PTSD, Alchohol Abuse Higher In Veterans And Reserves

Following a new military study, the already known facts of a higher probability and occurrence of alcohol misuse and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in reserve soldiers and veterans, as compared to those on active duty has been confirmed.

The recent military research has proved that the U.S National Guard soldiers and the Military reserve soldiers, having returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, have shown a greater tendency towards alcohol misuse and drinking problems, in addition, to the already seen trend of high rates of PTSD in these army men.

"Our study found that combat deployment in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was significantly associated with new-onset heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and other alcohol-related problems among Reserve/Guard and younger personnel after return from deployment," wrote the study's authors.

According to the study high levels of stress were seen not only in the deployed soldiers, but their families as well.

The main reason for this, as cited by the study, appears to be the lack of counselling given to the soldiers before leaving for these war like situations, which leaves them virtually unprepared to deal with the stress and trauma that comes along with war. Also, PTSD once sets in; snowballs into a bigger avalanche of problems once home; leading the soldiers to alcohol abuse.

"Because alcohol use may serve as a coping mechanism after traumatic events, it is plausible that deployment is associated with increased rates of alcohol consumption or problem drinking," the researchers suggested.

The study has been published in the August 13th issue of the Journal of the American medical Association. Authored by officials from varied branches of the U.S military, including the Naval Health Research Centre in San Diego, the study has based its findings on the survey of 48,481 soldiers.

Out of these 48, 481, 5510 had had a first hand combat experience, 5661 had returned from the deployment region without seeing combat and the rest 37,310 had not yet been sent to the region at all. 26,613 soldiers out of these were on active duty and 21,868 were Reserve or National Guard.

According to the study, it was found that there was a 63 % greater chance of combat veterans to develop new-onset heavy drinking as compared to those who had not been deployed at all.
• After deployment rates of new onset heavy drinking on weekly basis were 8.8%.
• Rates of new-onset binge drinking were 25.6%.
• And those of developing alcohol related problems were 7.1%.

Deployed women soldiers although had a lesser probability of getting into an alcohol problem or binge drinking, as compared to men soldiers but, at the same time, they were more likely to get into it as compared to those who were not deployed.

The study also found younger soldiers born after 1980, to be more susceptible to binge drinking or alcohol abuse, than their older counterparts and also put them at a greater risk for the same as compared to their peer who had not seen combat. They were found to be 6.7 times more likely to get into binge drinking and 4.7 times more likely to report new alcohol related problems.

However, the fact that suicides rates were not found to be higher in returning combat veterans was some consolation in the offing from the study.

While many feel that the report would be an eye opener for the concerned authorities to take some concrete steps in the direction of veteran welfare, Jeffrey T. Parsons, chairman of the department of psychology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, in New York City, feels that the responsibility also lies with the soldiers themselves.

According to Parsons, it is human to feel emotional and he also considers, asking for help in times of stress and trauma to be a wise thing rather than a show of weakness. He suggests soldiers retuning from combat to immediately build their support system and network around them, which would help them overcome their past and guide them positively away from the traumas. "Surround yourself with people you can talk to and establish a support system that isn't tied to a bar," advises Parsons.