Could a war make you physically or mentally ill?

However, her focus on the subject will not be whether or not the disease exists. Rather she will be concentrating on the actual sufferers, their symptoms and why they believe they are victims of Gulf War Syndrome and refuse to dismiss their experiences as anything else.

Susie became interested in the subject after reading about the medical and epidemiological side of the illness left her feeling unsatisfied, as she had not heard accounts from people who have been 'diagnosed' with Gulf War Syndrome. She began by collecting illness narratives, interviewing Gulf War veterans for 2-3 hours about their theories on the cause, how it has affected their lives and the ongoing fight to publicly air their views.

One aspect she is exploring is the way the illness reflects widespread cultural beliefs on health and illness in general. For example, she looks at the way the immune system is central to Gulf War Syndrome theories. The various illnesses suffered by veterans are believed by them to be the result of a diminished immune system. They believe that this attack on the immune system resulted from the various exposures in the Gulf, including the preventative medicines given to them

Does Susie believe that Gulf War Syndrome exists? She says: "So far the debate has centred around whether or not the illness is psychological or organic in nature. I believe that it involves both of these factors. More importantly I hope to push the debate forward by exploring the social, cultural, historical and economic factors which are also important in understanding the condition."

The time Susie has spent with the veterans has led her to conclude that they are still angry that this illness is a taboo subject and not officially recorded as an actual medical condition. The general consensus is that the cause and cover-up of their suffering is at the hands of the government they were working for. She says: "All the interviewees believed what they were saying and who is to dismiss their personal tribulations?"

She admits that veterans can blame anything from a rash to a marriage break-up to cancer on the Gulf War Syndrome, and many symptoms involved could be medically explained, which is probably why the medical establishment does not accept Gulf War Syndrome as an actual illness. No organic condition has yet been found.

While Susie may uncover something new which will shed some light on the subject, for now she is happy to acknowledge the fact that whatever their illnesses may be, many veterans from the Gulf war are still suffering from symptoms which remain undiagnosed to this day.

To find out more about research undertaken by Ms Kilshaw, use the link below.

Link: Ms Kilshaw