Vets coping with combat stress highest since Vietnam

Vets coping with combat stress highest since Vietnam

As the United States nears the two-year mark in its military presence in Iraq still fighting a violent insurgency, it is also coming to grips with one of the products of war at home: a new generation of veterans, some of them scarred in ways seen and unseen.

These injured and disabled men and women represent the most grievously wounded group of returning combat veterans since the Vietnam War, which officially ended in 1975. Of more than 5 million veterans treated at VA facilities last year, from counseling centers like this one to big hospitals, 48,733 were from the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In many ways, we are living in the same world we lived in before the events of September 11, 2001. We get up in the morning, go to school or work, gather with loved ones to celebrate birthdays and weddings, attend community and school events, plant gardens. But the ongoing threat of terrorist attacks and the war in Iraq…

have created a pervasive change in our world and varying levels of stress for all Americans. Most of us know someone fighting in the war and the media keeps us exposed to the destruction of war and terrorism.

The sustained nature of security threats can lead to stress overload, marked by persistent fatigue, an inability to concentrate, changes in eating and sleeping habits, increased use of alcohol or drugs, physical ailments, and prolonged feelings of depression or anxiety.

The National Mental Health Association has issued advice on how to cope with stress overload and help youth get through the challenging days ahead. To reduce stress:

• Stay connected. You are not alone in this. Talk to family, friends, and coworkers about how world events have affected you; they may be experiencing similar feelings and be able to share helpful advice.
  
• Take good care of your body. Reduce stress by developing a regular exercise routine, eating nutritious and balanced meals, and avoiding drugs and alcohol. Just like stress, drugs and alcohol rob you of energy and cloud your perceptions of everyone and everything.
  
• Make time for relaxation. Reduce the time you spend worrying about things you cannot control and spend more time doing the things that relax you.
  
• Take back some control. You cannot control the war or other events that threaten security, but you can maintain your normal routine, write to a friend or relative serving overseas, attend a meeting on community preparedness or volunteer.
  
• Take reasonable precautions. Make an emergency communications plan with family and friends. Exchange phone numbers with neighbors. Stay informed about current events, but don’t become obsessed by the news coverage.
  
• Be optimistic about the challenges ahead. Try to maintain a positive outlook by remembering that our nation has survived other difficult times. Stay in touch with your spirituality if it is a source of comfort to you.
  
• Seek professional help if your symptoms are serious and interfere with normal functioning.

With all children and youth, we must remember to acknowledge their worries and uncertainties and reassure them that their feelings are normal. For grade-school age children:

• Try to answer questions about the war and terrorism in simple and clear language. Use a map or globe to illustrate how far away the war is and explain that police and many others are working hard to keep us safe here at home.
  
• If a child is concerned about a family member serving overseas, don’t tell them not to worry. False reassurance is not helpful. Instead, say that a lot of people are also concerned about the relative’s safety and that the relative has practiced his or her job a lot for this time. Tell the child that adults are working very hard to make things safe for him or her.
  
• Monitor children’s television viewing. Limit the amount of war coverage they see by scheduling other activities during the news hour.

For middle- and high school age youth:

• Plan for shared time watching a reliable national newscast. This is a good opportunity to discuss current events, find out how the teenager is responding, and correct any misinformation they may have acquired. Discussing history may help put the war and related politics in context.
  
• Encourage teens to work out their own position on the war – even if it differs from your own. This is an age for developing personal ethics and viewpoints, a process you can support with open discussion and friendly debate.
  
• Create a family plan to follow in the event of an emergency. Exchange thorough contact information and designate a location to meet. This will heighten feelings of security and decrease panic if a crisis event occurs.

The National Mental Health Association has several resources available to help you and others cope with tragic events, loss, and other related topics. To obtain this information, go to www.nmha.org or call their toll-free line at 800-969-6642.