After combat, many Oregon vets continue to battle unseen wounds
Published: Saturday, March 10, 2012, 9:25 PM
The federal Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress says studies show PTSD in 10 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Iraq Afghanistan. Often, PTSD symptoms occur together, or cascade into related problems.
"Untreated trauma often leads victims to abuse alcohol or drugs. And if those conditions aren't treated concurrently", said Margaret Stone, founder and chairman of Greenville, S.C.,-based Veterans Healing Initiative, "they can spiral into unemployment, clashes with the law, homelessness and suicide."
"The problem with society, and even with the VA, is that there simply aren't enough programs to treat cases of dual- or multiple diagnoses. The nonprofit Veterans Healing Initiative provides grants and scholarships for such treatment."