June 10, 2008
Many Frontline Troops Turn To Meds To Cope
David Martin: They're Using Anti-Depressants, Sleeping Pills To Combat Stress Of Battle
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Play CBS Video Video Our Medicated Military As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, an alarming number of active-duty troops are turning to prescription anti-depressants to cope with the stress of battle. David Martin reports.
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(CBS/The Early Show)
As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, we're learning that a large number of troops are turning to medication to deal with the stress of battle.
Each year, between 20 and 40 soldiers are evacuated from war zones for mental problems brought on by combat, says CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin, and many more stay in the battle with the help of medication.
A recent survey found 12 percent of soldiers in Iraq reported taking either anti-depressants or sleeping pills. That works out to about 19,000 soldiers, half of them using anti-depressants.
"We are in new territory," Martin quoted an Army psychiatrist as saying, meaning, Martin explained, that never before have anti-depressants without dangerous side effects been available to soldiers facing repeated combat tours.
Starting in the late 1980s, anti-depressants that didn't cause dizziness, drowsiness and other complications began to come on the market. Then, Martin observed, came Iraq and Afghanistan, with their multiple combat tours and demands for increasing numbers of troops -- and the Pentagon approved prescribing drugs such as Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil for soldiers who otherwise might have to be evacuated from the war zone.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has become one of the signature wounds of this war," Martin pointed out. "Now, anti-depressants are emerging as one of the signature medications."
Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Tuesday, "This high rate of the use of anti-depressants and sleeping pills is really just a symptom of a deeper problem. We're sending folks back over and over again in a tremendously stressful environment, and it's taking its toll. The anti-depressants and sleeping pills are one way that the military and the individuals are trying to meet that threat."
There's a lot of debate over whether the use of such medications under those circumstances is a good idea, Rieckhoff says, adding, "What we need to look at is how to reduce the overall stress. And that starts with reducing the deployments. They only get about a year home, if that, doing a 12-to-16 month tour. We know that about half-a-million folks have been to Iraq more than once. So, they're going back over and over again.
"That's why we're seeing the (high) suicide rate in the Army. One-hundred-fifteen folks in the Army committed suicide last year. That's the highest rate since 1980. So, we've gotta look at those other factors that are causing the stress, in addition to the violence, in addition to the family stress and all of that other stuff that piles up on the troops."
The chances of someone returning from a deployment suffering from PTSD increase with each additional time they're sent back, Smith noted, calling it "a very bad recipe," and Rieckhoff concurred, commenting, "It is. Simple supply and demand. We continue to increase the demand on our troops, but we haven't increased the overall number of troops dramatically. There was an Army Ranger who was recently killed on his eighth tour.
"Folks coming home are at risk -- about one-in-five are gonna come home with post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression. There was a big study from the Rand Institute a few weeks ago that confirmed those numbers.
"And we need more support services, both when they're in the military and, especially, when they come home."
"It's hard to get to a doctor when you're in a war zone," Rieckhoff continued. "With the recent surge, we increased the number of troops by about 30,000, but we didn't increase the number of mental health care workers. We've got to increase the number of folks in the field; we've got to get them to a doctor more often. It's really hard to get your prescription checked when you've gotta go across the country or across your sector in a very dangerous environment, with the roadside bombs. It's a very dangerous recipe."
At home, says Rieckhoff, "They've got to have follow-up. The V.A. (Veterans Administration) has a long wait time right now. Hundreds of thousands of claims are backed up. The average wait time is about 183 days to process a claim. We've got to do a better job at the V.A., when they come home, as well, because that's when most folks are gonna show that they have a mental health problem and seek out the treatment."
Using these drugs is "definitely a Band Aid solution," Rieckhoff concluded. "We're continuing to send folks over and over again. This is one way for the Army to keep people in the fight. We know recruiting numbers are stressed, retention numbers are stressed, and this is one way for ... the Pentagon to keep people on the front lines. But there is a long-term cost to the military and for the individuals.
"This week, in the House and Senate, we'll be fighting for a new G.I. Bill. That's a critical way to take care of these folks when they come home as well, and we've got to pay up and take care of our veterans when they come home."
