The fear of losing their lives in the battlefield may be over for many British soldiers who fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but many continue to be haunted by the horrors brought about by the violence of warfare.
Combat stress, a charity organization focused on supporting and providing treatment to war veterans suffering from mental health problems such as substance abuse, clinical depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has noted of the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among former soldiers.
The organization, which currently helps more than 4,600 former members of the British Armed Forces, said that the number of Afghanistan veteran referrals they receive has increased from just 228 in 2012 to 358 in 2013. The number of Iraq veterans seeking help from the organization has also increased by nearly 20 percent despite that the Iraq war was over in 2011.
Combat Stress chief executive Commodore Andrew Cameron said that the number of war veterans seeking help for mental health problems will continue to increase. He cited that 20 percent of soldiers who fought in the war are at an increased risk of becoming mentally ill and would need specialist support.
"A significant number of veterans who serve in the armed forces continue to relive the horrors they experienced on the frontline or during their time in the armed forces," Cameron said. "Day in, day out, they battle these hidden psychological wounds, often tearing families apart in the process."
The charity estimated that of the soldiers from UK who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, 42,000 may develop mental health problems.
Nicola Sorfleet, manager of Psychological Therapies at Combat Stress said that exposure to combat is a major risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder and people with PTSD area likely to be composed of soldiers who served in the infantry.
"Delayed-onset PTSD can happen years after they leave the forces," Sorfleet said. "They may seem to have coped very well, and then something will happen 20 years later, such as the loss of a partner or a car crash, and that will trigger PTSD. It will take them back and the memories will be vivid."
Sorfleet said that it typically takes about 13 years before a veteran asks for help with a mental health illness but Afghanistan war veterans only take about 18 months and this can be considered a good thing as getting early help may prevent some of the problems that often affect veterans.
