I read this article too and I sure wondered how many of those guys who were drinking themselves to oblivion were also on a med or two. Antidepressants can produce a craving for alcohol -- it's even listed as a side effect. I didn't buy it when the writer said some were "untreated" frankly. Yes, these guys need help, support, and empathy but not the kind of mental health services people are generally advocating for unfortunately.

what do i detest about this Iraq deal? seeing someone full of life, funny, humourous and brilliant; being broken as a result. PTSD? that hardly describes it. I dare anyone to come up with a better term: how about WFPU. war fucks people up. forever.

Who are you (in the U.S.) voting for?!

I feel very bad about the troops. Live near a base. Our local "nuthouse" is full of traumatized vets.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a superior solution to PTSD than drugs...but its not as profitable.

Stephany- That's funny but what a tragic story. All these young soliders and I can't even fathom (well, I can) what lies ahead for them in the way of stigma, misdiagnosis, and an uncertain future. It is so sad....

Angie, yes it is tragic and sad. I've had several students I tuaght as kids be deployed; and most recently the one i wrote about here-- is my attorney. it really struck home with me when laughing and joking with him one day, and a week later; finding out he was deployed...i just hope the best for all of them.

This breaks my heart. The suicide rate among returning vets is sky high. When I worked on the suicide hotline we got calls from vets, drunk and playing Russian Roulette while they talked to us.

Something has to be done. These men and women deserve better than they are getting, and Philip is right Vietnam is going to look like a warm up compared to this disaster.

I see the recruiting ads on TV constantly up in the Adirondacks where I am staying for the summer. It is a "ripe" area for recruiting because unemployment is high. I think back to the Vietnam vets who lived in teepees in the woods, and feel sad that this round is going to be twice as bad as that one was.

Troops equal cannon fodder. And the military is trying to get a lot of them discharged without a diagnosis so they don't have to pay for anything.

Many nice kids are broken. Or dead.

My daughter who has been in psych wards for nearly 3 years, never registered to vote or never finished high school gets recruitment letters in the mail all of the time. Makes me sick, like everything else lately.

My name is Andy and i work for MTV True life. True Life is a documentary series that’s been on MTV for 10 years. Each episode of “True Life” is about a different topic. Most of the topics have some global, social or personal importance, like this one. Some of them are about youth culture, like episodes about gamers or cheerleaders. All episodes aim to tell deeply personal stories. There is no host, reporter or narrator. The young people tell their own stories in their own voices. So what we are looking for are veterans of the Iraq War who appear to be 28 years old or younger and have either been diagnosed with PTSD or have symptoms of PTSD. We’re looking for veterans who are willing to share their struggle with PTSD with a national audience. If you or someone you know is interested in speaking with us about participating in this documentary, please contact us at:

ptsd@mtvn.com or tlptsd@gmail.com
718-422-0706