11 Facts About the Mental Health of Our Troops

Depression and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (an anxiety disorder that follows experiencing a traumatic event) are the most common mental health problems faced by returning troops.
About 11-20%, or 11-20 out of 100, Iraq or Afghanistan Veterans experience Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Less than half of soldiers with mental health problems seek treatment.
30% of soldiers develop mental problems within three to four months of being home.
In the military, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 100 men experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST) following unwanted sexual experiences (such as sexual assault).
Because there are more men than women in the military, more than half of all Veterans experiencing MST are men.
An estimated 20% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans turn to heavy drinking or drugs once they return to the U.S.
Between 10 and 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Possible consequences of this internal injury include anger, suicidal thoughts, and changes in personality.
Veterans account for 20 percent, or 1 in 5, of all suicides in the U.S. every year.
Research concludes that PTSD can sometimes lead to violent and criminal behavior.
In 2010, 86 non-active-duty National Guard soldiers committed suicide in the first 10 months of the year, almost doubling the 48 suicides in all of 2009.