redcoat

Interesting article on the unexplained differences between the levels of post traumatic stress suffered by US and British forces

The invisible division: US soldiers are seven times as likely as UK troops to develop post-traumatic stress - Americas, World - The Independent

irishcrusader95

i can't see how it makes a difference what country your from, the level of PTSD a person might suffer from depends on the amount of combat seen or a particularly gruesome event witnessed. the persons up-bringing also plays a part in just how effected they might be by an event

Nemowork

You answered your own question.

People in different countries are raised in different ways with different cultures , different heroes and different ways of reacting to problems.

America has a love of health care, therapy, self-analysis and individuality, Britain has a culture of being introverted, keeping your problems to yourself, not causing a fuss and if things get too bad drown your problems in a sea of booze.

Rolling Blockhead

Coincidentally, these are all classic symptoms of PTSD. I'm sure it's just a coincidence though, and soldiers and Marines from the UK actually aren't traumatized even a little at the sight of dead friends and killing people.

The Alani Dragon Rising

No I don't think that would stop people getting PTSD being introverted or stop it developing by drinking. Alcohol is a depressant any way, so it is likely to make the situation worse. I think it is possible that expectation could be the difference. Those going into situations which go totally against their knowledge or understanding or expectations are going to react badly. American culture has given its people a false sense of themselves and security which many don't realise is false until it is too late.

Nemowork

It depends on how accurate their figures are or if its simply because the US is more aggressive at finding and treating PTSD sufferers who get ignored in Britain or if theres some other statistical variation, but a difference of 5% against 30% is notable.

I think the point they're trying to make isnt about the stresses the individual soldier suffers, its how when they return to peace and civilian life the culture around them expects them to react to PTSD.

Ever since the vietnam war people have been shown on TV how traumatised veterans ought to behave, so are people with genuine mild problems playing up to the stereotype of how they ought to act. Do their families expect that behaviour and start reading too much into minor problems, creating a problem that wasn't there?

Rolling Blockhead

You clearly haven't been in contact with anybody in the combat arms part of the US military, never mind the infantry.

I suspect it's a little bit of all of that. The widely publicized break downs lead to, like in any large organization that has something that makes it look bad, increased efforts to correct or suppress that behavior. Rather than send people out into the world with 500 MG of Valium, the US in fits and starts seems to be be attempting to head it off at the pass before the kids get to the "screaming insanity" portion of PTSD. They aren't entirely successful, obviously. But at least they're trying.

Knarly Dan

I think this sentence from the article partly explains the difference: 'In America, soldiers frequently return to a culture that fully expects them to be psychologically wounded by the experience.' IMO this is true, based on anecdotes I've heard about or read.

Another factor may be that UK troops are under few illusions about why they've been sent to Iraq, Afganistan, etc., whereas most GIs are slow to realize what Pat Tillman did early on.

Rolling Blockhead

So, if I've got this straight:

1. The psychological health of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan is based on the mindset of people at home.

2. The word isn't out about Pat Tillman being killed by "friendly" fire yet?

Is that it?

Cedar Brown

Doesn't the U.S. have National Guard troops doing multiple tours in Afghanistan or something. I think that the American Army's greater commitments and the length of the wars means that the U.S. Army soldiers are doing more tours then the British troops.