The AP (2/4, Jelinek) reports that according to an Army report released yesterday, US soldiers “had higher morale and suffered fewer mental health problems in Afghanistan last year as they handed off more duties to Afghans and saw less combat themselves.” The report, which was “drawn from a battlefield survey and interviews in June and July,” found that “rates of soldiers with depression, anxiety and acute stress – as well as tendencies toward suicide – were lower than in the most recent previous surveys.”
USA Today (2/4, Zoroya) reports that the study found that “the more times a soldier is deployed, the greater the likelihood he or she will suffer from mental illness.” The study also concluded that “the stigma against seeking mental health help remains,” with nearly half “of the surveyed soldiers who need therapy” saying that “the perception of weakness discouraged them from seeking help.”
Related Links:
— “Study: Less war improves mental health of soldiers, “Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, February 3, 2014.