Posted on Feb 12, 2020
What fuels a fear of stigma associated with seeking mental health support? What tools have you seen successfully overcome that fear?
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A warrior in need will often avoid seeking help due to a fear of being stigmatized. The resulting isolation can be as harmful or worse. There is also a mountain of research showing that those who experience social stigma and discrimination see their challenges deepened, making it even more difficult to recover. Why then, when so many warning signs and risk factors are easily detected, have we constructed a culture in which critical needs are often known but not addressed?
Have you seen examples of people overcoming this fear of stigma and finding true relief and recovery in community?
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/stigma-discrimination-and-mental-illness
Have you seen examples of people overcoming this fear of stigma and finding true relief and recovery in community?
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/stigma-discrimination-and-mental-illness
Stigma
Mental Health
Wellness
Community
Depression
Edited 4 y ago
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 9
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In the 1970s, while station in Berlin, a fellow NCO sought counseling to deal with stress stemming from his ongoing divorce proceedings. He lost his clearance and was shipped out of theater. With history like this, is it any wonder people are reluctant to seek help?
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Col Casey "Radio" G.
Charles, you're right. With examples like this, every witness takes away a clear message. One thing we do a very poor job of articulating is that nobody knows how deep the needs are until a mental health provider gets involved. There are cases where, once diagnosed, it's clear the person needs a change of environment, for his or her own good. But how are the rest of us to perceive that?
I had a MSgt work for me once. She was absolutely amazing at her job, and responsible for a great deal of my own success. Circumstances in her personal life piled up, and she sought help. Part of her diagnosis included that our work environment was terrible for her, and was exacerbating some challenges. In the end, she agreed, and we worked together to get her reassigned to another staff across town. Ultimately, she recovered, and thrived there, and it felt like a total success.
BUT, considering your example, what did the rest of my staff around us see? Did I articulate well enough that we were working together to support a fellow warrior in need? Or did I just show a staff that I fired and reassigned someone for seeking help? Freakin' great question.
Thanks for the note, and for a chance to think on a past experience. I'll be reaching out to some former coworkers to learn more about how they saw that play out as a 3rd-party witness.
Clear messaging is everything in organizational leadership...
I had a MSgt work for me once. She was absolutely amazing at her job, and responsible for a great deal of my own success. Circumstances in her personal life piled up, and she sought help. Part of her diagnosis included that our work environment was terrible for her, and was exacerbating some challenges. In the end, she agreed, and we worked together to get her reassigned to another staff across town. Ultimately, she recovered, and thrived there, and it felt like a total success.
BUT, considering your example, what did the rest of my staff around us see? Did I articulate well enough that we were working together to support a fellow warrior in need? Or did I just show a staff that I fired and reassigned someone for seeking help? Freakin' great question.
Thanks for the note, and for a chance to think on a past experience. I'll be reaching out to some former coworkers to learn more about how they saw that play out as a 3rd-party witness.
Clear messaging is everything in organizational leadership...
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I will indulge you in predominant thoughts in my head at the time.
- I can't get chaptered. The army is all I know.
- My warrior ethos says I can't give up my personal fight with PTSD.
- Later I waved the white flag because I became totally irrelevant as a soldier and person.
- I can't get chaptered. The army is all I know.
- My warrior ethos says I can't give up my personal fight with PTSD.
- Later I waved the white flag because I became totally irrelevant as a soldier and person.
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Col Casey "Radio" G.
MAJ Ken Landgren, wow, that's a lot squeezed into very few lines. Volumes to unpack here, really, thanks for this. None of those thoughts should have to be experienced alone. So, if I could tell my best friend, "I can't get chaptered," he/she might dig in a little more with me about options. If I'm fighting PTSD alongside a fellow injured soldier, or with an expert who actually understands the struggle, we encourage each other's warrior ethos. Most importantly, when circumstances bring me to reach for that white flag, I need a battle buddy to help hold it, and help me surrender into refuge rather than disaster. Brother this response really made me think. Thanks again...
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Col Casey "Radio" G.
More important that all of this meta discussion... Are you posting in the first person as a literary tool, or are these autobiographical comments? If this is personal truth, thanks that much more for sharing. I'm hesitant to ask, but how did things go after waving the white flag? You're certainly relevant here in RP land, and I'm grateful for that.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
Thank you for the kind words. You are on the money in your interpretations. PTSD is a very troubling affliction. One is confused, scared, living in an alternate reality, and have suicidal ideations. One wife described her husbands murder in a court room and said she was in the dark with no hope of seeing the light. We ask ourselves what happened to our life, I don't understand why it is so horrible now. I am curious why you are asking these questions in regards to PTSD.
If you are inclined to accept it. I wrote a lengthy paper on PTSD from my experiences to help others. After 20 years in the army, I can safely admit that I think like a military person. Before a commander goes into battle he wants the paint the picture of the battlefield. That is what I did to help others understand PTSD. The unit must use tactics to win the battle. The tactics I described are simple coping skills. I would love to share it with you for the widest dissemination as possible. I am quite honored to help folks with PTSD. It helps give my life meaning. There is no greater feeling than to give someone their life back. It's free and there is no obligation, all I ask is for some feedback. Just email me at [login to see] if you want the file. I really think it will be illuminating to you.
If you are inclined to accept it. I wrote a lengthy paper on PTSD from my experiences to help others. After 20 years in the army, I can safely admit that I think like a military person. Before a commander goes into battle he wants the paint the picture of the battlefield. That is what I did to help others understand PTSD. The unit must use tactics to win the battle. The tactics I described are simple coping skills. I would love to share it with you for the widest dissemination as possible. I am quite honored to help folks with PTSD. It helps give my life meaning. There is no greater feeling than to give someone their life back. It's free and there is no obligation, all I ask is for some feedback. Just email me at [login to see] if you want the file. I really think it will be illuminating to you.
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Col Casey "Radio" G.
MAJ Ken Landgren, I absolutely want to read your paper. My priority with the remaining time I have on active duty is my Airmen, and all of our Service Members. I'm working on a project at my current staff unit, but I intend to pour my heart into this fight for another 5-7 years after I leave my current posting in summer '21. It's a pleasure to meet you, please send your paper, and I'll also tag you in a link to paper I've shared on a similar topic...
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Col Casey "Radio" G. I've seen veterans avoid help because of the new Red Flag laws...if your state has it anyone can say your a threat and the police confiscate all your weapons and you have to go to court to get them back. It's at least a 9 month waiting period.. you are guilty until you can prove your not. It's their way around the second admendment...I'm not telling you not to seek help if you need it just be informed!
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