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Left miss treated, they are prescribed medications that actually exacerbate their mild - moderate (and even severe) brain injuries. Additionally if not treated at all, self medication in the forms of substance abuse, pain medication abuse (even prescribed!) abound.
Lastly suicide rates can and are exorbitant due in part to miss diagnosis and poor medications which can enhance the depression. Non-diagnosis and treatment leaves the soldier, his family and community out in the cold.
Sincerely
Glenn Ford
Advocate for People and Families Living with Brain Injury
A person Living with Brain Injury for these past 17 years
G-MFord@juno.com
"These boys/men that are using these drugs are doing so so we can have the right to gripe and complain about it on this forum! REGARDLESS of whether or not you support this crazy war... Your freedom has been brought to you on the lives and the mentality of these men."
I disagree. Our Constitution grants these rights, the Rule of Law that this administration has shown great contempt for.
The president has an obligation to uphold the Constitution and I feel he is negligent in his duties.
Many say Jesus died for our sins. Our troops die for this incompetent president. Jesus is better.
In Viet Nam, it was illegal drugs. It''s ''escape-ism''... I can''t blame these guys for wanting to get away from what they''ve seen or had to do. It''s like living in a never-ending horror flick for a year at a time.
I have a son in the Army now, he''ll be coming home from Basic/AIT this week. Luckily, he''s been stationed state-side but who''s to say when he has to go over. If or when he does and IF he comes back using prescription antidepressants, then we''ll deal with it the best way we can. I don''t support the band-aid fix but it''ll get ''em home so they can get help.
Just remember this.... These boys/men that are using these drugs are doing so so we can have the right to gripe and complain about it on this forum! REGARDLESS of whether or not you support this crazy war... Your freedom has been brought to you on the lives and the mentality of these men.
HOOAH!!
Proud Army Mom!
Posted by thewatcher6
I think we have a right to know how our billion bucks a day is being p1ssed away. Don''t you?
Posted by p-syrus
Exactly. If someone takes a non-pharmaceutical drug to feel happy, they go to jail. Take a prescription drug, and it''s okay - we''re even trained to feel sympathetic for them. Soldiers today are better equipped and trained and protected than any in the past. I haven''t read of WW2 heros being druggies like these guys in "Eye-Rack". Could the immorality of what they''re doing in "Eye-Rack" be getting to them?
What was it that we were suppose to learn.
How to live in peace and love each other???
Such things only exist in a fictitous world.
Many of the men fighting were druggies long before joining the military they joined to get out of jail for drug use now they have doctors giving it to them free which they use to have to pay 5 or 10 bucks per pill.
We had two wars now thqat were political wars, the one ion Vietnam a Democrat war of Kennedy and LBJ and now one in honbor of the deserter gw bush, Neither war was necessary so the politicians decided to rotate the troops to keep the home front from imnpeaching the ba$****$, it has worked so far. The other thing is we are spending billions on re enlistment bonus money and tour money for the officers.
Leave them there until it is over give them the tools to fight with, do not hold back by tying hone hand behind them and the war will end and they can all come home no more rotation after all they joined knowing there was a war going and so let them fight win their ribbons and come home the hero they want when they left. Please get it over soon as I have two grand sons who might be drafted for this deserter''s war of choice we have as president.
Frank Bowers of Austin, TX
We no longer have a army or military force we have the old French Foreign Legion folks that is the people who will join up if the money is right and their past criminal history , like gw bush''s desertion, will be wipped off the records.
Frank Bowers
Suicide rates are through the roof and 1 in 5 is on mood-altering drugs.
Battle stress? I don''t think so. It''s the realization of being prostituted in a boondoggle that''s eating these warrior''s from the inside out.
- by hwy1702 June 10, 2008 2:15 PM EDT
- It is time for the Draft. A solider should not have to spend more than one combat tour unless they volunteer. Bringing the draft back would limit combat tours to one. If the American people do not wish to fight a war they can protest in the streets and elect leaders that would end the wars. It worked with the Vietnam War.
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