Clinical issues and treatment considerations for new veterans : Soldiers of the wars in iraq and afghanistan

Abstract

War can be traumatizing for some armed forces personnel and their families. It is widely accepted that soldiers exposed to combat may develop mental disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and other emotional problems. Families of service personnel are also stressed and changed by the absence of their loved ones and fear for their loved one's safety. This results in traumatically changed soldiers returning home to dramatically changed families. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals are challenged to treat mentally distressed returning war veterans who are also responding to adaptations, adjustments, and alterations of mentally stressed families. The pathology of post-war soldiers may be much more complex than clinicians are prepared to acknowledge. This article examines the impact of family changes on the psyche of already stressed soldiers, and makes recommendations for individual and collaborative treatment of veterans and their families.