As a Service Member you may have been required to do and see many things that were challenging physically or emotionally. For example, an opponent with suspected chemical and biological weapons, an unforgiving environment, and an indefinite family separation were among the major contributors to stress associated with deployment and war.

Now that you’re back at home, you might not be feeling like yourself. You might feel irritable, angry, and annoyed; maybe you feel sad or depressed; maybe it’s more like anxiousiousness or worry. These emotions are common, expected, and most importantly, acceptable.

Sometimes it’s helpful to know what others in similar situations have gone through.

Sadness and Depression

Everyone feels sad or depressed sometimes. When these feelings go on and on, or when they start to interfere with your life, that’s when you know it’s more than just a "bad day."

• Studies of Service Members from Desert Storm report feelings of sadness and depression between 8-18%. This represents Service Members reporting their own feelings of being sad or depressed, not a psychiatric diagnosis.
  
• Depression can affect anyone. Men, women, children, firemen, CEOs, accountants and waiters all can experience depression.
  
• A family history of depression and the stressors that occur in day-to-day life can contribute to feelings of sadness and depression.
  
• Changes in the balance of brain chemicals can also play a role in the persistence of these feelings.

The above symptoms are some of the things you might feel when you’re sad or depressed. You don’t have to have every one to be depressed, or to signal when it's time to consult your doctor.

If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others in any way, get help right away. Call your Emergency Room, primary care person, 911, a friend, family member, religious leader immediately.

Go to Fighting Depression >

Reference List

1. Gray, G. C., Reed, R. J., Kaiser, K. S., Smith, T. C., and Gastanaga, V. M. Self-Reported Symptoms and Medical Conditions Among 11,868 Gulf War-Era Veterans: The SeaBee Study. Am J Epidemiol 2002;155(11):1033-44.

2. Lee, H. A., Gabriel, R., Bolton, J. P. G., Bale, A. J., and Jackson, M. Health Status and Clinical Diagnoses of 3000 UK Gulf War Veterans. J R Soc Med 2002;95:491-7.

3. Fukuda, K., Nisenbaum, R., Stewart, G., Thompson, W. W., Robin, L., Washko, R. M., Noah, D. L., Barrett, D. H., Randall, B., Herwaldt, B. L., Mawle, A. C., and Reeves, W. C. Chronic Multisymptom Illness Affecting Air Force Veterans of the Gulf War. JAMA 9-16-1998;280(11):981-8.

4. Narrow, W. E., Rae, D. S., Robins, L. N., and Regier, D. A. Revised Prevalence Estimates of Mental Disorders in the United States: Using a Clinical Significance Criterion to Reconcile 2 Surveys' Estimates. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2-2-0002;59:115-23.

5. Sartin, J. S. Gulf War Illnesses: Causes and Controversies. Mayo Clin Proc 2000;75(8):811-9.

6. Rahe, R. H. Acute Versus Chronic Psychological Reactions to Combat. Mil Med 1988;153(7):365-72.

7. Artiss, K. L. The Combat Soldier. Mil Med 2000;165(1):33-45.

8. Deahl, M. P., Gillham, A. B., Thomas, J., Searle, M. M., and Srinivasan, M. Psychological Sequelae Following the Gulf War: Factors Associated With Subsequent Morbidity and the Effectiveness of Psychological Debriefing. Br J Psychiatry 1994;165:60-5.

9. Judd, L. L., Rapaport, M. H., Paulus, M. P., and Brown, J. L. Subsyndromal Symptomatic Depression: A New Mood Disorder? J Clin Psychiatry 1994;55 Suppl:18-28.

10. United States Department of Defense. Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program for Persian Gulf War Veterans: CCEP Report on 18,598 Participants. 1996.
Ref Type: Generic

11. Kang, H. K.; Dalager, N. A.; Lee, K. Y. Health Surveillance of Persian Gulf War Veterans-A Review of the DVA Persian Gulf Registry Data. 1996. Department of Veterans Affairs, unpublished report.
Ref Type: Generic