Worries grow over mental health of U.S. soldiers

[deadparrot]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retired U.S. Navy medic Charlie Anderson twice thought about committing suicide: once when he feared he would be sent back to Iraq in 2004 and again last year when a friend and fellow veteran killed himself.

"I can't say that I can't go because we don't do that, I also can't go because I'm putting people in danger if I do," he said of his first brush with suicidal thoughts, which came while he was awaiting his second deployment.

In the end, Anderson was not deployed but it sparked a two-year effort to get help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of thousands of soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan facing a battle to re-enter everyday life.

While much of the attention has been on physical wounds like traumatic brain injuries, as well as squalid living conditions for recovering soldiers, doctors, families and lawmakers are expressing growing concerns that veterans are not be getting the right mental health help.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/usa_iraq_stress_dc

[maggiegault]

1. I'm Bipolar, And My Brother Is In Baghdad

And I am going to talk to my shrink tomorrow about donating some of his time to our returning troops.

Brother admits very freely that he has PTSD, but that nothing can be done about it while he is deployed. Taking meds would mean that he would "piss hot," and that causes a lot of problems for a soldier, especially when he is looking to be promoted, like my brother is.

[Joe for Clark]

2. The problem is the utter inability of the administration

to recognize that the mental problems of those boys is a direct result of going to war in the first place. Just a cost of war - so why don't they fund it? No less important than the costs of missles or bullets or anything else. It is a big problem to me. You send them to war - then there are certain obligations.

Joe

[Monkeyman]

3. They said today DoD does not have the money for care

[Joe for Clark]

5. Not this time. They will do the right thing by our boys.

This issue will be pushed.

My god, if we don't stand up for those kids - we have no honor left as a country.

Personally, I am embarassed about the conditions our kids came home to after the last war.

And it will not happen again.

Not again.

Joe

[TomInTib]

7. Don't get your hopes up, Joe.

There will be no money for PTSD.

Trust me on this.

The reply will basically be "Get a grip, soldier".

[Joe for Clark]

10. I think that was true once.

You know today - they have to deal with us. We are the generations that shoved Ritalin down our kids throat - all that stuff. I think the deal is different right now.
We are not our parents - we understand there really is PTSD. At least when it happens to our kids there is.

I think there is a real chance on this - for all the kids - I think so.

Joe

[TomInTib]

4. We will be paying for this for decades.

The VideoGame Generation went off to fight and came back all fucked up.

Ain't no reset button on this one.

[Casablanca]

6. Just like Ender's Game, except for the ending. nt

[Joe for Clark]

8. That is funny Tom - and couldn't be more right.

Troy is out of country now.

He hit Germany and we are waiting for the call to pick him up.

He will be in Texas soon. We'll get 3 hours notice or so.

I like your posts Tom. You are so dead on.

You have that soldiers ability to put things in the proper perspective.

And correct as usual.

Joe

[TomInTib]

11. Oh, Joe, that is great news.

Keep him home and keep him cool.

Let him bounce around a bit.

But listen closely to the things he isn't saying.

Good luck, Buddy.

Tom

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. So many of these kids who joined up...

Weren't told that there wasn't a 15 second respawn, either.