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Invisible war wounds: post-traumatic stress disorder
- June 14, 2011 1:27 PM |
- By Robert Ballantyne
We hear all about the casualties of war, soldiers who have sacrificed
their lives in duty. However, we rarely hear about injuries beyond the
physical: the invisible, psychological wounds of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is not a new phenomenon. In the First World War, it was called "shell shock", never really understood, and never adequately dealt with. By the time Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan is over by the end of the year, 35,000 Canadian men and women will have served there, and using the military's own arguably conservative estimate, as many as 2,000 of those could be coming home with PTSD.
Tonight, Diana Swain explores why the Canadian military sends soldiers who've been diagnosed with PTSD back into rotation.
The National wants to hear from you: are you a soldier or a soldier's family member who have felt the effects of PTSD?
If you are a soldier with an Operational Stress Injury like PTSD or think you may be, or if you are a family member of one, you may contact the Force's Operational Stress Injury Social Support network (OSISS) at 1-800-883-6094 or visit their web site at www.osiss.ca.
If you are a soldier and are feeling depressed or suicidal, you may contact the CF Member Assistance Program at 1-800-268-7708.
PTSD is not a new phenomenon. In the First World War, it was called "shell shock", never really understood, and never adequately dealt with. By the time Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan is over by the end of the year, 35,000 Canadian men and women will have served there, and using the military's own arguably conservative estimate, as many as 2,000 of those could be coming home with PTSD.
Tonight, Diana Swain explores why the Canadian military sends soldiers who've been diagnosed with PTSD back into rotation.
The National wants to hear from you: are you a soldier or a soldier's family member who have felt the effects of PTSD?
If you are a soldier with an Operational Stress Injury like PTSD or think you may be, or if you are a family member of one, you may contact the Force's Operational Stress Injury Social Support network (OSISS) at 1-800-883-6094 or visit their web site at www.osiss.ca.
If you are a soldier and are feeling depressed or suicidal, you may contact the CF Member Assistance Program at 1-800-268-7708.
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