Report: Almost Half of Australian Military Veterans Suffer Mental Health Conditions
VOA News
April 07, 2018 7:24 AM Phil Mercer (source)
Report: Almost Half of Australian Military Veterans Suffer Mental Health Conditions
研究顯示：將近半數澳洲退伍軍人(veteran)受精神疾患(condition)所苦
April 07, 2018 7:24 AM
Phil Mercer
SYDNEY —
Almost half of the Australian military personnel who've left the defense force in the past five years have some sort of mental disorder, according to a new study. The Australian government says it is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken in Australia of the effect of military service on the mental, physical and social health of veterans, including those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For many former Australian service men and women, adapting to civilian life can be tough. According to a new study by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, about half suffer debilitating conditions that include anxiety and depression. Some retired soldiers, however, believe the true number of those affected is much higher.
Robin Lee was in the Australian army for 14 years, and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder before he left the military in 2015.
He says the system for helping veterans with mental health issues is poor. "These men are serving, getting problems," said Lee. "They know they have problems but they have to go through a recognition process that is just disgusting. (It has) been mishandled at every level."
The Australian government acknowledges that leaving the military can be a "daunting and challenging experience."
The Veterans Affairs minister is Darren Chester.
"The government is determined to put veterans and their health at the center of everything we do," said Chester. "We are putting veterans first, we are putting veterans' families first. In a nutshell, the research we are releasing today is confirming that we are heading in the right direction but more needs to be done to assist veterans and their families during the critical transitional period to civilian life."
Ministers say that free treatment for any mental health condition is now available to all veterans. The research into the mental and physical impact of Australia's military service is continuing. Six further reports will be released by the end of next year.
The Australian Defense Force comprises the Navy, Army and Air Force. It has more than 100,000 personnel, including permanent military personnel, reservists and civilian employees.
最新的研究顯示，過去 5 年離開軍隊的澳洲軍事人員(personnel)中，將近半數都罹患某種精神疾病(mental disorder)。澳洲政府表示，這項研究調查了服兵役(military service)對退伍軍人心理、生理及社交健康(social health)的影響，是澳洲至今調查最全面的(comprehensive)研究，研究對象包括曾在伊拉克（Iraq）和阿富汗（Afghanistan）服役的軍人。
對很多退伍的澳洲男、女軍人(service man / service woman)來說，適應平民(civilian)生活很不容易。根據澳洲退伍軍人事務部（Department of Veterans' Affairs）的最新研究，大約一半的退伍軍人受到使人衰弱的(debilitating)精神疾患所苦，像是焦慮症(anxiety)和憂鬱症(depression)。然而，有些退伍軍人認為受精神疾患影響的人數一定更多。
羅賓．李（Robin Lee）曾在澳洲陸軍服役 14 年，並待過伊拉克和阿富汗。他在 2015 年離開軍隊前，被診斷出(be diagnosed with)罹患創傷後壓力症候群（Post-traumatic Stress Disorder，PTSD）。
他表示，目前能幫助退伍軍人處理心理健康問題的體制很不完善。「這些軍人在服役的過程中，心理健康就漸漸出問題了。」李如此說道。「他們知道自己有狀況，但必須經過令人反感的(disgusting)程序才能確診。（這件事）每個層面都處理失當(mishandle)。」
澳洲政府承認，軍人離開軍隊會是個「艱鉅(daunting)、充滿種種挑戰的經歷。」
目前澳洲退伍軍人事務部的部長是達倫．切斯特（Darren Chester）。
「政府的所作所為絕對首重退伍軍人和他們的健康。」切斯特表示。「我們把退伍軍人和他們的家人擺在第一順位(put sb / sth first)。簡單來說(In a nutshell)，我們現在公布的這份研究證明了(confirm)我們正往對的方向努力，不過還有很多事情要做，以便在關鍵的過渡期(transitional period)幫助退伍軍人和他們的家人適應平民生活。」
幾位部會首長表示，現在所有退伍軍人都可享有任何精神疾病(mental health condition)的免費治療。目前這項研究持續調查澳洲兵役對軍人造成的身心影響。尚有 6 份進一步的研究報告將於明年（編按：2019 年）底發表
澳洲國防軍（Australian Defence Force，編按：defence 是英式拼法，美式拼法為 defense）由澳洲皇家海軍（Royal Australian Navy，簡稱 Navy）、澳洲陸軍（Australian Army，簡稱 Army）、澳洲皇家空軍（Royal Australian Air Force，簡稱 Air Force）組成(comprise)。國防軍全體人員超過 10 萬人，包括常備役軍人、預備役軍人(reservist)及無軍職人員。
Language Notes
veteran [`vɛtərən] (n) 退伍軍人
* 本字亦常指「富有經驗的人、老手」
condition [kən`dɪʃən] (n) 疾病；狀態、狀況
* heart condition (n phr) 心臟病
mental disorder (n phr) 精神（心理）疾病
* 亦有 "mental health condition" 的說法，本文也有使用
comprehensive[ˌkɑmprɪ`hɛnsɪv] (a) 全面的；綜合的；詳盡的
service man / service woman (n) 男／女軍人
* 本字亦有 "serviceman / servicewoman" 的拼法
civilian [sɪ`vɪljən] (adj) 平民的；百姓的
* 本字亦可作名詞，意指「（與軍、警相對的）平民，百姓」
debilitating [dɪ`bɪlə͵tetɪŋ] (a) 使人衰弱的；削弱力量的
* debilitate [dɪ`bɪlə͵tet] (v) 使虛弱；削弱，使衰弱
anxiety [æŋ`zaɪətɪ] (n)（疾病）焦慮症；焦慮；不安
depression [dɪ`prɛʃən] (n)（疾病）憂鬱症；憂鬱；沮喪
* depress [dɪ`prɛs] (v) 使憂鬱，使沮喪，使心灰意冷
diagnose [`daɪəgnoz] (v) 診斷（病症）
* be diagnosed with (v phr) 被診斷出罹患 . . . . . .
mishandle [mɪs`hændl̩] (v) 對 . . . . . . 處理不當
daunting [dɔntɪŋ] (adj) 艱鉅的；困難而令人心生畏懼的；使人氣餒的
* daunt [dɔnt] (v) 使畏懼；使氣餒
put someone / something first (v phr) 優先考慮 . . . . . .；認為 . . . . . . 最為重要
confirm [kən`fɝm] (v) 證實；確定
comprise [kəm`praɪz] (v) 包括；由 . . . . . . 組成
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, highlight the blanks to reveal the hidden answers.
1. She all too often puts others first and never stops to think of herself.
2. Since his cancer was diagnosed, he feels as if he's living on borrowed time.
3. The smell of cigarette smoke confirmed what he had suspected: there had been a party in his absence.
4. The accommodation comprises six bedrooms and three living rooms.
5. The police were accused of mishandling the investigation.
6. Thousands of veterans will take part in a commemoration of the battle.
7. A sales director is putting in a marathon fundraising effort to help fight the debilitating disease affecting his wife.
8. Undergoing major organ transplantation is a daunting prospect for anyone.
編譯：汪冠岐
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