Birmingham, AL – The number of post-traumatic stress disorder cases is increasing at Birmingham VA Medical Center.
The hospital says the number of cases has more than doubled since September 30th, 2003. The number of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans diagnosed with the disorder has climbed to nearly 700.
The medical center reported Thursday that it has treated 7,172 patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, including 692 Iraq or Afghanistan war veterans.
Last November, the number of patients with the disorder totaled 4,803, including 446 patients who had been involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Post traumatic stress ia an anxiety disorder generally triggered by a traumatic event, such as war.
Bill Beidleman is the medical center's assistant chief of mental health.
He says the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans returning is adding to the caseload. But he also says the length of and ferocity of the war is rekindling systems in many other war veterans.
Beidleman says Vietnam-era veterans who are at retirement age also have been experiencing problems.
He says people have more time on their hands when they retire and hospital officials often see an increase in symptoms of the disorder.
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Information from: The Birmingham News
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