The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 192: 177. doi: 10.1192/bjp.192.3.177
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
War psychiatry - in 100 Words
Simon Wessely
War is hell, but it can be a job–a strange job in which one
voluntarily (these days) exposes oneself to the risk of physical and
psychiatric injury. Our generation think we discovered post-traumatic stress
disorder, but it is neither new, nor the commonest, mental health problem in
the UK Armed Forces. That honour goes to depression and alcohol.
Are these always the result of going to war? No, things are rarely that
simple. Can we treat them? Sometimes–but what makes people good soldiers
makes them bad patients. Can we prevent them? Possibly–but only if we
dont send people to war.