Mental health disorders are on the rise in the military and now account for more hospitalizations than any other illness, according to a new Department of Defense health report.
Diagnoses of mental health disorders have increased by 40% over the past five years from 2019 to 2023, according to a Defense Health Agency report. It found that anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have doubled in five years.
In 2023, active-duty military with mental illnesses accounted for 54.8% of hospital admissions, more than all other conditions combined.
From 2019 to 2023, 541,672 active-duty military members across all branches were diagnosed with at least one mental illness, according to the report. About 47% of them were diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses. In 2023, the U.S. active duty military force was 1.3 million.
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Mental health disorders are on the rise in the military and now account for more hospitalizations than any other illness, according to a new Department of Defense health report. (AP Photo/Patrick Semanski)
“As rates of mental health disorders among service members continue to increase following the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining force readiness requires help to address psychological and emotional well-being. “We need to prioritize action that demands the same,” the report says.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the number of diagnoses has increased or whether the U.S. military is mentally prepared to enter combat if necessary.
Female service members, young people, and those in the military were most likely to be diagnosed.
The Navy led in all other areas of depression, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders.
Active-duty military women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with PTSD.
Medical data was obtained from records accessed through the Defense Medical Surveillance System and Theater Medical Data Store. It analyzed ambulance encounters, admissions or outpatient visits to psychiatric facilities, and other factors that define mental health diagnoses.
Meanwhile, military suicides rose again last year, following a dark trend that the Pentagon is struggling to address.
Here are the numbers of U.S. service members deployed overseas and vacationing away from home:
Diagnoses of mental health disorders will increase by 40% from 2019 to 2023, according to a Defense Health Agency report. (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
In 2023, active-duty military with mental illnesses will account for 54.8% of hospital admissions, more than all other conditions combined. (U.S. Army photo by Markus Rauchenberger)
Overall, there were 523 reported suicides in 2023, the latest available data, up from 493 in 2022. The number of active-duty soldiers who died by suicide increased from 331 the previous year to 363, an increase of 12%.
According to the Department of Defense, suicide is by far the leading cause of death for military personnel, and is more common than training accidents, illness, homicide and combat. In addition to the high numbers, the suicide rate per 100,000 people also rose last year.
Suicide deaths among active duty military personnel have increased since 2011.
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Another troubling sign from the data is how many suicide victims sought help. 67% had received primary care in the 90 days before death. 34% were seen in the outpatient department of a mental health center. 8% had been discharged from an inpatient mental health facility. And 18% were taking psychotropic drugs at the time of death.
Within the year before death, 44% of military suicide victims reported intimate relationship problems and 42% reported receiving a behavioral health diagnosis.
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