How did the Vietnam War affect the US psychiatric field?
A major shift in psychiatric interest in war-related psychiatric disability took place after the Vietnam War. Fifteen years after the United States withdrew from Vietnam, an epidemiological survey concluded that 480 000 (15%) of the 3.15 million Americans who had served in Vietnam were suffering from service-related PTSD.
What conditions did Vietnamese doctors treat in the past?
In addition to treating conditions like parasites, tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery, and war-related wounds, the physicians passed on their medical knowledge to Vietnamese doctors and nurses. The goodwill didn't always work.
Are Vietnam Veterans mentally and physically healthy?
Findings confirm that while the majority of Vietnam Veterans are both mentally and physically healthy, a significant number are still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other chronic health issues related to their service.
What was it like to be a combat medic in Vietnam?
Vietnam combat medic Rafael Matos wrote in The New York Times that they didn't have to worry about their appearance, and they didn't have to take orders that conflicted with lifesaving care. Medics weren't supposed to fight, although Matos says he was ordered to perform at least one infantry-related task.
How did the Vietnam War affect mental health?
A new study finds that almost 19 percent of the more than three million U.S. troops who served in Vietnam returned with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It's a condition that left them with invasive memories, nightmares, loss of concentration, feelings of guilt, irritability and, in some cases, major depression.
What impact did World war II have on the provider of mental health services?
High instances of psychiatric casualties amongst soldiers during the war prompted the direction of federal funding into mental health services like never before, by organizing professional training programs for psychologists and therapists and providing resources through community health centers and the Veterans ...
How does military service affect mental health?
Short and long term responses to these exposures manifest as depression, anxiety, stress, and moral distress that result in burnout, compassion fatigue, post-traumatic stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Adler et al., 2017; Gibbons et al., 2012; Goldstein, 2016).
How was the mental health of Vietnam soldiers impacted when returned home?
Post-traumatic stress syndrome For example, many veterans developed mental and emotional problems as they struggled to cope with their feelings about the war. They suffered from symptoms including depression, guilt, flashbacks, nightmares, mood swings, angry outbursts, anxiety, and paranoia.
How did World war 2 impact the development of clinical psychology?
The VA encouraged psychologists to be therapists and provided training opportunities within their hospitals and outpatient clinics. These training programs eventually led the American Psychological Association to set up accreditation procedures for training in clinical psychology.
What kind of treatment did soldiers receive for mental health issues during WWII?
Instead, soldiers suffered from combat or battle exhaustion. The simplest therapy was rest, sometimes combined with tranquillizers. Other treatments included the use of electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and narcotherapy. This last treatment option involved the use of Pentothal, a 'truth serum.
How can the military improve mental health?
You can get help through the military, with free, confidential nonmedical counseling through MilitaryOneSource.mil, or seek help through your military treatment facility or Tricare civilian provider. There are options through the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans to explore, at mentalhealth.va.gov.
Why is military mental health important?
Just as physical fitness is a central part of military life, good mental health is as important for your well-being, and military and family readiness. Mental health challenges and issues shouldn't be ignored or hidden.
What are some of the difficulties associated with mental health treatment for veterans?
The three most common mental health concerns for veterans are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)....Cognitive symptoms of TBI include:Changes in memory.Trouble concentrating.Difficulty with planning and judgment.Poor impulse control.
Why did so many Vietnam vets have PTSD?
Many mental health professionals in Psychiatry attribute the high incidence of PTSD in Vietnam-era veterans to a lack of “decompression” time.
How were Vietnam veterans treated once they returned?
Veterans returned from Vietnam not with their battalion or company, but alone on a plane after their 365-day tour. Many of them were anguished by their countrymen's condemnation of their war, felt abandoned by their government, and suffered grievous physical and psycho-spiritual injuries.
Did Vietnam vets have PTSD?
Incidence of PTSD in Vietnam Veterans At the time of the study (middle- to late-1980s), among Vietnam veterans, approximately 15% of men and 9% of women were found to currently have PTSD. Approximately 30% of men and 27% of women had PTSD at some point in their life following Vietnam.
Did ww2 vets have PTSD?
Among those who had previously sought psychiatric treatment, 37% of the World War II veterans and 80% of the Korean War veterans had current PTSD. Rosen et al [32] found that 54% of a group of psychiatric patients who had been in combat during World War II met criteria for PTSD. The prevalence of current PTSD was 27%.
