Psychopathological Disorders In Veterans

According to a study conducted by Lancaster, Cobb, Lee and Telch (2016), an individual’s perception of a deployment has the ability to either enable or hinder the development of PTSD or depression amongst military personnel. Specifically, if negative thoughts held my military personnel deploying are indicative of the development of psychopathological disorders. Although there are a significant number of stressors associated with a military deployment, the knowledge of entering a hostile area may create a state of anxiousness. Before departing on deployment, military personnel receive briefings about the location and the threat environment. Depending on the base assigned, the service member may excessively ruminate about the negative outcomes

Comparative analysis of suicide rates of military members treated at multiple Veteran's Affairs indicate military veterans diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder are five times more likely to receive a comorbid disorder than the civilian population. As suggested in previous experimentation, there is a direct correlation between suicide and depression; however, the present experiment recognizes substance abuse is also an issue among veterans. Furthermore, veterans with mental health issues are seven times more likely to commit suicide than the civilian population. Interestingly, veterans diagnosed with PTSD demonstrated elevated rates of suicide ideation and actions; however, were less likely to successfully complete suicide. The rationality behind finding is a result of the assessed population. A significant number of individuals within the study were actively seeking treatment for a psychiatric disorder at a Veteran's Affairs clinic. Therefore, veterans within the population are potentially seeking active methods of treatment. Furthermore, demographic findings revealed that younger veterans are at a greater risk of committing suicide than their older peers. A factor that potentially contributes to this phenomenon is that resilience that inherently develops

(2011), individuals diagnosed with depression are at an increased risk of developing a substance abuse disorder. The affects of military personnel with substance abuse disorders not only affect the individual, but the unit as well (Gutierrez et al. 2006). One of the more prevalent substances that are abused my military personnel is alcohol. Due to the ease of access and the tradition of consumption in military culture, excessive alcohol consumption is a significant issue facing military personnel. Unfortunately, many service members turn to alcohol as a method to cope. Overtime surviving multiple deployments, family drama and a diminishing military force place significant stressors on personnel. Although alcohol garners significant focus, another substance known to impact military forces are prescription medications. An unhealthy force leads to reduction in operational readiness and the capability to defend the nation and our allies. Therefore, in order to provide recommendations for treatment, the first course of action is to understand how substance abuse affects military