What Is Army Psychiatry?

Army psychiatry focuses on the management of mental health issues among soldiers, ranging from combat stress to group cohesion in training. Practitioners in this field can treat individual cases, develop guidelines and protocols, and participate in research to improve conditions for soldiers and other military personnel. This field has a long history; many military organizations have a department responsible for psychiatric research and practice. Psychiatrists work in field hospitals, military bases, training facilities, and other environments where they can observe, treat, and monitor personnel.

One critical aspect of army psychiatry is the management of combat stress. Soldiers in combat can be subjected to intense emotional and physical strain, and may need assistance with reintegrating into society after combat, especially if they experience injuries. Psychiatrists can provide individual counseling as well as developing classes to help soldiers and their families acclimate. They may also work on protocols for handling evidence of mental stress on the battlefield, such as a referral system for getting soldiers to a psychiatrist before they experience acute mental health problems.

A related field is neuropsychiatry, which looks closely at the neurological processes behind behavioral changes. Brain injuries can be common in combat, and some of these lead to mental health problems. Army psychiatry includes the study of these issues and the development of tools for evaluating soldiers to identify people who may be at risk of complications. This work can increase the chance of timely intervention for soldiers who could be experiencing depression, psychosis, or other symptoms, but may be reluctant to seek assistance.

Wartime is not the only place where soldiers can experience stress. Army psychiatry looks at the group dynamics involved as people enter and go through training, are assigned to bases, and navigate life in the military. Soldiers can experience homesickness, marital strain, and problems integrating with their units. All of these issues may be of interest to an army psychiatrist, who may provide individual care as well as working on programs to address these issues on a larger level. For example, units might do group exercises to develop bonds, making all members feel included.

Research in army psychiatry looks at how soldiers and officers interact, and the types of human behavior that can present in military settings. This is conducted with the goal of improving psychiatric care for members of the military, as well as developing programs to decrease the incidence of mental health problems. For example, studying the mechanisms behind military suicides can help psychiatrists develop intervention plans to reduce the number of such incidents.