PTSD -- The Arguments

[catzmeow]

The point of awarding the Purple Heart is to encourage men and women returning from combat with PTSD is to acknowledge that PTSD is a true injury--even though the wounds are internal.

Are you fucking kidding me? Are you under the impression that ANYONE with PTSD doesn't realize this shit? No one with PTSD needs your little liberal game-playing to realize that it's serious (deeply personal/private) stuff.

And they don't want you in their personal business, making them into a poster child for your pet issues. Jesus Christ. Are you really this dense?

If a guy has PTSD and wants help with it, he wants it to be easily available, offered by someone who has been there done that, CONFIDENTIAL, private, and not publicized in any way. What about this do you not understand?

 

[dilloduck]

Why soldiers don't seek psychological treatment for PTSD:
https://www.blueshieldca.com/hw/art...SPEC&fromTopics=all_topics&_requestid=1812846

You may not trust therapists or psychologists.
You may worry about money. Even if you have insurance, it doesn't always cover mental health care.
You may feel that asking for treatment is a sign of weakness.
You may think you will get better if enough time passes.
You may worry that if people find out it could hurt your career

these reasons are no different than ANYONE who needs some therapy but is not going to get it.

 

[catzmeow]

Yeah.....like you're such a fucking expert on the military Sunni Douchebag.......

In all fairness to Sunni, he did serve in combat. You can demean him all you want on social issues, but don't demean his service to this country, dude.

 

[Sunni Man]

If Arthur had his way. Soldiers would get a Purple Heart if they contracted the clap at a whore house

 

[dilloduck]

The point of awarding the Purple Heart is to encourage men and women returning from combat with PTSD is to acknowledge that PTSD is a true injury--even though the wounds are internal.

Are you fucking kidding me? Are you under the impression that ANYONE with PTSD doesn't realize this shit? No one with PTSD needs your little liberal game-playing to realize that it's serious (deeply personal/private) stuff.

And they don't want you in their personal business, making them into a poster child for your pet issues. Jesus Christ. Are you really this dense?

If a guy has PTSD and wants help with it, he wants it to be easily available, offered by someone who has been there done that, CONFIDENTIAL, private, and not publicized in any way. What about this do you not understand?

That people can be assisted WITHOUT being labeled as a victim.

 

[Andrew2382]

Even though PTSD is a thing that people need help with....it's not something we give a purple heart away for. Purple heart has a special meaning.

If someone has PTSD there are treatments for it through therapy, cognitive therapy shows great results in treating PTSD.

Can we really compare that to someone who loses a leg, or an eye, becomes a PoW, or dies in battle while defending their country.

Want to give people with PTSD something, give them a lesser ranked medal...

 

[Arthur]

Fair enough. You presented the argument against making PTSD an injury that deserves the Purple Heart. I've been talking with friends about trauma from a generational perspective. Attitudes are inherited.

Kudos to Robert for caring and wanting to help.

 

[dilloduck]

If Arthur had his way. Soldiers would get a Purple Heart if they contracted the clap at a whore house

Well Arthur hangs around buebirds too much too.

 

[Arthur]

Veterans for Common Sense was formed by Gulf War veterans in 2002 in part to avoid repeating the mistake of failing to adequately address the medical needs of our veterans when they return home from war. VCS has a track record of success when we take on an issue. During 2006 and 2007, we worked extensively with Congress on the "Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act," a bill that became law in 2008 and expanded healthcare and benefits for our returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

In 2007 and 2008, we testified several times before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Members of the panel pushed through a landmark bill to reform VA's broken claims system, legislation that included VCS recommendations.

For 2009, we want greater focus on problems within the military so mental health conditions can be idenified and treated early, when treatment is more effective and less expensive.

1. VCS urges DoD to implement the 1997 Force Health Protection law, PL 105-85, Section 761-771, that requires the military to provide pre- and post-deployment medical exams to all service members. The Government Accounting Office and the Institute of Medicine found the current system of asking soldiers to self-report mental illness was woefully inadequate. We believe mandatory exams by physicians will reduce stigma against PTSD by normalizing the exam process. When a civilian police officer is involved in a shooting, he or she receives a mandatory exam before returning to duty. This same standard of required exams should apply to all our troops when they return home from combat.

