The severity of post-traumatic stress disorders in veterans of the Afghan war

Introduction. Decades later, the Afghan War veterans continue to suffer from certain symptoms of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which complicate the identification and diagnosis of the underlying physical diseases and comorbid mental disorders. The study examined war veterans’ psycho-emotional state developed as a consequence of combat stress associated with the PTSD. Materials and Methods. A total of 58 veterans of the Afghan war took part in the study. The average age of the participants was 57.5 years. The research methodology included the use of four standardized questionnaires: the Mississippi Combat PTSD scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Spielberger-Hanin Anxiety Scale; and the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R). Results of the study. The results obtained indicate the comorbidity of mental and somatic diseases in 32.1 % veterans and confirm that the PTSD is a risk factor for the development and progression of somatic diseases in 87.8 % veterans of the Afghan war. Conclusions. In general, the results obtained confirm that long-term reactions to stress are associated with increased somatic symptoms. Also, multifactorial stress effects continue to manifest themselves in the form of anxiety and depressive disorders.