PTSD Among Returning Vets Could Overwhelm VA

[leftchick]

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,576269,00.html

Untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among returning Vietnam veterans led to a surge in heroin use and overflowing mental-health facilities. Now, some worry about similar blowback from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Associated Press reported Feb. 17 that the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) has raised concerns in a new report about the ability of the Veterans Administration (VA) to cope with an expected flood of PTSD cases among returning vets.

The VA says it has already treated 6,400 veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars for PTSD, but GAO noted that less than half of those using VA health services are screened for PTSD. Without access to PTSD services, "many mental-health experts believe that the chance may be missed ... to lessen the severity of symptoms and improve the overall quality of life" for vets with PTSD, the report said.

The VA said the GAO was inaccurate in its description of existing PTSD services and the agency's ability to provide such services in the future. The GAO report said that the agency has been slow to implement changes recommended by a Congressional advisory committee.

[catmandu57]

1. this and gulf war syndrome

is going to eat our lunch in the coming years, we've used so much depleted uranium that we're going to turn the ME into a wasteland, and the returning vets are going to pay a high cost.
Everyone can thank the smirk* for cutting VA funding.

[tokenlib]

2. The VA is already overwhelmed

The budget and staff cuts have already been devastating to VA health care. This is a continuation of the shameful hypocrisy of the GOP and callous disregard Bush has for veterans.

[Stanchetalarooni]

3. I spent 2 years working with Vietnam combat Vets in a PTSD support group.

This was back in the mid 80's a full decade since the war ended. War is a mind-fuck and these guys were truly "in the shit".
The worst were the guys that took the indoctrination propaganda bait hook, line, and sinker.
They did what they were ordered to do, did what they had to do to survive, and fucked a lot of innocents in the process.
I would surmise that the suicides after the war far outpaced the 58k that were lost in the war.
I heard so many stories of people "greasing" and getting "greased" that I think that I acquired my own brand of PTSD.
Suicide bombing for a fucked-up ideology and greasing whole villages because one is following orders are two sides of the mind-fucking task that humanity has to process.
One is called martyrdom and the other is called duty. Each is deluded into thinking that he is righteous. Each a victim of the powers that be.
Each a pawn on the grand chessboard.
Victim and victimizer all bundled up into one
The suicide bombers at least have no PTSD to deal with although they create a whole bunch for others.
PTSD is not curable in the traditional sense.
It can only be transformed.
I do not believe that the US military or it's VA can facilitate this transformation.
It only has expertise in transforming whole villages into rubble.
Those that can not transform the guilt and horror and nightmares and loss are up shit creek, most times a far worse place than being in country.
One of the worlds most highly respected researchers in PTSD is Dr. John P. Wilson who also is a leading researcher in victims of torture.
Funny how the victim and victimizer can at times be plagued by the same effects of prolonged distress.

[leftchick]

4. and guess who is gutting benefits for these returning vets?

just one guess now. :grr:

[thecrow]

6. That's only so that the VA won't be overwhelmend

If they have no VA benefits for this.... >>>PRESTO CHANGO<<<<
"There is no PTSD problem.
The VA is not overwhelmed.
Another day in the inaccountability of the ** misadministration.

[Karenina]

5. This is a nightmare.

SOMEBODY WAKE UP!!!