Canadian Study Suggests Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is Over-Diagnosed

A new study suggests post-traumatic stress disorder is being over-diagnosed in Canada and that disability claims could skyrocket as a result.

According to The Canadian Press, Memorial University psychiatry professor Amin Muhammad states Canada could face a “huge economic burden” if mental health professionals aren’t more cautious about diagnosing the condition. He says PTSD is complex, not fully understood and therefore difficult to disprove.

Muhammad started researching the matter after more and more patients – many of them Canadian Forces veterans and immigrants from war-torn countries – began asking him to sign disability claim forms. Muhammad says he’s particularly worried about the diagnosis among soldiers who should be less susceptible to mental health issues as they are pre-screened and trained to cope with the effects of war. (workersxzcompxzkit)

Figures from Veterans Affairs Canada show 67% of the nearly 12,000 veterans currently receiving disability benefits for a psychological illness have been diagnosed with PTSD.

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