Quote Originally Posted by 120mm View Post
I disagree. Addiction to mental health treatments is a real and common malady, which has the additional by-product of providing job security to the same mental health professionals.

I don't see a whole bunch of people who outgrow their therapist.
I do, all the time. I don't work in the military--I teach--but I often have students coming back to me years after they were encouraged to seek help (for depression, addictions, SIs, EDs, the after-effects of sexual assault, and suicidal feelings) to say how support, counseling, and intervention at the right time changed their lives for the better.

A lot of them tell me they're afraid to tell their family. Afraid they'll look weak. Afraid they won't understand. Afraid they'll be blamed. Frankly, if their parents have attitudes similar to some of those expressed in this thread, I can see why.

At the moment, I'm worried that someone in the military who would benefit from help, will read this thread and not ask for it for fear that asking for help is somehow not "manly" or "warrior" enough to retain the respect of his (or her) peers. That would be a tragedy.