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Military personnel at greater risk

Nearly eight per cent of men and women in uniform experienced depression and 4.7 per cent suffered from an anxiety disorder over the previous 12 months. Those rates were about double those in the general population.

“Military populations are at potential risk of mental health issues because their job can involve exposure to trauma, separation from family, frequent moves and stressful living condition,” the researchers wrote. However, military personnel were at slightly less risk to report alcohol abuse or dependence than was the general population.

Before Afghanistan, and after

The researchers compared the results in 2013 to those of 2002. While the rate of depression remained steady at eight per cent, the percentage suffering from PTSD rose from 2.8 per cent in 2002 to 5.3 per cent last year. Those reporting panic disorders also doubled. “Some of these differences in the rates of mental disorders can be understood in a context of changes since 2002,” the researchers wrote. “That is, more than 40,000 Canadian military personnel were deployed in combat and peace support missions in Afghanistan, and 158 of them lost their lives.”

The true cost of Afghanistan

In 2013, about 45 per cent of active Canadian military personnel had deployed as part of the Afghan mission at some point in their careers. The researchers found those who had were more likely to be suffering from depression, PTSD, anxiety, or panic attacks than those who hadn’t deployed. In the case of panic attacks and post-traumatic stress, the rates were about double.