There's a good article in this month's VFW magazine on the Army and Marine Corps trying to get to the bottom of what's behind the rash of military suicides in the last few years so they can be prevented. It's in PDF form so I can't c&p quotes but if you're interested, please go read it. You can enlarge the print.
What I think is a good point - one of the doctors interviewed wants to change the term "PTSD" to "PTS" because he feels the word "disorder" implies weakness, which is shameful to male service personnel and is a factor in not seeking help. PTS is not a weakness. He may be on to something. The services are working to change this perception.
I learned from the article, and am proud of the way my Marine Corps is trying to handle teaching and counselling with more or less a squad-level personal approach as opposed to impersonal Powerpoint presentations in an auditorium.
2 comments:
It'd be nice if DOD would spend some more money here instead of on ships that rust away and VTOL fighters that melt the carrier decks.
Maybe the doctor should work on teaching the men that "disorder" does not imply weakness, but is an illness. That will have the added benefit of teaching them that other people who have mental disorders (not only PTSD) are not weak, but have illnesses.
Calling PTSD "Post-Traumatic Stress" seems to belittle the seriousness of the condition, as in "you're just a little stressed out".
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