Is there a stigma within the active military regarding PTSD and treatment of it?

CPT Lance Cutsforth — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 21:40:12 -0500

Due to my time in service, I have been diagnosed with PTSD and have sought assistance in dealing with it.  In the civilian world, I have been able to chart my own path for a career and am able to maneuver my schedule when needed to compensate.  I have also sought help through hypnotherapy which has been EXTREMELY helpful in getting to root causes instead of just dealing with symptoms through cognitive therapy.  I have been out of the military since 1999, and then PTSD wasn't really even acknowledged.  How is it viewed in service now? Are there negative ramifications for diagnosis or admission?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2014 9:45 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 21:45:47 -0500

Absolutely. It can be a career ender.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2014 2:36 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 02:36:37 -0500

From what I have seen, it's not stigmatized at all to show symptoms or claim to have it. The stigma comes in when you have it and seek help, as it's perceived that you are trying to sham/turn into a sick call ranger. Of course, this rings true for just about any medical complaint in a combat arms environment.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2014 2:42 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 02:42:48 -0500

Sir, I do not think there is. My soldiers talk about their issues every Friday for about 30 minutes with the MFLC.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2014 3:59 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 03:59:29 -0500

PTSD is not viewed negatively in my organization. On our previous tour our Soldiers served in an incredibly kinetic AO. Many of my most junior Soldiers experienced 70+ firefights, and even more IEDs. They lost buddies. I have Soldiers who battle PTSD, and it is openly discussed among peers and supervisors. If a Soldier needs help, he gets it. Period.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 8:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 20:03:15 -0400

No I guess I have been lucky!

Response by SPC Steven M. made Mar 27 at 2014 8:17 PM

SPC Steven M. — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 20:17:10 -0400

i have as well except for 2 people one being my mother in law and one of my supervisors at work just they think if you seen and did things ... it must come back with you

not in my case but just their belief

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 8:17 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 20:17:27 -0400

Yeah I mean I saw a car hit by a firetruck at the front gate but they were civilians and how do you get over that?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 8:35 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 20:35:52 -0400

Unfortunately, the news media likes to blow things out of proportion most of the time and for the most part report only on things that have a negative light - and once there's 'blood' in the waters the sharks go crazy (in other words - the competing news agencies).  Once they get a 'buzz word' they don't let go of it (so that it sticks into everyone's head) they treat it like a dog with a bone.True, some of our brothers and sisters in arms do go through some really terrible experiences and not all of them can cope with the atrocities of conflict.  Unfortunately, the services have ben very slow to make good help available to our personnel coming home and no matter what they say - there is still a stigma placed against those that do actually go for help.  The ones that don't go for help and try to adjust themselves more times then not wind up doing something that feeds into the news media's propaganda machine - thus in a way making it almost like a self fulfilling prophesy. Sometimes I wonder if the employment rejections I get are from individuals that buy into the media's conception of us who have deployed overseas and made it back in one piece.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 9:21 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 21:21:46 -0400

Wow this was spot on MSgt Kerwin. Working in the media I have seen some underhanded things and they exploited people while insulating themselves from that abuse. Case in point. A DJ in Tampa sent a sidekick to Orlando to have sex with a mother and her 18 year old daughter. They were on the air talking about the chain of events and how the mother was hot too. I hate that element and all they stand for.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 10:30 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 22:30:15 -0400

Did you not know that everyone that deploys sees some crazy stuff? Everyone has been in a firefight. We all have had to fight our way back to the FOB. We all now have anger issues and can't relate to civilians. We have been turned into monsters. It is something in the air over there... wherever there may be. With family, it can be worse. My Mom always tells me how I have changed. Afterall, I guess I'm still supposed to be that naive teenager. People don't really grow and change with maturity. Only we change, and it is all for the crazier.

I hope that put a little smile on your face :)

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2014 10:39 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 22:39:47 -0400

I know when talking to employers about going overseas to war you have to be very particular and careful on your choice of words. I think the media has spun this up so much that the average civilian believes that most deployers are damaged in some way.

My family and friends don't sat it but strangers sure do. I think we have to work harder to prove them wrong and make them see we aren't damaged goods instead we have special skill sets due to our deployment time. Some of us have to cope with the repeated deployments and in a way we shut off some of our feelings to keep our head in the game.

Without getting the media off of the PTSD/Suicide kick we will always fight the stigma.

Response by SPC Joshua Meadows made Mar 27 at 2014 11:17 PM

SPC Joshua Meadows — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 23:17:13 -0400

I've been out of the military for 5 years. Most of my friends and family would say that I have some degree of PTSD that I am dealing with, but I am just now (within the past week) starting to reach out and get some help dealing. I would hear about these "worst-case" scenarios on the news and I would think, yeah I have some anger issues but I'm not as angry as THAT guy so I guess I don't need help. Yeah, I have some sleepless nights, but not as many as THAT guy so I don't need any help. Yeah, I have a few other issues, but not as many as THAT guy so I'm fine. But the truth of the matter is that it's not a contest. If my experiences in the military are still affecting my day-to-day life then I could use some sort of support. I still don't like calling it PTSD but that might be my own personal hangup. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. I don't know. But I know that the bonds that were formed in my unit are some of the strongest relationships I have, and if I'm having a rough time I've got more than enough ears available to listen.
I'm not really sure if that answers the original question or not. I may or may not have gotten a little sidetracked...

Response by SFC James Baber made Mar 28 at 2014 11:04 AM

SFC James Baber — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 11:04:14 -0400

I think that many potential employers use this as an excuse to not hire veterans as they don't want to deal with people thinking or saying things or that they believe the media hype as well.

This goes back to the discussions we have had about veterans and difficulty finding and getting jobs, many of the so called military friendly companies talk a good talk, but when the reality comes forth they just do and say for the government perks, and since mental stigma is a hard discrimination is very difficult to prove, many just use the excuse they are going a different direction to avoid the issue all together.

Response by SSG Lucas Lisitza made Jul 3 at 2014 2:08 PM

SSG Lucas Lisitza — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 14:08:41 -0400

I left the Army in October of 2008. I served in Iraq for nearly 3 years between '04 -'08 as an Infantryman. Overall, I served 6.5 years in the military.

In all of that time, I only ever saw one person seek out help for PTSD and NOT end up leaving the service shortly thereafter.

During my time in the Army, PTSD and other mental issues were generally viewed as a weakness thus stigmatizing soldiers to not seek professional help. Soldiers turned to their battle buddies for help not doctors. This may be the best solution for many soldiers, but it isn't the end all of treatment. Many of the soldiers that did not seek help are now in worse shape than ever before, having left the service and their personal therapists for the civilian world. Many of them feel alone now, isolated. Most of these problems could have been avoided by realizing that bad things happen in combat and it isn't a sign of weakness to talk to a professional.

From personal experience, pride also deters people from seeking help.

If anyone disagrees with me, please reply so we can talk about it.