Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in

Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

Marta Lopez

Salt Lake Community College

Psychology 1010

November 16, 2016

Combat is often highly traumatic with exposure to immediate threats of injury and death. The

most common immediate psychological breakdown on the battlefield is known as combat stress

reaction (CSR; Solomon, 1993). With the end of the war, the debilitating effects of combat stress

may evolve in some cases, while in others they may form into posttraumatic stress disorder

(PTSD). PTSD may develop after the war and is marked by a range of debilitating symptoms,

which are often long lasting and resistant to treatment (American Psychiatric Association [APA],

2000). PTSD may follow increased physical and psychological health risk in combat soldiers and

PTSD was the most common mental health diagnosis in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation

Enduring Freedom veterans. Approximately 7.5% of U.S. Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation

Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn combat veterans develop posttraumatic stress

disorder. Despite psychological treatments and efforts to train providers many service members

do not complete enough treatment sessions for PTSD. Seventy percent of U.S. veterans of Iraq

experienced numerous life-threatening situations and reported higher rates of PTSD, depression,

and overall mental health risk. PTSD or two or mental disorders was highly

predictive of suicide in Iraq and Afghanistan U.S. veterans. Recovery from PTSD is

not returning to a pre-traumatic state but being able to function in life and maintain productive,

healthy relationships. Healthcare providers need to reinforce that seeking psychotherapy is a

normal part of recovery from life threatening combat traumas and explain that treatment makes

transition into civil life easier. Evidence shows that OIF/OEF veterans are less disturbed

psychologically and show higher rates of improvement than veterans from earlier wars can also

be shared to help veterans overcome fear of being stigmatized for seeking help (Fontana &

Rosenheck, 2008). The human cost of war is heavy, but evidence shows that suicide

prevention and PTSD recovery for combat-trauma survivors is increasingly possible with more

aggressive trauma-focused psychological treatments.

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