Mental Injuries: Worse Than Some Thought, But Not Those Who Served

A new study released yesterday concluded that mental injuries suffered by those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are much worse than estimated, because those injuries don't manifest themselves, in many cases, for months down the road. It's somewhat entertaining to watch the media fall all over themselves to express "shock" at this story, when all they had to do was talk to those of us who served, who have known this for a while.

It's truly heartbreaking when you do actually listen to the troops. In the Washington Post coverage, they interview reservist Timothy Bredberg:

"Bredberg's family, which he describes as conservative and patriotic, disowned him after he returned. "Timmy, we don't know you anymore," his sisters told him, he recalled. "People talk about the sacrifices . . ." he said. "People don't realize it's more of an emotional and mental thing that we give up for going over there. I have lost family members because of it. I've lost best friends."

Thing here is, Bredberg returned in 2004. Three years ago!

Far too many troops return and are not properly screened when they return, and are not being brought into the system for constant evaluation and care. As I wrote earlier last week, even for those troops who do seek help, there are ridiculously high hurdles they must meet, to qualify for care and disability for their mental injury. Failure to bring these guys into the system, properly screen and monitor them, and give them full disability when it's due leads to a host of problems, whether it's homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, or fits of violence against family.

Increased funding for the VA and related veteran care programs would go a long way towards identifying and caring for those veterans with mental injuries, and ensuring that they get the disability payments they are due. And yet, the Administration is still fighting over every dime Congress proposes on spending for veterans.

Just because mental injuries cannot be seen, it doesn't mean they are less severe. And yet, as a nation, we treat mental injuries like that, when it comes to our veterans. Imagine if we had veterans in the streets with untreated third-degree burns, blown off limbs that weren't sewed up, and gaping open wounds with organs hanging out. This country would never forgive this Administration and those in Congress who voted against increased VA funding. And yet, we have a very similar situation, when it comes to untreated mental injuries, and a system that allows our veterans to deal with it on their own.

I ask, where is the outrage?

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Comments

[Maxine]

My Vietnam Veteran husband wasn't diagnosed with PTSD until fifteen years after he returned home from Vietnam. As a result, by the time we knew what his problem was myself and our children had already learned to live with a problem we did not know had a name, by reacting to Dad's mood--not a good way to live. It took another 10 years fighting the VA to get his compensation rate adjusted accordingly. When I first saw on the news that Iraq and Afghanistan vets were experiencing symptoms of PTSD and then to hear someone actually say "about 6 weeks of counseling will help" caused my mouth to drop. This is an ongoing process, life-long and as in my husband's case the problem is only maintained by periodic trips to his doctor at the VA and a fist full of pills to help him cope with daily life and to help him sleep a couple hours a night. As for his family, we still try to live or maintain a normal life in an abnormal environment--36 years later its still not a good way to live.

[lovethesinner]

A cynical person might be led to conclude that psycholgical trauma is a built in part of the contract America makes with it's veterans. If they were honest about what's on offer, they would say the following:

"We offer to pay for your schooling after the war... (but, we'll never have to pay you because "stop loss" policies, extended tours, and utter futility of the mission insures that when you get out, you won't be interested if school, you're going to be so fucked up you'll just be glad if you can get your wife back, and hold down a minimum wage job.)"

The only thing this administration has offered our brave soldiers is a life wasted.

What really is the ironic part, is that Republicans try to paint anyone who wants to stop this waste as NOT SUPPORTING THE TROOPS.

At this point, the ONLY way to support the troops is to get them the hell out of there.

[jeskiley]

Traumatic brain injury is an outrage, I agree. I can hardly imagine what our society will be like once this war truly ends. Handicapped peers are going to be the norm, and like you said, the invisible injuries will be very prevalent. Head injuries can lead to violent behavior and the inability to control impulses, I can't imagine what we have yet to deal with as a group. Thanks, Bush!

[Cranbot]

There is always mental trauma when one has served in combat.
HOWEVER, unlike WW2 when there was a real reason for war and support upon coming home today's vets, much like the Vietnam vets, are finding out that all they were subjected to was for a lie.
Many of the Vietnam vets were drafted and couldn't avoid it, but today you had people rushing to sign on after 9/11, wholeheartedly believing in the "cause".
I think the level of anger that will remain among them (and who could blame a young person who finds out he or she lost his legs for nothing)will have devastating consequences for years to come.
If the Republicans think we are loony for not trusting our government now, just wait until they have all of these new military vets who don't trust the government.

