Good debate article on PTSD

[Jackmoves]

Sitting here drinking my coffee and reading my news, found this on the local broadsheet, written by 4 veterans.

No idea if they are right or not, but if they are, which seems likely then it's really shameful.

How do veterans in your countries get treated?

International statistics shows that around 20 percent of the soldiers who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. But the Swedish military does not expect more than five percent of the Swedish soldiers to suffer from it. We demand that the military recognizes and takes responsibility for all the psychological problems that a Swedish soldier in the service of peace can be affected by.

It was in the aftermath of the Vietnam War that they began to take the psychological damage from war and conflict seriously. U.S. highlighted the mental strain that soldiers was exposed to as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), which later became a recognized diagnosis for extremely traumatic stress.

The first person to be diagnosed with PTSD after overseas service in the Swedish armed forces was diagnosed in 1998, but until 2007 the armed forces had yet actively participated to help veterans with PTSD. This while our neighbors reported twenty percent incapacity for personnel who served in the same area as Sweden.

After this a slow process has started, which now recognizes a sickness rate of about five percent for mental injuries among duty personnel and veterans.

Comparable to Germany

Meanwhile, U.S. data from the years 2004 - 2010 claims that 20 percent of those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have suffered from PTSD. Now, Sweden does not have troops in Iraq, but to get closer to Swedish conditions the German armed forces Bundeswehr carefully compiled their numbers for psychological damage to personnel serving abroad between 1996 and the present day.

The geographical operational areas of Sweden and Germany do not differ significantly as we largely operate in the same area and in many ways under the same circumstances.

In 2012, the Bundeswehr had 4,239 people stationed in Afghanistan, and of these 948 persons were diagnosed for PTSD (22.36 percent).

At the same time the Swedish Armed Forces (FS23) had 580 combat personnel on site and the official Swedish figure - five per cent - that would mean that 29 people would be suffering from PTSD or similar. Now, there is no supporting statistics relating to the Swedish Armed Forces official number (five percent), so the nearest records are the medical statistics we have available from the Germans and if their numbers of 22.36% would apply to Sweden as well that would give 129 injured Swedes.

High risk of suicide

According to the U.S. Veterans Administration, which annually handles more than 100,000 cases and diagnostics against PTSD and other psychological sequelae of TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and MST (Military Sexual Trauma), shows that 27 percent of the people diagnosed with PTSD also have developed suicidal thoughts and that they have attempted suicide or actually committed suicide.

If we take one example going by U.S statistics it could be argued that FS23 who served in Afghanistan in the second half of 2012 now got six per cent (35 people) who now feel so bad that they actually want to take their life.

The only reason that the Armed Forces could arrive at such a low figure as five percent for psychological damage is that the armed forces do not take their responsibilities but rather dumps the entire issue on the individual, his family and society (health care), this is something that we can tell you a great deal about from our everyday lives.

The situation of the Swedish veterans have long had a similiar appearance of that which met the returning soldiers from the Vietnam War who was met with ignorance regarding their mental injuries, an indiscretion which probably also affects approximately 89 of the Swedes who are in Afghanistan right at this moment(FS24).

What we are against is the armed forces continuously put their heads into the ground and refuse to see the issue as it is, this despite the fact that they claim to work hard on these issues but we can from our own experience and through international screening show you that they do not even have the right starting point.

Unrealistic low sickness rate

We can with these facts presume that the Armed Forces figure of a sickness rate of five percent for PTSD are unlikely. We also see that the armed forces, again, rather than to absorb the criticism pushes it down and then, as now, it will be at the expense of the mental health of those who work for peace and humanity on an international level.

We agree with the Armed Forces of the continued need for international peace operations where highly trained Swedish soldiers in the future will be able to contribute with their skills and knowledge to try and increase peace and security in the world's conflict, but we require that you once and for all pull your heads out of the sand, admit and take responsibility for all the psychological problems that a Swedish soldier in the service of peace may suffer.

Jan Strömberg

68M, 76C, 81C, L07, L11, L91 and L100

veteran and on disability pension (PTSD)

Lennart Hultkrantz

L100, L108K, wounded in combat, veteran and on disability pension (PTSD)

Joakim Bom

BA01, BA04, wounded in combat, veteran and on disability pension (PTSD)

Daniel Hellbergh

SM12, veteran