Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among French Armed Forces Members in Afghanistan: A New Approach

During the 20th century, the management of war-related psychological trauma shifted from neurology to psychiatry. After September 11, 2001, the French forces participated in a multinational force deployed in Afghanistan to fight against terrorism. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) became a priority. We report the daily work of the psychiatrists involved in this mission and the organization developed to psychologically support wounded military personnel. The doctrine of early intervention psychiatrization and the technique of collective debriefing are the key points of this procedure. The psychiatrist is also responsible for the healthcare community, particularly vulnerable when confronted with severe ballistic injuries. One aim of this organization is also to screen PTSD in soldiers returning from Afghanistan. The military general practitioner is a pivotal point of this procedure built to detect PTSD, anxiety, depressive reaction and behavioral problems. The French health service has developed a genuine care strategy aimed at identifying patients, accompanying them in the formalities for recognition and compensation, and offering them treatment locally by arranging clinical psychology consultations near their home.