How was PTSD treated after ww2?
In addition to medication plans, another method that was utilized for PTSD during WWII was the principle of proximity, immediacy, and expectancy, or "PIE". In essence, the PIE method emphasized immediate action in the treatment of PTSD.
How did ww2 change the world socially?
New families were created as women married servicemen of other nations and moved overseas; children were born in fatherless homes as a result of demobilised troops leaving the UK to return to the US or Canada or due to a death as a result of the war; and the divorce rate spiked as many families struggled to re-adjust ...
How did ww2 impact today?
An investigation into how WWII shaped the modern world reveals that, much like during World War I, technological innovation flourishes during wartime. Inventions we still use today, such as modern computers, Super Glue, duct tape, and even Tupperware, were devised to support the war effort.
How many Vietnam veterans are still suffering from mental health issues?
Vietnam War Study Raises Concerns About Veterans' Mental Health A federally mandated study shows that almost 300,000 Vietnam veterans still struggle with daily health problems linked to the traumas they experienced more than 40 years ago during the war.
How many Vietnam veterans are still suffering?
A federally mandated study shows that almost 300,000 Vietnam veterans still struggle with daily health problems linked to the traumas they experienced more than 40 years ago during the war.
What percentage of Vietnam vets are in serious trouble?
Roughly 11 percent of the vets they studied are in serious trouble. They still suffer from PTSD or from a disorder like it, and that's around 10 times the rate among veterans who did not serve in Vietnam. The Vietnam vets still get flashbacks. They're irritable, depressed. They can't sleep well.
How long has it been since the Vietnam War ended?
The study suggests that while it's been 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, hundreds of thousands of those vets still struggle every day with mental health problems linked to their war experiences. Here's NPR's Daniel Zwerdling.
Who led the study of Vietnam veterans?
Congress has ordered these studies to find out how war affects soldiers over their whole lives. Charles Marmar led the latest look at almost 2000 vets.
Where is the Soldiers Project?
She founded The Soldiers Project in California. They've given mental health counseling to hundreds of young troops and family members. She says every vet in trouble affects at least 10 relatives and friends. JUDITH BRODER: Like throwing a pebble in the water, the cycles keep expanding.
Will Vietnam vets be a problem in 2050?
BRODER: Yes, yes.
What were the medical advances in the Vietnam War?
Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other staff advanced medical practices for soldiers receiving care in the areas ...
What was the practice of universal donor blood banks during the Vietnam War?
Another practice that evolved during the Vietnam War was the use of universal donor, or Type O, blood banks in various stations throughout Vietnam. Techniques that were developed during World War II and the Korean War greatly reduced the need for amputations in the field by tying the major artery to the affected limb.
What are the medical practices of soldiers?
Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other staff advanced medical practices for soldiers receiving care in the areas of trauma care and blood supply, repair of blood vessels to save limbs, and studying the effects of a range of weapons.
How does PTSD affect Vietnamese people?
The prevalence of PTSD and depression among Vietnamese American older adults may also have damning effects on future generations. A person experiencing depression, mistrust, fear, and other symptoms of PTSD may pass their disorder to subsequent generations. This phenomenon is referred to as intergenerational transfer/trauma. Intergenerational transfer could happen when a father experiencing PTSD passes his disorder to his children. Vietnamese Americans diagnosed with PTSD may have vivid memories, flashbacks, and nightmares of the atrocities of the Vietnam war. In some cases, PTSD may cause individuals to relive these traumatic events. In family households, these symptoms may influence a child’s belief system and/or behavior. Intergenerational trauma can already be observed in many younger generations Vietnamese Americans.
How many people in Vietnam have depression?
One study found that among people with PTSD, between 48% to 55% have also experienced depression. PTSD and psychological trauma associated with the Vietnam War contribute to the high rates of depression in the Vietnamese American population, which was estimated to be as high as 50%.
What is PTSD in psychology?
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur after a person experiences or observes a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, accident, terrorist act, violent personal assaults or war. PTSD symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the disorder. In some cases, PTSD may also lead to depression. One study found that among people ...
Why is bilingual staff important in Vietnam?
A bilingual staff would enable many Vietnamese Americans to seek help and explain their issues rather than feeling alone about their mental health. Furthermore, many Vietnamese Americans would understand their condition and the importance of receiving mental health care.
Why did Vietnamese people leave Vietnam?