[JimReed]

"I ask, where is the outrage?"

The outrage is tied up over us STARTING an unnecessary war. It is too bad for these soldiers, but it has been so very much worse for the Iraquis. The soldiers have friends and family, many who have disowned them, mental illnesses, and a VA that does way to little to help them. That makes them better off than their "enemy" left back on the battlefield in our war of greed.

[David Livingstone Smith]

This really should not be a surprize to anyone. For reasons documented in my recent book 'The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War' (St. Martins Press, 2007) war is a soul-destroying activity. During WWII, US Army psychologists calculated that psychiatric collaps is inevitable after 80-90 days in combat.

The mind-shattering effects of combat flow partly from the terror of battle, but more importantly from the traumatic effects of killing. Past cultures required soldiers to undergo purification rituals to remove the taint of blood before they could become full members of society again. Although such rituals were probably ineffective, they at least acknowledged the spiritual burden that those who have engaged in combat must carry, often for the remainder of their lives.

To dismiss the shame and guilt that veterans carry as a medical condition that can be banished by 'treatment' is to cheapen it, and to fail to understand the the true nature of war.

David Livingstone Smith, PhD

[hopeless277]

Shhhhhhh, the troops should neither be seen nor heard. Their only real purpose is to give The President cover for overturning our democratic form of government and establishing his own theocratic dictatorship. So please, Jon, lay low or we may never know the joys of living in a country run by James Dobson and Ralph Reed for the glory of Gaud!

[ClevelandTom]

It is clear that the American public's support and concern for active military and vets is a mile wide and about one inch deep. There is a great deal of rhetoric about our "heros" in the military and very little substantive action on their behalf.

I direct this criticism to both sides of the aisle in Congress but, since the mostly-Republican supporters of the Iraq war use the "hero" rhetoric far more often to support their side of that issue, I think they deserve special attention here.

[DemandTruth]

We already had a case of physical wounds left open and festering. It was Walter Reed. The outrage lasted about a week. Then the "liberal" media stopped reporting on it and it went away. If FOX news isn't screaming about it every night, it doesn't exist. Haven't you got that yet?

[MikeDu]

I've been pushing this book so much lately y'all might think I have a financial stake in it or something. The MUST-READ book on the subject is:

"Achilles in Vietnam": Combat trauma and the undoing of Character" by Jonathan Shay.

The author went from a humble VA shrink to giving speeches before appreciative crowds at the Pentagon on the strength of this work. Its an eye-opening heart-breaking piece of scholarship.

[prochange]

Well, we have veterans in the streets who are homeless, mentally ill, not able to take care of themselves, panhandling and are often addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.

Nobody seems to care. "Support the troops" seems to be limited to a bumper sticker and being happy if somebody else goes to Iraq/war. The attitude versus these homeless veterans is usually "Get a job" without recognizing that without their mental health they are not able to.

I wish the young people, who sign up for the military would meet a lot amputees and homeless veterans before they commit to a life of missing limbs and sanity.

[Driver125]

This is the same type of screwing that thousands of powerless people take from their boss every day. "Do this for me now and I'll take care of you later." And they do it but they don't get taken care of 'later'. I guess our veterans just never dreamed it could happen to them. But that's understandable.... a lot of people never dreamed there could be anyone like George Bush occupying the office of President of the United States. I'm surprised they don't spit on him on the rare occasions when he visits the wounded.

[bethinCary]

My Gov. Easley and other reps like Brad Miller and Sen. Price are doing a good job in my state to help veterans.
I hope other states are doing the same.

[SamThornton]

One "war on terror" mental health-related issue that has not been addressed anywhere I can find is the effects that torture is having on the torturers.

Imagine, if you will, an individual released into the general population who has spent four or five years systematically committing the most outrageous acts one human being can commit against another. How can this person possibly be "normal?" How can this person not have severe psychiatric problems? Why would this person not be expected to act out their crippled vision on those close to them or those they come in contact with?

How many hundreds of future BTK murderers are we unleashing against the innocent?

[PoorVets]

Thank's Jon, once again you are talking straight and from the heart.
People that haven't experienced the tolls of war, are the first ones to declare themselfs Patriots. Which is nothing wrong, as long as they don't down talk the veterans! I had enough from the peanut gallary. Rush Bimbo will propably have something to say, sorry mumble, about this also! And its ironic cause their propaganda and lies destroyed so many good families! and for what? This is the new Christian morality, if you don't come back without an arm or leg, sorry! you're not with us. ITS SAD MAN.