Michael:
Where did you get your information? I worked in a VA hospital, and
let me tell you, substance use was a significant problem for many
vets -- alcohol, marijuana, illegal substances, and medication were
all rampant problems.
A small sample of references on prevalence of substance use among
Vietnam veterans (please excuse the non-APA style):
Post-Vietnam heroin use and injection by returning US veterans: Clues
to preventing injection today. Robins, Lee N.; Slobodyan, Sergey;
Addiction, Vol 98(8), Aug 2003. pp. 1053-1060. [Original Journal Article]
PTSD and Substance-Related Problems: The Mediating Roles of
Disconstraint and Negative Emotionality. Miller, Mark W.; Vogt,
Dawne S.; Mozley, Susannah L.; Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Vol
115(2), May 2006. pp. 369-379. [Original Journal Article]
Causes of death among male veterans who received residential
treatment for PTSD. Drescher, Kent D.; Rosen, Craig S.; Burling,
Thomas A.; Journal of Traumatic Stress, Vol 16(6), Dec 2003. pp.
535-543. [Original Journal Article]
Predictors of rehospitalization of military veterans who abuse
substances. Benda, Brent B.; Social Work Research, Vol 25(4), Dec
2001. pp. 199-212.
David W.
At 09:32 AM 3/5/2007, you wrote:
---- Original Message ----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [tips] RE: No one really knows the cost of war
Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:05:54 -0500
>
>
>The wall in Washington lists all those killed in Vietman. What isn't
>on that
>wall are the names of the 50,000 vietnam vets who have commited
>suicide, the
>thousands of vets dying from what the VA likes to call "service
>related
>disabilities", the names of their children who were born with defects
>caused
>by agent orange, the thousands of vets who are finally getting
>psychological
>help for problems that started 40 years ago. Many of them have
>serious
>alcohol and drug problems, have been homeless, and can't keep a job.
>Add to
>that the thousands of kids who were never born because one of their
>parents
>died in Vietnam and the far reaching effects of war approach
>infinity. I
>recommend reading Tick"s book, WAR and SOUL to get a more accurate
>picture
>of the cost of a war.
>
>Two more items. Friends who work for the VA tell me that about 25% of
>the
>Iraqi vets are coming back with serious psychological problems,
>primarily
>PTSD just like the Vietnam vets. Surprise, surprise.
>
>Two- how much real support do these troups get? Anyone know a bank
>that
>suspends mortgage payments while these people are over seas? Credit
>from
>grocery stores?, suspended utility bills? etc.
>
>The situation in Irag is so similar to Vietnam, that many Vietnam
>vets do
>not watch the news or read newspapers because Iraq causes flashbacks.
>I
>know. I am one of them.
>
>Richard Pisacreta, Ph.D.
>parolled Psychology professor
>Feris State University
>Dept. of Social Sciences
>
>
As a matter of fact the VA was shocked about the paucity of
drug addicted Vietnam vets.Although drugs were readily available in
Nam and lots of Vets did drugs ,when they came home they were in fine
shape.There was not too much of a transfer to the U.S environment.
They may been addicted in the Nam,but when the Vets came home most
did continue their drug habits.The lesson here is that coming home(to
a new environment) helped the shed the old habit.People were
concerned but it just did not happen dude.
Michael Sylvester,PhD
Daytona Beach,Florida
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David T. Wasieleski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology and Counseling
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698
229-333-5620
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/dtwasieleski
"The only thing that ever made sense in my life
is the sound of my little girl laughing through the window on a summer night...
Just the sound of my little girl laughing
makes me happy just to be alive..."
--Everclear
"Song from an American Movie"
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