was grievously wounded during the Vietnam War and himself suffered depression, said, "You can't send young Americans to Iraq and Afghanistan ... and expect them to come home and just fit right in. … They bring trauma with them." Is providing mental health care for veterans a moral obligation for our nation? Why?
- According to the reports, how well is our nation serving veterans with mental illnesses?
- In the American Forces Press Service story, Dr. (Army Lt. Col.) E. Cameron Ritchie said, "I have a number of patients who are very successful in the military, but would I ask any of them to come forward and tell their story? No. Not if they're hoping to get another job; not if they're hoping to be promoted. … There is still such a stigma about the treatment of mental illnesses." How might this stigma affect soldiers' and veterans' willingness to seek care?
- Other than stigma, what are some factors that impede veterans' ability to receive adequate care and treatment for mental illness?
Action Resource:
Encourage students to contact Congress, expressing concern -- and demanding action -- when it comes to veterans' mental health. NAMI's Action Center will send emails for you.
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