LeJeune visited a military doctor in Iraq, who, after a quick session, diagnosed depression. The doctor sent him back to war armed with the antidepressant Zoloft and the antianxiety drug clonazepam. "It's not easy for soldiers to admit the problems that they're having over there for a variety of reasons," LeJeune says. "If they do admit it, then the only solution given is pills." Full Story »
Posted by Beth Wellington
This story gives a really good indication of the toll that the war is taking on our soldiers. It is unfortunate that there is no way to get full numbers of soldiers who are currently serving while being treated for depression and anxiety as many cases are unreported, but even the high number of those that ARE reported is surprising. I found it telling that the journalist mentioned that the number of soldiers taking medications is higher in Afghanistan than Iraq. I think that the war in Afghanistan is largely ignored by the media and the American public.
