Only seven percent of the Norwegian veterans who served in Afghanistan struggle with psychological problems after four years of military service, a recent report shows.
"The majority of the veterans who return from Afghanistan have good mental health," says psychiatrist in the Norwegian Defense's health services, Sverre Hougsnæs.
After ten years of war in Aghanistan, this is the first report that looks at the mental health and possible injuries among Norwegian soldiers who participated in the war.
Of the 4225 respondents, seven percent stated that they have experienced psychological problems, mostly related to different types of stress, anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
In comparison, seven percent of the general population of males says they suffer from anxiety.
"These figures show that their health is on the same level as the rest of the population," says Minister of Defense Anne-Grethe Strøm-Erichsen, commenting on the report. "It's important to note that being a "veteran" is not a diagnosis, but an honor," Strøm-Erichsen says to NRK.
However, Anders Grindaker, spokesperson for the Association for Veterans that have been injured in international operations (SIOPS) thinks the numbers may not be completely comparable.
Soldiers who are sent on missions are supposed to be the "healthiest of the healthy," so when seven percent of them return with a mental illness the number actually seems quite high, Grindaker explains.
(NRK)
Julie Ryland
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