Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVietnam VeteransPersian Gulf War VeteransIraq/Afghanistan ConflictTreatment in VeteransConclusion

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Vietnam Veterans

Persian Gulf War Veterans

Iraq/Afghanistan Conflict

Treatment in Veterans

Conclusion

Close

Regardless of which war or conflict you look at, high rates ofpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)in veterans have been found. Throughout history, people have recognized that exposure to combat situations can negatively impact the mental health of those involved in these situations.

In fact, the diagnosis of PTSD historically originates from observations of the effect of combat onsoldiers. The grouping of symptoms that we now refer to as PTSD has been described in the past as “combat fatigue,” “shell shock,” or “war neurosis.“

For this reason, researchers have been particularly interested in examining the extent to which PTSD occurs among veterans. Rates ofPTSD in Vietnam veterans, Persian Gulf War veterans, and Iraq War veterans are provided below.

PTSD in Vietnam Veterans

The incidence over a lifetime following involvement in the Vietnam war, however, is much greater. Approximately 30% of men and 27% of women developed some form of partial PTSD at some point in their life following Vietnam.

PTSD in Persian Gulf War Veterans

Although the Persian Gulf War was brief, its impact was no less traumatic than other wars. From the time the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991 to now, veterans have reported a number of physical andmental health problems.

Studies examining the mental health of Persian Gulf War veterans are mixed, with some findings indicating that the rates of PTSD stemming from the Gulf war were lower than other wars, ranging from 8–16%. Some of these estimated rates are higher than what has been found among veterans not deployed to the Persian Gulf.

PTSD in Iraq and Afghanistan Conflict Veterans

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are ongoing. That’s why the full the impact the war has had on the mental health of soldiers in Iraq is not yet known.

A study published in 2004 looked at members of four United States combat infantry units (three Army units and one Marine unit) who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and found that soldiers who were deployed to Iraq had more exposure to combat than those deployed to Afghanistan. As such, of the veterans who participated in the study, there was greater prevalence of PTSD among those who returned from Iraq (15–17%) versus those who returned from Afghanistan (11%).

PTSD Treatment for Veterans

The treatment of PTSD is multidimensional, including medication, therapy, and in recent years, mindfulness-based treatments have provided an alternative to managing both PTSD and chronic pain.

While some researchers have said thatexposure therapy, which is trauma focused, is not always advisable for most veterans with PTSD, a 2019 study suggested otherwise. The study was the first to conclude that exposure therapy did not increase the risk of exacerbation of PTSD symptoms among participants.

Regardless of the war, soldiers involved in combat consistently show high rates of PTSD. If you are a veteran, theNational Center for PTSDprovides some excellent information on coping with the residual effects of war. If you are returning from Iraq, information about VA Transition Centers and additional resources are also provided. And, if you are a family member of a veteran, important information is also available pertaining to living with andcaring for someone with PTSD.

10 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.How Common is PTSD in Veterans?.

Adam M. Chekroud, Hieronimus Loho, Martin Paulus, John H. Krystal.PTSD and the War of Words.Chronic Stress, 2018; 2: 247054701876738 doi:10.1177/2470547018767387

National Veterans Foundation.The Long Struggle of Vietnam Veterans with PTSD. August 15, 2018.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.VA research on Vietnam Veterans.

Marmar CR, Schlenger W, Henn-Haase C, et al.Course of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder 40 Years After the Vietnam War: Findings From the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study.JAMA Psychiatry.2015;72(9):875–881. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0803

Richardson LK, Frueh BC, Acierno R.Prevalence estimates of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder: critical review.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2010;44(1):4–19. doi:10.3109/00048670903393597

Hoge C, Castro C, Messer S, McGurk D, Cotting D, R Koffman.Combat Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mental Health Problems, and Barriers to Care.New England Journal of Medicine. 2004. 351(1)13-22. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa040603

Boyd JE, Lanius RA, McKinnon MC. Mindfulness-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of the treatment literature and neurobiological evidence.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2018;43(1):7–25. doi:10.1503/jpn.170021

Lancaster CL, Gros DF, Mullarkey MC, et al.Does trauma-focused exposure therapy exacerbate symptoms among patients with comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders?. Behav Cogn Psychother. 2019;:1-16. doi:10.1017/S1352465819000304

Friedman M. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5.Allan, N., Gros, D., Myers, U., Korte, K., and R. Acierno.Predictors and Outcomes of Growth Mixture Modeled Trajectories Across an Exposure-Based PTSD Intervention With Veterans.Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2016 Nov 23. (Epub ahead of print).

Friedman M. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?