Pentagon aims to reduce stigma for troops seeking mental health care

[lebkuchen]

Military health officials are trying to figure out how to reduce the stigma for troops seeking mental health care, but concede they’re fighting an uphill battle.

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“There is a perception among the troops that seeking mental health care means you’re weak or a coward and frankly, we in the military kind of foster that attitude,” said Burke. “We give medals to the soldiers who charge the hill, but don’t really recognize the day-to-day heroism of soldiers who take care of themselves — doing simple things like changing their socks and cleaning their weapons — doing whatever it takes to keep themselves in condition to do the mission.”

A recent Defense Department study looking at combat troops returning from Iraq found that soldiers and Marines who need counseling the most are least likely to seek it. As many as 16 percent of the troops questioned admitted to symptoms of severe depression, Post Combat Stress Disorder and other problems.

Of those, six out of 10 questioned felt their leaders would treat them differently and that fellow troops would lose confidence in them. As many as 65 percent said they’d “be seen as weak.”

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26993

How can the Pentagon's plan to reduce the mental health stigma be successful when it lauds Lt General Mattis yapping to the public that "it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot people"?

When a three star general makes known his views that it's "fun to fight...it's a hell of a hoot," what are the chances that troops who are severely depressed from battle experiences will seek help?

Guys like Mattis are why "Fort Braggs" happen.

[izzie]

1. I think it is more the 'not to reason why and do and die' thing

Once a man starts thinking off that way he is looked at as nuts. Really he is usually just growing up. Hardly fits in to being a man who will just do as told.

[Maraya1969]

2. I have a problem with the 84% that have NO symptoms!

Unless they are the ones not involved in direct battle. How can a person kill other people and see such devastation, including dead children and grieving mothers not be affected? Not to mention their friends who have been killed in action.

I am not blaming them for what they do. They are ordered to do it.

My one uncle who fought in WW2 had psychological problems all his life.

I guess there is a way to disconnect yourself from what is going on. Health workers do this. Maybe it is the brain's way of dealing with horrible situations.

[Mend]

3. Real mental health

would be the army's greatest threat. If soldiers stopped, thought, analyzed, and re-thought what they were doing there, they would put down their arms and walk away.