DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIETY SIGNS IN COMBATANTS WITH STRESS-RELATED MENTAL DISORDERS

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the levels of anxiety and depression symptoms in combat veterans who had experienced stress-related psychiatric disorders. The objective is to analyze the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in combatants with stress-associated mental disorders. The study included 129 combatants divided into three groups: adjustment disorder (n=36), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (n=63), and controls without mental disorders (n=30). Assessment included clinical interviews based on ICD-10 criteria, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Combatants with stress-associated disorders demonstrated significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to controls. The PTSD group showed higher depression scores (27.44±10.93) than the adjustment disorder group (21.89±13.29, p=0.047). Severe depression was observed in 39.7% of PTSD patients and 27.8% of adjustment disorder patients. Anxiety levels were highest in the PTSD group (35.13±11.07), followed by the adjustment disorder group (27.57±16.93, p=0.026). Most notably, 93.7% of PTSD patients exhibited severe anxiety compared to 63.9% in the adjustment disorder group. While depression severity showed some differences between diagnostic groups, anxiety symptoms were significantly higher in PTSD patients compared to those with adjustment disorders, suggesting the need for targeted therapeutic approaches for each disorder type.