Returning vets may face another battle, PTSD

Returning vets may face another battle

Published: May 06, 2009
By Nicholas Langhorne
special correspondent

Making the transition from a dangerous war zone back to normal family life can be a mental challenge for any war veteran. However, the estimated 12 to 20 percent of Army combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder face an even more difficult challenge, according to Dr. John Beneseck, director of the PTSD program at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond.

According to the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, the condition can be caused by any traumatic experience during which an individual felt that their life or the lives of others around them were in danger. They may also feel like they lack control over what happens to them. The nature of war makes combat veterans susceptible to developing the disorder.

“The number one technique we use is education,” Beneseck said. “Let them know that this is a pretty normal reaction.”

On average, McGuire treats between 1,000 and 1,200 veterans for PTSD every year, according to Beneseck. That number includes veterans from current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Vietnam, Korean and Gulf War veterans.

“We’re getting some people who have just heard about what PTSD is,” Beneseck said about the Vietnam and Korean War veterans who are just now seeking treatment.
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Returning vets may face another battle