Interesting PTSD related Article.

[Op_Shrink]

120mm thanks for sharing your experience and sorry it has been such a negative one. So far my military career has granted me quite a bit of freedom in practicing psychology. I think some of the friction arises when Command doesn't advocate for us, which results in stigma for any soldier needing to seek help. I need Command and families to be my greatest advocates. There are always going to be psychologists, physicians, nurses, etc. who are great providers but do not have great military bearing. Also, just because someone hasn't deployed doesn't mean they don't have the skills to help. They just won't really understand, which is okay as long as they acknowledge that shortcoming to the soldier. For me it comes down to genuinely caring about the soldier and their family and taking the time to listen to their experiences and know them. Having a cup of coffee or a guy swinging by the office to talk off line is what I should be taking the time to do. I just want to encourage you that there are quite a few psychologists who have that mindset, especially in the BCT's and SOF community. Well time to work on some more ILE stuff. Have a good one.

[120mm]

Originally Posted by Op_Shrink

120mm thanks for sharing your experience and sorry it has been such a negative one. So far my military career has granted me quite a bit of freedom in practicing psychology. I think some of the friction arises when Command doesn't advocate for us, which results in stigma for any soldier needing to seek help. I need Command and families to be my greatest advocates.

I've had Command that has "advocated" to the point of directing people to attend counselling, that frankly, didn't need it. There is a thin line between getting the right people to the right counselling and seeing PTSD behind every bush.

I think one of the keys for a commander is to hammer the living crap out of individuals who stigmatize and/or make a big deal about someone attending counselling. It doesn't take many iterations to change the unit atmosphere vis-a-vis mental health.

There are always going to be psychologists, physicians, nurses, etc. who are great providers but do not have great military bearing.

I could care less about military bearing. But the military/government system tends to protect the unprofessional and incompetent. That doesn't mean all are, but it is definitely a consideration in this discussion.

I HAVE noticed that folks like Chaplains, Doctors and Nurses sometimes get way too concerned about "military bearing" because they lack a solid indepth understanding of what military bearing really is, and therefore spend an inordinate amount of time trying to "act like a soldier". IMO, they'd be better off just relaxing, being themselves and doing their jobs as best they can.

Also, just because someone hasn't deployed doesn't mean they don't have the skills to help. They just won't really understand, which is okay as long as they acknowledge that shortcoming to the soldier.

A good counsellor is a good counsellor is a good counsellor. Since a good counsellor sets aside ego in favor of accomplishing something to benefit the counselee, deployment or experience in the particular trauma is irrelevant. The "gifted amateur" who has helped me had zero deployment experience when we started talking. Hence my "wince" when you brought up the "missions" thing. If its a vernacular you are comfortable with, great. Otherwise, I would warn against it.

For me it comes down to genuinely caring about the soldier and their family and taking the time to listen to their experiences and know them. Having a cup of coffee or a guy swinging by the office to talk off line is what I should be taking the time to do. I just want to encourage you that there are quite a few psychologists who have that mindset, especially in the BCT's and SOF community. Well time to work on some more ILE stuff. Have a good one.

I am struck by the fact that you are fairly skilled at turning aside my initial approach. I can be very abrasive and outspoken, and am amazed at how many psych/counselling "professionals" cannot do that. Those folks, imo, have no business being in the field, as dealing with angry people is their job.

[Op_Shrink]

I have tried to reply twice, but for some reason it will not post it. 120mm thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciate the candor. I have found the Army gives me quite a bit of freedom when it comes to how I take care of troops and families. While some docs may not have great military bearing they likely still have the knowledge to effectively treat soldiers. However, I concur that military bearing can make or break rapport building with war fighters. I believe the majority of BCT and SOF psychologists have both and willingly admit their shortcomings and pretend to be more than what they are. Have a good one. DOC

[Op_Shrink]

Well its seems my responses went through, but were delayed quite a bit. I enjoyed the reply 120mm. As for being "fairly skilled at turning aside my initial approach" all I can say is that anger is a trait that I see among all war fighters to some degree coming back from deployment. Its all good. Besides I need to know where the soldiers stands so I know how to best help him. In reference to the military jargon in group; I have had nothing but positive feedback from both conventional and unconventional troops. I don't over do it or implement the whole "hooahh" thing. That is lame. It is simply a few terms here and there. Furthermore, I am glad you see a good therapist as a good therapist, regardless of deployment experience. That is refreshing on my end. By the way what is your military background? Have a good one.

[120mm]

As far as background is concerned, I've hit about everything, crossing from Active Duty, to Reserves/National Guard to mil contracting and back. My so-called "career progression" is enlisted FA, College/ROTC, CAV, MI, CAV, MI, CAV, MI, NBC, TRANS, CGSC Instructor, with APMS, Writer/Trainer, DoS LNO, HTS, Atmospherics, Professor of Intel, DIA SOIC thrown in there with time out to do various civilian retail management jobs in there for fun.

