PTSD sources analysis - Essay Example

Some people overcome this problem over time while others continue to be affected in their lifetime. Veterans especially Army and firefighters are the majority group likely to get PTSD. It has been found that people involved in combat situations are highly likely to have mental health problems due to what they encounter. After surviving in combat zones, many veterans have been seeking help in mental health care to overcome PTSD. However, they receive little or no medical attention for their life after they leave the army.

4 Some of the problems that soldiers are forced to live with include anxiety, stress, and nightmares while others take their life after failing to get the necessary attention to PTSD. Because of this reason, the Veteran Affairs, set aside 300 million dollars for veteran mental health, but not all this amount will be spent.5 In fact, The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report that faults the “Department of Veterans’ Affairs for failing to fully spend a promised $300 million since 2005 to fill gaps in mental illness treatment for veterans and returning troops.

”6 The lack of support system in places of mental health care is due to lack of qualified medical professionals and resources.7 Moreover, there is lack of qualified mental health professionals in the field of mental health specializing in the recognition and treatment of PTSD. For example, many troops and veterans have not been screened for neurological and psychological injuries due to lack of physicians and inadequate medical screening process.8 A report published in Jan 2009 by the organization IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) states “Instead of screening troops through a face to face interview with a qualified mental health professionals, the DOD relies on an ineffective system of paper work to conduct mental health evaluations.

”9 The report also mentions, “Mental health support for troops in Iraq is actually declining;