In war, there are no real winners on and off the battlefield. The grueling effects of war cause post-traumatic stress disorder, mental illness and various negative repercussions when trying to integrate back into functioning society. The detriment war has on veterans has become more prevalent today, as the concern for mental health is on the rise. The Vietnam War was fundamentally unlike any war previously known to American history. This fundamental change in warfare was due to the use of guerrilla warfare; because of the traumatic effects, soldiers began having night terrors, anxiety and insomnia which resulted in the dependence of self-medicated uses of heroin and marijuana. These formidable situations are what lead to the onset of severe PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), drug and alcohol abuse, severe depression and anxiety. Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, is a captivating novel that combines aspects of memoirs through short stories to create a collection of critical narratives that describe different aspects of the Vietnam War through multiple perspectives. (Started new paragraph)

An article written by Gabriela Acosta, The Impact of War: Mental Health of Veterans and Their Families, relates to the book by discussing the effects on mental health from returning veterans on their loved ones. Tim O’Brien recounts his Vietnam war experience and gives a reader insight on what war times are really like. “The Things They Carried” follows Tim Obrien and his fellow soldiers within the Alpha Company, as they go on their missions in Vietnam. The title is refers to the “things” these men carried with them throughout their time in Vietnam. Some of these things are intangible, including guilt and fear, while others are specific physical objects, including “matches, morphine, M-16 rifles, and M&M’s candy.” (Obrien) These pieces of literature and scholarly articles are helpful in understanding history, and the personal effects the Vietnam war has had on the soldiers. The symptoms that veterans may experience when returning home can range anywhere from post-traumatic stress, to anxiety, to living in a constant state of fight or flight. This trauma not only affects the soldier himself, but can also have an impact on his or her children, spouse and friends. Acosta also explains how post-deployment can impact families in ways such as domestic violence, martial problems and depression. War impacts each person individually and whether positive or negative, it changes a person inevitably. Countless articles and reports disclose the effects of war on an individual and yet countries still send individuals to fight in combat. Day in and day out these men and women fight for our country and when they are expected to return to a normal lifestyle, they are displaced and many are mentally or physically impaired due to the war. 

In chapter nine from Tim O’Brien’s The Thing They Carried, one of the soldiers succeeds in flying in his girlfriend, Mary Anne, over to Vietnam from home during the war. As Mary Anne jumps out of the helicopter, she’s described as innocent looking with blonde hair and blue eyes, straight out of high school; not yet touched by the horrors of war. As she starts to assimilate into the life of a soldier, she becomes more intrigued with the war and culture around her. She persuades her boyfriend to take her out on missions and at first reluctant, he finally agrees. Within weeks Mary Anne had transformed from innocent to a complete barbarian. O’Brien writes “She had crossed to the other side. She was part of the land…She was ready for the kill” (Chapter9, pg. 110). War is dangerous, not just for the obvious reasons. It sucks you in and as you succumb to the mindset of a soldier you no longer know the difference between right and wrong, you only know the difference between life and death. ( ). The use of jokes throughout this text by the soldiers adds a lighter side to the war and torment that these men endure.  

In a survey of veterans suffering from PTSD, almost 80 percent wanted their families to be more involved in their recovery process, highlighting the need for spouses, children and other family members to stand with their service members. veteran’s spouse must deal with possible behavioral issues in their children, which can be related to the deployed parents’ absence” (Acousta). Many children may develop symptoms that mirror those of their injured parent. An example might be a young child having nightmares because of their parent’s nightmares or because they are worrying about their parent’s behavior. These factors effecting the soldiers are called “invisible injuries of war.” (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.)  Just because you cannot see these effects does not delegitimize them. Mental effects are more prevalent and have become the biggest problem in the past that soldiers must deal with. Secondary Traumatization effects the family members and loved ones of veterans traumatically and can be just as tolling as the actual mental side effects that occur. “Lyons (2007), reports that 70% of couples where one spouse has been diagnosed with PTSD report of martial distress. Veterans who suffer from PTSD are more likely to be divorced or considering divorce, engage in partner violence, and relate childrearing problems (Galovski & Lyons, 2004).” (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.) Relating this back to chapter nine in Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, when Mary Anne does a complete 180 in her persona, her boyfriend, the soldier who brought her to Vietnam, becomes very distressed by who she has become. As he starts to become more possessive of her by telling her how to act and what she can and can’t wear, Mary Anne acts out and starts going behind his back. This in turn creates a massive strain on their relationship and facilitates a divide between both partners. 

War doesn’t only effect a person physically, it can damage one mentally through post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and more. Families are an essential factor in the veteran's adjustment to civilian life and within “The Things They Carried” O'Brien creates a protagonist, a Vietnam veteran, named "Tim O'Brien" who has a relatable lover. The creation of this fictional persona allows O'Brien to explore his real emotions and allow readers to understand the repercussions fighting in the war can have on relationships, mental health and physical well-being. 
