The Finnish military is preparing to hire a troop of psychologists and therapist to help soldiers returning from Afghanistan with mental health problems. According to national daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, a Defence College study found that more than half of all military personnel returning from peacekeeping and crisis management missions experienced domestic disputes and stress-like symptoms within weeks of getting home.
Defence forces in Finland are considering taking a leaf out of Denmark’s book and are gearing up to employ a group of contract therapists and psychologists to help their emotionally battered troops work through their issues.
“There has not been a need for this in the past,” Jukka Leskinen of the National Defence College told Helsingin Sanomat. “Finland had traditionally kept itself disengaged from combat operations.” Leskinen added that troops stationed in Afghanistan have faced exceptionally high levels of risk and stress.
Many soldiers report feeling isolated from society and misunderstood by their families once their deployment ends. Troops will be asked to fill out a questionnaire on returning home and will be offered psychotherapy if they are deemed to have mental health problems.
