After tour, Reservists' mental health may suffer

After tour, Reservists' mental health may suffer
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK | Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:03pm EDT
(Reuters Health) - Reservists returning from Iraq or Afghanistan may have more trouble adjusting to life at home than full-time soldiers do -- and that can take a toll on their mental well-being, a UK study finds.

Past studies in both the UK and U.S. have found that, compared with regular troops, Reservists and National Guard members have more mental health issues -- including more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) -- after returning home from Iraq or Afghanistan.

The latest findings, researchers say, suggest that difficulty readjusting to civilian life may account for some of that extra risk.

Of the nearly 5,000 UK troops they surveyed, Reservists were more likely to say they'd had problems getting back to their normal social activities in the weeks after coming home.

A majority -- 69 percent -- also felt like other people did not understand what they had gone through during deployment. And they were less likely than regular troops to feel supported by the military.
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After tour Reservists mental health may suffer