Standing guard against a grim, invisible enemy in Afghanistan

[GAP]

Standing guard against a grim, invisible enemy in Afghanistan
Depression and combat stress can strike like a bullet, but Canadian troops have help
JOE FRIESEN
Article Link

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN -- Colonel Randy Boddam stole headlines earlier this month when he said Canada was deploying soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder to Afghanistan. But in four months as a military psychiatrist in Afghanistan, he has treated more patients for combat-related stress than PTSD, which is only the fourth most common mental illness in the military.

Canadian soldiers are nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression and nearly 40 per cent more likely to suffer from panic disorder than the general population. And while he has seen a slightly greater incidence of combat stress in Kandahar, the bulk of his work has been treating depression and anxiety disorders.

"There's something about the Canadian Forces. Is that a factor of attraction, is that part of the work environment? What is it? We don't know," said Dr. Boddam, the Canadian Forces' chief psychiatrist.

"Certainly some of this has been brought on by the stress of combat and operations."
More on link

 

[retiredgrunt45]

What these people think this is news. To state the obvious, any war has phycoligical casualties, whether it be PTSD, combat fatigue, or as WWI and II vets put it, shell shock.

Canadian soldiers are nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression and nearly 40 per cent more likely to suffer from panic disorder than the general population

"DUH" comparing the average joe in the population to a soldier in combat, jeese mmm, let me see, God, my 2 year niece can figure that one out. Were do these people think this crap up. Your stealing my air, so tell us something we dont know!

 

[TCBF]

"There's something about the Canadian Forces. Is that a factor of attraction, is that part of the work environment? What is it? We don't know," said Dr. Boddam, the Canadian Forces' chief psychiatrist.

"Certainly some of this has been brought on by the stress of combat and operations."
More on link

- Yup.  That and soldiering for a country that has a far better Army than it deserves.

 

[3rd Herd]

The last bit of the article intrigue me
"When he returns to Afghanistan in the fall, Dr. Boddam may conduct some research on the impact of having a psychiatrist on hand in a combat zone. He's interested in trying to measure whether longtime PTSD rates are lower because the issues were dealt with quickly"

I think that there are a host of jurried documented studies on this issue already or is he referring to Canadian troops only ?

 

[geo]

maybe he can go and conduct a study on the psychological makeup of the Taliban
God knows he has to understand ALL the factors going into the equation.

 

[harry8422]

one could only hope

 

[mckee19]

i tend to think that civilians still see the fact that war and canada means walking the streets with baby blues on....and not really combat so this idea of combat fatigue and PTSD is new to them

 

[Kiwi99]

When we returned from TF1-06, we were given lots of briefs about PTSD and combat stress.  What to look for, how to know if you have it. But not a single 'specialist/expert' told us that it is alright to feel fine.  We are bombarded with issues ref mental health after a tour.  And that is why some soldiers think that they have issues,  because nobody has told them what is most important...There is nothing wrong with feeling good.  There is nothing wrong with shooting the enemy and blowing him the hell away.  Yes, some people have issues and they deal with them.  But for the record, after what I did over there, and the things I saw, I feel absolutely great about it.  And other people must realise that there is no guilt in that.

 

[HItorMiss]

+1 Kiwi


The Who's song Behind Blue Eyes has a great line "My dreams are not as empty as my conscience seems to be" I often think that is so telling. I feel no remorse for what I did but that does not mean I do not have nightmares about certain things that occurred. Not based on what I did to other persons, but things that were close to happening to me. The human mind and body cannot sustain that amount of stress without some way to bleed it off, hence many members will have nightmares, sweats etc etc some type of mental bleed valve that once it bleeds off the member will return to normal operations (or what is normal for that person anyway).

 

[TCBF]

"... But not a single 'specialist/expert' told us that it is alright to feel fine. "

- That's because if you feel 'fine', you are breaking their rice bowls.  This 'you are all victims' cottage industry is a growth industry, and there is lots of money to be made and careers to be built on our backs. 

- The recent Brit research - 'Stiff Upper Lip' and 'Carry on' - is generally just as effective in most cases.

- So is socializing with peers who were there, rather than chatting with a nice lady who knows squat about soldiering:  she takes off her uniform because she thinks it puts the young soldiers at ease.  Know what, lady? UNIFORMS put me at ease, and until you put yours back on - if you can find it - I'll just blow some sunshine into your life until the interview is over.

- Ever wonder why any of our 'experts' today never asked Smoky Smith why he was so happy and accepting of his lot in life?  They were afraid of his answers, that's why.

 

[HItorMiss]

I am pretty sure none of them are ever going to tell us it's ok to be ok, then they would be out of a job.

 

[TCBF]

I am pretty sure none of them are ever going to tell us it's ok to be ok, then they would be out of a job.

- Bingo.

"The Who's song Behind Blue Eyes "...

- Same album, check out "We Won't Get Fooled Again", one of my perenial favourites.

 

[geo]

+1 Kiwi & Co

CSA105 - you are right that it is up to the entire CoC to let the boys & girls know that it is OK to feel good.  Provide support to all your troops, just like you always should.

It's great that you ensure you pay attention to the troops that need it - just don't forget those others that answer to you.