Saving Society Saves the Vets

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is one form of anxiety that we briefly skimmed over when a few speakers came to our class. We constantly think that this disorder is a problem veterans face because they are having trouble getting over such horrific events. However, Sebastian Junger explains in a Ted Talk that the problem might not be the vets, but the rest of society instead.

Only 10% on the military is involved in combat, yet strangley 50% of veterans claim to have PTSD. Clearly a large amount of veterans are facing struggles other than what is seen in war. Junger suggests that making the transition from a tightly-knit troop to an isolated society is what can cause depression in the veterans. Several studies reported our nation as being the most isolated, making our depression rates the highest. Frankly, when veterans return, there is not the same relationships and unification as there is in their troops. No one around them understands what they have gone through, and there is not the constant feeling of being in a tribe. This changes during time periods when the whole country is involved in the war. For example, after 9-11 PTSD and suicide rates declined significantly. Everyone was reveling in the tragedy together, and returning veterans were not facing such a difficult transition into isolation.

It is interesting how the solution to treat PTSD is virtually the same as that regarding substance abuse, depression and several other disorders - we as a community need to prevent such isolation from occurring, and create a more unified population.

For more information, view the Ted Talk here.