How Mental Health Affects People Post Military War in Iraq and Afghanistan - Essay Sample

Introduction

Mental health is a major health issue among US populations. However, no segment of the society has been affected by mental health problems more than the men and women who have served in military assignments such as Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Smith-MacDonald et al., mental health is the most prevalent issue among soldiers who have taken part in war assignments abroad and 40 percent of these veterans experience mild to extreme forms of mental problems as they adjust back to civilian life (1920). The horrible experiences of death and injuries in the impact of the battlefields on the soldiers so severely that leading a healthy life becomes a massive challenge for themselves, their families and the communities in which they reside. Based on the available evidence, mental health affects individual veterans, their families, and the communities negatively.

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Substance abuse among veterans has been identified as a serious issue among military personnel who took part in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been diagnosed with mental health problems. Alcohol use is the most used substance with statistics indicating that 7.5 percent of veterans are more likely to engage in binge drinking as compared to the non-veteran counterparts due to factors related to depression. At the same time, there has been a steady increase in opioid use among ex-war soldiers as a way of battling mental health issues generated by the depressive stressors (Teeters et al. 69-71). Excessive use of alcohol and opioid drugs negatively influences the lives of the ex-soldiers in many ways. For one, ex-soldier addicts fail to lead a normal life due to their dependency on drugs. They cannot secure employment nor constructively engage in activities that can generate income for their survival. This means that these individuals cannot fulfill their personal goals after leaving the military. The lack of income is likely to result in homelessness or engagement in crime. These outcomes suggest to us that the lives of Iraq and Afghan soldiers who have been affected with mental problems may not lead a normal life after leaving the service.

Besides the individual, substance abuse can affect the families of veterans adversely. People who suffer from mental health experience emotional instability, which can, in turn, affect their relationships with other family members. Behavioral changes, such as alcohol and drug abuse, change the behaviors of spouses. Depending on the family structure substance abuse can lead to the isolation of the ex-soldier partner as the non-abusing spouse seeks solace in children not only to get the emotional bond expected in the family (Huff 31). A family where one partner engages in substance abuse stands the chance of failing to meet the expectations of marriage and family. For instance, isolation of the ex-soldier partners may reduce the risk of such individual receiving from the addiction because members of the family do not provide the emotional support required for them to overcome such dangerous indulgences. The recovery process can also be hampered because the communication that occurs in such families is negative with primary expressions, including criticisms, complaints, or expressions of displeasure. A situation in the family where one spouse is not providing the emotional support required can be detrimental not only to the substance-abusing person but also to the family as a whole.

Former Iraq and Afghan soldiers who abuse drugs not only impact on their families negatively but also create some challenges for the communities in which they and their children live. Any experience that affects the family adversely is likely to affect the communities negatively as well. When one partner is isolated due to excessive drinking or abuse, it can be expected that the children would miss the parental guidance required for their psychosocial and cognitive development. The consequence of this is that the children may develop behaviors that are not conducive to their survival in the environment in which they are born, and this could, in turn, result in substance among the children as a well. Children with a parent who abuses substances are more likely than children who do not live with a parent with substance-abusing behaviors to experience difficulties in social and academic settings as well as lower socioeconomic status (Peleg-Oren and Teichman 49-50). Iraq and Afghan soldiers have recorded significant cases of substance abuse with data showing that at least 11 percent of the ex-soldiers experience problems of alcohol and substance abuse (Seal et al.93). With this prevalence, it means that families of these ex-soldiers are adversely affected and, therefore, the communities in which they live are negatively impacted as well. Children who lack social and cognitive skills may not fit well into the community. This is the case as communities are made of groups of families. Based on such evidence, it can be said that saving communities from substance abuse requires families of veterans to be protected first.

Besides substance abuse, Iraq and Afghan veterans have been diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). A study done by Rand Corporation indicates that at least 20 percent of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have reported experiences that are related to PSTD (Paul marketwatch.com). This is an extreme mental problem which can hamper an individual's ability to live a healthy life. PSTD is an abnormal behavior that most individuals are not used in the family and society. People affected exhibit isolation, irritability, fear, hypersensitivity, which can undermine their ability to live with other people in social settings (Smith-MacDonald et al. 1920-22). Such demeanors can affect families and society in that people with PSTD cannot associate others in society adequately. Due to the problematic nature of people living with people who are have been diagnosed with PSTD, veterans may lack the emotional support required hence the potential for suicide. Indeed, one survey found that 37 percent of Iraq and Afghan veterans have contemplated suicide with 58 percent, indicating that they know a former Iraq or Afghan veteran who has died by suicide (Laporta upi.com). Death, stigma emotional stress of families can make the veterans fail to contribute to the development of communities. Veterans with PSTD are exposed to substance abuse with evidence suggesting that for the case of Iraq veterans, PSTD and depression are the leading factors that predispose these veterans to substance abuse (Seal et al.93). A family that has a member with PSTD is likely to suffer emotional problems, and this can deny them a normal life in the community. A community that has people that are substance abusers can lose their contribution to community initiatives that make people live a better life.

Overall, I have learned that a good number of Iraq and Afghan veterans experience mental health problems. These issues are manifested in the form of substance abuse and mental disorders such as PSTD. Alcohol and drug abuse not only denies the veterans the opportunity to meet the care expectations of their families as well as cause emotional friction with their partners in marriages. This can escalate to communities and society as a whole. PSTD is also a significant issue among former Afghan and Iraq soldiers. Ex-soldiers with PSTD can be exposed to substance which can spill over to the communities. Further, PSTD can cause suicide, and this can bring grief to families and communities.

Works Cited

Huff, Christine F. Impact of Substance Abuse on Children and Families: Research and Practice Implications. Routledge, 2012.

Laporta, James. "Survey of Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans Finds Half Affected by Suicide." UPI, 2017, www.upi.com/Defense-News/2017/10/28/Survey-of-Iraq-Afghanistan-veterans-finds-half-affected-by-suicide/1841509135657/.

Paul, Kari. "Americans in This Field Have the Highest Rate of Divorce by Age 30." MarketWatch, 2018, www.marketwatch.com/story/employees-in-this-field-have-the-highest-rate-of-divorce-2017-07-13.

Peleg-Oren, Neta, and Meir Teichman. "Young Children of Parents with Substance Use Disorders (SUD): A Review of the Literature and Implications for Social Work Practice." Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, vol. 6, no. 1-2, 2006, pp. 49-61.

Seal, Karen H., et al. "Substance use disorders in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in VA healthcare, 2001-2010: Implications for screening, diagnosis and treatment." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 116, no. 1-3, 2011, pp. 93-101.

Smith-MacDonald, L., et al. "Spirituality and mental well-being in combat veterans: A systematic review." Military Medicine, vol. 182, no. 11, 2017, pp. e1920-e1940, doi:10.7205/milmed-d-17-00099.

Teeters, Jenni, et al. "Substance use disorders in military veterans: prevalence and treatment challenges." Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, vol. Volume 8, 2017, pp. 69-77.