Fearing stigma, US soldiers hide mental problems: study

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A majority of US soldiers who have done tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan say they suffer from stress-related troubles linked to their deployments, a study showed Wednesday.

But most keep their psychological problems to themselves for fear of being stigmatized or seeing their careers take a nose-dive, the study conducted by Harris Interactive for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) showed.

Nearly six in 10 US military members said their deployment in a war zone has caused them to suffer from "negative experiences" associated with stress.

But a mere 10 percent have sought treatment for mental health concerns, according to the study, which surveyed 347 members of the US military and their spouses.

Just over 60 percent said...