After the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, many Vietnamese people fled their war-torn country for the United States in search for a better life . Thousands of Vietnamese adults, children, and families crammed onto boats and traveled to the United States leaving their belongings, loved ones, and former lives behind.
Is PTSD a long term effect?
This study emphasizes the long-term effect of psychological trauma and PTSD on mental health. Without additional research, the long-term effects of PTSD and war trauma may never fully be understood, putting thousands of Vietnamese refugees in America at risk.
Is PTSD a curse in Vietnam?
In addition, mental health issues are considered as a sign of weakness and a curse. If you know a family member or friend dealing with PTSD, reach out to them and let them know it is okay.
What percentage of Vietnam veterans have PTSD?
A new study finds that almost 19 percent of the more than three million U.S. troops who served in Vietnam returned with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s a condition that left them with invasive memories, nightmares, loss of concentration, feelings of guilt, irritability and, in some cases, major depression.
What did Columbia Harvard study on readjustment?
For example, they used military records and historic accounts to measure exposure to combat stress and check the plausibility of veterans’ accounts of traumatic events. They also examined the diagnoses by experienced psychiatrists of PTSD.
Do veterans have PTSD?
On the plus side, the research shows that the majority of veterans who had the highest exposure to the death, danger, and injuries of combat did not develop PTSD. In addition, most veterans who did experience PTSD impairment are now functioning as well or nearly as well as those who did not have PTSD.
Does trauma cause PTSD?
Dohrenwend, Koenen, and their colleagues also reported on another finding. The more trauma and hazards a veteran was exposed to, the more likely he was to develop PTSD. You would think that this would be a common sense conclusion, but, as with the mismatch between verified combat stress and claims of disability, everything needs to be checked.
Can mental health professionals explain the trend toward recovery over time?
The trend “toward recovery over time cannot be explained entirely by treatment administered by mental health professionals, because less than half the veterans with past war-related PTSD received such treatment,” the researchers note. “Investigations of other factors that may contribute to initial resilience and psychological readjustment after traumatic war experiences are needed.”
What was the first study to evaluate the prevalence of PTSD among Vietnam veterans?
This was the first study to evaluate the prevalence of PTSD among Veterans, and became known as the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS). The NVVRS brought greater attention to the issue of PTSD as it found that as many as 15 percent of Veterans had PTSD.
What is PTSD in Vietnam?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as having flashbacks, upsetting memories, and anxiety following a traumatic event. It was first officially recognized as a mental health condition in 1980, only five years after the end of the Vietnam War. For hundreds of years, these symptoms have been described under different names in soldiers from many wars. However, Vietnam Veterans with these symptoms were the first to have the term ‘PTSD’ applied to them. Despite the passage of 50 years since the war, for some Vietnam Veterans, PTSD remains a chronic reality of everyday life.
When was the Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study completed?
The NVVLS was completed in December 2013, and was the first study to measure the long-term health and mental health of Vietnam Veterans.
Why is the VA using the results of this study and other similar studies?
VA is using the results of this study and other similar studies to better understand the long-term effects of military service. The results will allow VA to improve care and to better address Veterans’ long-term health needs, as well as anticipate future health needs of recent Veterans.
Do people with PTSD have a history of chronic conditions?
Those with current warzone PTSD were more likely to report a history of chronic conditions.
Is Vietnam theater healthy?
While NVVLS findings confirm that the majority of Vietnam theater Veterans are both mentally and physically healthy, a significant number are still suffering from PTSD symptoms and other chronic health issues related to their service.
Why did Vietnam veterans gain recognition for their psychological injuries?
The Vietnam veterans’ battle to gain recognition for their psychological injuries fostered an acceptance of the diagnosis of PTSD and the development of the field of traumatic stress studies. This knowledge, in turn, led to recognition of the plight of the psychological welfare of civilian casualties of war internationally, such as refugees and victims of torture, and their special needs for care.
What was the impact of the Vietnam War on veterans?
It was in the ferment of the protests against the Vietnam War in the U.S. that veterans, partly as a consequence of their political activism, were able to lobby for an independently conducted study of the impact of their war service. The National Vietnam Veterans’ Readjustment Study was a turning point in defining the psychological costs of war, with 18.7% having a lifetime history of PTSD (5). These costs of traumatic war stress extended beyond PTSD, to the increased risk for depression, personality disorders, suicide, and alcohol abuse (6).