I wish someone would do a compare and contrast with the amount of stress involved with dealing with an unthinking, uncaring bureaucracy versus combat. Personally, I'd choose to be in combat over beating my head against a bureaucratic wall every day of the week.

[Kiwigrunt]

Originally Posted by 120mm

I wish someone would do a compare and contrast with the amount of stress involved with dealing with an unthinking, uncaring bureaucracy versus combat. Personally, I'd choose to be in combat over beating my head against a bureaucratic wall every day of the week.

Hehe, I've never been in combat but I think I get your point and might well agree. But......is combat not getting increasingly bureaucratic?

[Ethereal]

Originally Posted by Kiwigrunt

Hehe, I've never been in combat but I think I get your point and might well agree. But......is combat not getting increasingly bureaucratic?

I don't think "combat" is an exclusive club for "feelings".......... but, I'm not 120mm, so who knows?

E

[Op_Shrink]

Sorry I have been out of the loop lately. I have been getting hammered with assignments here at ILE and today am down to one last major assignment before heading into wargaming. I have written a paper on warfighter variables. I examined physiological responses, unit cohesion, and personality traits in warfighter motivation and performance. I loaded it with a lot of research and historical examples. Clausewitz "On War" is fantastic. That guy was so ahead of his time regarding psychology and personality traits. Hope everyone is doing well. Love to hear your thoughts. Have a good one.

[AdamG]

Reading music

Marijuana May Be Studied for Combat Disorder
By DAN FROSCH
Published: July 18, 2011

DENVER — For years now, some veterans groups and marijuana advocates have argued that the therapeutic benefits of the drug can help soothe the psychological wounds of battle. But with only anecdotal evidence as support, their claims have yet to gain widespread acceptance in medical circles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/us....html?src=recg

[ganulv]

but it’s not as if we don’t have a good idea of how to effectively treat PTSD. It’s just that the treatment is multi-modal, not quick, not cheap, and requires a good and adequately staffed infrastructure. Pero esos son otro viente pesos, as they say in Puerto Rico.

[AdamG]

(AP) TOPEKA, Kan. - An Army sergeant accused of killing four fellow soldiers and a Navy officer at a mental health clinic on a military base in Iraq two years ago should be tried for murder but should not face the possibility of execution because he suffers from serious mental illness, a military judge recommended.
Sgt. John Russell, who is accused of opening fire at the combat stress center at Camp Liberty near Baghdad in May 2009 in what would be the deadliest act of soldier-on-soldier violence in the Iraq war, should be held accountable for his actions and face a court martial on the five counts of premeditated murder he faces, Col. James Pohl wrote in his recommendations issued Friday.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...20108375.shtml

The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on - Yossarian, CATCH-22

[ganulv]

Suicide and the United States Army: perspectives from the former psychiatry consultant to the Army Surgeon General | Cerebrum

The two portions of this piece which most piqued my interest:

Perhaps counterintuitively, suicides among those who have major injuries are rare; more often a minor injury or backache contributes to depressive symptoms, a belief that one cannot “be the Soldier I used to be,” and irritability.

Therapy dogs are now with several of the Combat Stress Control teams in Afghanistan. Soldiers will stop by to pat the dog. Wounded soldiers find that the presence of their service animal decreases their PTSD symptoms and their feelings of anger and fear. Veterans who would not leave the house will bond with their dogs, walk them, and regain structure in their lives.

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to Leah Farrell (via Twitter) for this pointer - to a vivid, hard to read personal account of PTSD by an Australian soldier, who joined as a private and became a general. From the sub-title:

Major General John Cantwell fought in Iraq in 1991 and again in 2006. In 2010 he commanded the Australian troops in Afghanistan. Upon his return, he was in the running to be the Chief of Army – instead, he found himself in a psychiatric ward.

Link:http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/casu...917-2612i.html

We've seen similar references and I do wonder what the impact upon each national society will be of ex-veterans who think this:

I seethe at the indifference of most Australians to the efforts of our troops overseas.

I know there are some biker SWC members, so:

Bizarrely, I can ride a motorcycle without having these foolish panic attacks. I have no idea why.

Finally:

I understand that I am on a long journey of recovery, but I know also that I will complete that journey, someday. I am determined to get better. I will beat this thing.

A book is due out next month:

Exit Wounds: One Australian's War on Terror by Major General John Cantwell (with Greg Bearup), published by MUP on October 1.

Link to publisher:https://estore.mup.com.au/items/9780522861785 and no trace on Amazon.