Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Government Initiatives to Relieve It (Viewpoint Essay‪)‬

Thousands of brave men and women have died fighting for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan, and even thousands more have returned with physical injuries that will change their lives forever. There is also a growing mental health crisis among many of the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan--one that can be just as damaging and life altering for our veterans as it can be for our troops. Their mental health diagnoses can range from depression to substance abuse to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is defined as "a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event ... that is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event" (Post-traumatic stress disorder, n.d.). The most recent and extreme example of the psychological impact that war can have on an individual involves Sergeant John M. Russell of Sherman, Texas. Sgt. Russell is accused of walking into a Baghdad stress clinic and opening fire, killing five of his comrades. He was on his third tour in Iraq and just two weeks from completing his latest deployment.