Why is PTSD important in combat?
Combat-related PTSD has been found to increase the risk of a range of chronic diseases (15). Importantly, there appears to be both a direct effect of the stress of combat exposure on the presence of chronic disease and mortality, as well as this being amplified by the presence of PTSD (16). There has also been considerable interest in the morbidity of mild traumatic brain injury, both as a separate problem as well as a risk factor for PTSD (17).
How does war affect the next generation?
Hence, war impacts on the next generation neurobiologically, as well as through the impaired attachment behaviour of PTSD sufferers (19).
Why is it important to document the psychological costs of war?
Documenting the psychological costs of war is important, as it powerfully argues for the need to globally improve the treatment services for veterans and effected civilians alike. The substantial research effort into studying veteran populations has also contributed broadly to the understanding and acceptance of the effects of traumatic stress in society and focus attention on the need for improved services. However, despite advances in evidence-based care, substantial morbidity remains, highlighting the need for innovation in treatments and rehabilitation.
When did PTSD come into the DSM?
Ironically, it is only since the inclusion of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the DSM-III in 1980 (2) that the field of traumatic stress has blossomed and been subsequently underpinned by a major body of neuroscience and clinical research.
Where is the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies?
Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
How does mental health affect combat?
On the basis of the experience of military psychiatrists of previous wars, the US armed forces have implemented extensive strategies to target combat stress, in line with the belief that all service personnel are potential stress casualties. “Combat stress control teams” staffed by specialist mental health professionals are responsible for prevention, triage, and short-term treatment with the purpose of retaining manpower and maintaining operational efficiency. These teams provide a range of services, including conducting surveys of the interpersonal climate within units, educating unit command, providing briefings on suicide prevention and reintegration advice for returning home, and providing informal support to soldiers.45Critical incident stress debriefing (specialist intervention as soon as possible after potentially traumatic events) has also been enthusiastically incorporated by modern stress control teams, which are deployed after natural disasters or terrorist action. Unfortunately, research has not adequately supported approaches with a focus on frontline intervention.46Recent critical reviews have shown that critical incident stress debriefing does not decrease the development of symptoms and that, in some cases, it exacerbates them.47
How did psychiatrists help the military?
We examine the attempts of US psychiatrists during the 20th century to treat and prevent the psychiatric consequences of war by implementing screening programs, providing early intervention strategies for acute war-related syndromes near the front lines (“forward psychiatr y”), and mitigating the symptoms of long-term psychiatric disability after deployment. 3The involvement of psychiatrists in military conflicts not only resulted in the development of extensive expertise in the management of war-related psychiatric syndromes but also profoundly affected the development of the entire discipline of psychiatry, which incorporated new theoretical perspectives, diagnostic categories, and treatment strategies first proposed and developed by military psychiatrists.
Why was psychiatry not considered relevant during the first years of World War II?
Salmon’s plans for forward psychiatry were not considered relevant during the first years of World War II because the military was convinced that screening would eliminate postcombat psychiatric disorders. During the Tunisian campaign in early 1943, however, up to 34% of all battle-related disorders were labeled neuropsychiatric.24Because US Army policy dictated that soldiers with psychiatric disorders had to be repatriated, attrition rates became alarmingly high. As a consequence, military officials were receptive to the ideas of a small but outspoken group of psychoanalytically oriented psychiatrists, including Roy G. Grinker and William C. Menninger, who proposed to implement programs of forward psychiatry that resembled those of Salmon.
How high were the neuropsychiatric casualties in the Korean War?
In the initial phase of the Korean War, military officials reported very high rates of neuropsychiatric casualties (250 per 1000 per year). 41Because of the nature of the conflict, characterized by quickly shifting front lines and widely dispersed battle fields, it was difficult to implement programs of forward psychiatry. After the determined implementation of these programs, however, more than 80% of neuropsychiatric victims returned to battle.42From the inception of the Vietnam War, extensive and well-equipped psychiatric services were available to treat mentally distressed soldiers.43During that conflict, the incidence of combat stress was reported to be very low (less than 5% of all medical cases). On the recommendation of military psychiatrists during World War II, Vietnam War soldiers had a tour of duty limited to 1 year and frequent periods of rest and relaxation. Military psychiatrists believed that both factors decreased the incidence of mental breakdown.44
Why did psychiatrists treat soldiers at the front lines?