2. VCS urges DoD to implement a strong anti-stigma program as required by the National Defense Authorization Act for 2009. We believe that attitudes toward veterans with PTSD will change with education about the causes, symptoms, and treatments. Education should describe the devastating consequences of untreated PTSD like broken families, unemployment, crime, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, and suicide. We believe that reducing stigma will encourage more veterans to seek treatment and provide a smoother readjustment for our veterans into colleges, jobs, and communities without fear of discrimination.

3. VCS urges DoD to hire additional mental health professionals to meet the increasing demand for examinations and treatment. In February 2007, the American Psychological Association reported a 40 percent vacancy rate for mental health professionals within the Department of Defense. If DoD plans to perform the mandatory exams in a timely manner, then the military must have a sufficient supply of mental health practitioners to meet the ever-increasing demand. More than 717,000 troops have deployed two or more times to the war zones, and these veterans are now at greater risk for developing PTSD than those who deploy only once. Identification and early treatment for PTSD will save taxpayers' money and help stem the growing suicide epidemic.

4. VCS urges VA to work more closely with DoD implementing the Force Health Protection law so VA has sufficient records to provide medical care and process disability claims. We believe that many of the problems VA faces when dealing with PTSD arise due to inadequate military policies that flow unchecked downstream toward VA. We are concerned that there are 105,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans diagnosed by VA with PTSD, yet only 42,000 veterans receive VA disability compensation for PTSD - an unacceptable 40 percent approval rate that may be caused by a lack of military medical records. VCS also urges VA to grant automatic disability benefits to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans diagnosed with PTSD by VA.

Jan 27, Weekly Update: VCS Announces Our Four PTSD Priorities for 2009 for Department of Defense

 

[Sunni Man]

Fair enough. You presented the argument against making PTSD an injury that deserves the Purple Heart. I've been talking with friends about trauma from a generational perspective. Attitudes are inherited.

The increase in PTSD has to do with letting gays and lesbians into the military.

Homosexuals are more prone to mental illness and have weaker inner strength when dealing with stressful situations such as combat.

 

[catzmeow]

I think we've derailed Robert's well-intentioned thread. Maybe Gunny or someone else can move some of these posts to an appropriate board so that Robert's thread can remain unmolested by those of us who want to discuss the topic at greater length.

 

[Ravi]

Sunni served in combat? News to me. I thought he just hung around and beat up gays serving in the military.

I can only conclude from this thread that men are too wussy to be men if someone knows they have mental problems.

Kind of hysterical, really.

 

[dilloduck]

I think we've derailed Robert's well-intentioned thread. Maybe Gunny or someone else can move some of these posts to an appropriate board so that Robert's thread can remain unmolested by those of us who want to discuss the topic at greater length.

Agreed--Sorry Robert

 

[Andrew2382]

i think we've derailed robert's well-intentioned thread. Maybe gunny or someone else can move some of these posts to an appropriate board so that robert's thread can remain unmolested by those of us who want to discuss the topic at greater length.

pfft you wanna see derailed

i'll show you derailed!





Abortion is wrong and it's murder!

 

[catzmeow]

Sunni served in combat? News to me. I thought he just hung around and beat up gays serving in the military.

Sunni probably restricted his assaults of gay/lesbian service personnnel to his recreational time, when he WASN'T dodging bullets.

 

[Arthur]

Sunni served in combat? News to me. I thought he just hung around and beat up gays serving in the military.

I can only conclude from this thread that men are too wussy to be men if someone knows they have mental problems.

Kind of hysterical, really.

Mental illness still has stigma attached to it. Men are less likely to seek treatment for psychological care far less often than women--soldiers are no exception.

 

[dilloduck]

Sunni served in combat? News to me. I thought he just hung around and beat up gays serving in the military.

I can only conclude from this thread that men are too wussy to be men if someone knows they have mental problems.

Kind of hysterical, really.

Mental illness still has stigma attached to it. Men are less likely to seek treatment for psychological care far less often than women--soldiers are no exception.

Are you under the impression that you are educating anyone here ?

 

[Sunni Man]

Having PTSD is no different than a person having high blood pressure, heart problems, or an STD.

It should be betweem them and their medical professional. It's no one elses businees. Period.

No medal.

Just confidential treatment.

 

[Arthur]

Texas VVA Newsletter:
Military Veterans (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) PTSD Reference Manual

 

[dilloduck]

Texas VVA Newsletter:
Military Veterans (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) PTSD Reference Manual

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