Psychosomatics 22: 931-942, 1981
Copyright
© 1981 Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
Post-Vietnam syndrome: Recognition and management
MATTHEW J. FRIEDMAN M.D., Ph.D.1
1 Chief of the psychiatry service at the Veterans Administration Hospital, White River Junction, Vt., and associate professor of clinical psychiatry and assistant professor of pharmacology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH.
Post-Vietnam syndrome, a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, has gained clinical attention as the high psychiatric casualty rate (20% to 60%) among Vietnam veterans has become increasingly apparent. Post-Vietnam syndrome is characterized by intrusive, combat-related thoughts and nightmares, numbed responsiveness, and several specific symptoms such as drug dependence, depression, anxiety, and rage. A multifaceted treatment approach may include pharmacotherapy, group or individual therapy, and behavioral techniques.