Treatment near the front lines achieved a dual purpose. First, it gave a clear message to soldiers that shell shock did not provide an easy route home. In this way, psychiatrists played a significant role in fighting so-called evacuation syndromes, in which the display of a specific set of symptoms led to evacuation and repatriation, which often increased the symptoms’ incidence.22Second, psychiatrists initiated treatment as soon as possible after symptoms appeared. From the British experience, Salmon had learned that the symptoms of mental distress commonly became ingrained and resistant to treatment when left untreated. Immediate treatment promised to result in high recovery rates and the prevention of long-term psychiatric disability. In line with military demands, Salmon’s aim was to return as many men as possible to the front line.23
Why did Salmon recommend a mental hospital?
He strongly advised against placing these soldiers in mental hospitals because of the stigma attached to these institutions and because the veterans were not affected by severe forms of mental illness. He believed that outpatient treatment was more appropriate.48In 1921, 27% of all hospitalized ex-servicemen were defined as neuropsychiatric cases (in 1927, this number was estimated to be 46.7%).49The American Legion was convinced that these soldiers deserved the best possible treatment and were entitled to a pension. After 1925, however, psychiatrists began to doubt the wisdom of providing pensions, because they believed pensions reinforced disability. Psychiatrists wondered whether their efforts had contributed to the problem of the large number of ex-servicemen who still suffered from psychiatric disability after the war.50
What are the effects of witnessing war?
WITNESSING ACTS OF WARFARE,including killing, torture, and widespread devastation , can be severely upsetting. It can also have significant mental health consequences for military personnel. Witnessing death, destruction, and torture; experiencing unexpected and at times continuous threats to one’s life; or participating in hostilities and killing can potentially lead to mental health problems. During the 20th century, psychiatrists offered their assistance to the military to mitigate the effects of these and other traumatic experiences inherent in warfare. Military officials everywhere have displayed a strong ambivalence toward the involvement of psychiatrists in military affairs. For example, they have often labeled soldiers suffering from psychiatric symptoms as cowards lacking moral fiber.1Military officials have also been concerned that the presence of psychiatrists encouraged the display of psychiatric symptoms. However, military officials have been interested in psychiatric issues whenever they were perceived to affect the primary mission of the armed forces. When psychiatrists were perceived to be able to contribute to the primary goal of all army medical services, which is to conserve the fighting strength, their contributions were appreciated.2
What did medics do in Vietnam?
When they were relatively remote from the action or in times of relative peace, the medics focused on caring for the soldiers' general health. In the jungle, that meant reminding soldiers to take their malaria tablets and stay hydrated. In The New York Times, Vietnam combat medic Rafael Matos recalls mundane tasks like administering tetanus shots and treatments for head lice.
Why did Vietnam medics use M&Ms?
This claim is repeated in Vietnam veteran Tim O'Brien's semi-autobiographical short story collection, The Things They Carried. In particular, medics may have used M&Ms when they had determined that someone probably wasn't going to survive, instead of wasting precious morphine.
Why did people become medics?
Other people who became medics volunteered. Beating the army to the punch and signing up instead of waiting to be drafted gave you more control over which area you worked in. Some volunteer medics saw the job as a way to serve their country, while others believed it would be an opportunity to get medical training they otherwise couldn't afford, as Vietnam combat medic Rafael Matos wrote in The New York Times.
How long did medics stay in Vietnam?
Medics followed soldiers into battle. Public Domain. Mandatory deployment to Vietnam lasted one year, with the option to extend. In theory, medics were supposed to spend some of their deployment working in hospitals on the edge of the battlegrounds or slightly further out and some of it following soldiers into combat.
Why was the Vietnam War so famous?
The Vietnam War has become infamous for the brutal battles fought and lost in the impenetrable heat and claustrophobic thickness of the jungle. Following American soldiers into the line of fire, hoping to prevent them from becoming yet more casualties, were their medics. Medics trained alongside other troops, but their job in ...
What kind of rifle did the Medics have?
According to We Are the Mighty, most had an M16A1 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, and grenades. Like the infantrymen, they didn't have body armor or bulletproof helmets. Medics were also distinct from infantrymen in some ways.
How long did medic training last?
Like other soldiers, combat medics were trained in fitness drills, firearms (unless they were conscientious objectors ), and how not to get shot. Medical training lasted ten weeks and revolved around triaging battle wounds.