Confirmed – US Army base orders/pressures to not diagnose PTSD

I have been seeing Adult Behavioral Health for over 16 months now, and after so long it’s been revealed to me by 2 providers on 2 separate occasions that this Army base has at one time ordered providers not to diagnose PTSD, but to instead diagnose disorders that encompass all the symptoms but fall short of actually diagnosing it. When I asked what their motivation for this was, it was guessed money. Later, on the second instance, another provider confirmed his concern with the Army base pressuring them directly or through hostile environment. He also provided a motive: statistical reporting, and public relations. This base has been deployed every other year since 2002. If the mental health reports reflected the actual damage from such a tempo, they would be under the scrutiny of the Department of Defense and likely have a reduced tempo, which effects General Officers and anyone else wanting a favorable combat record before all this war slows down… Public relations: If it was shown in reports that 20% of this bases soldiers are developing signs of PTSD, there would be a massive public backlash… This is how they do it:
First, when a soldier sees them they ALWAYS diagnose Adjustment Disorder and hope that within a month or two symptoms will go away. Medicine is administered by only a P.A., and a counselor, not a psychologist. If it becomes more than acute, they move to other disorders such as anxiety disorders, verious depression disorders, etc. whatever encompasses the symptoms without actually. diagnosing PTSD ( if the show fits ). It shouldn’t take over a year to get proper treatment. Once a symptom goes on long enough, it can manifest itself into a more permanent problem i.e.- anxiety into full blown Anxiety and then panic attacks. Any simple search on google with words like “Army diagnoses adjustment disorder” or anything concerning this subject will result in numerous stories to include a congressional inquiry into the conduct of Army Officials in administering mental health services. Of course they investigated themselves and found no fault – like telling a serial killer to prove he did it…. People need to open their eyes – the government and US Army is innocent. For too long they have gone without and actual regulation by opposition leaders. The time has passed but I wait, I wait for the people to recognize and rise against such abuse.

Ignorance

In response to a common comment on PTSD:

Oregon Letters to the Editor: “Suck it up soldiers”

I happened to trip up on Mr. Bob Wells post on soldiers needing to ‘suck it up”. I am writing a response because I feel compelled to defend those who are defenseless. Mr. Wells is a classic grumpy old man, from an era that didn’t speak of homosexuality, marital problems, domestic abuse, mental disorders, or anything that wouldn’t be aired on the perfect life TV shows of “Leave it To Beaver” and the “Andy Griffith Show”. Ignorance rears it’s ugly head once more, a shock wave from the past. Because you may not have had PTSD, sir, may contribute to your misunderstanding of it’s prevalence even within your own generation. From “Old Sergeant’s Fatigue”, ‘Old Soldier’s Fatigue”, ‘Battle Fatigue’,  ‘Shell Shock’, neurasthenia, war neurosis, and combat fatigue… I do think it has been around for a while, not just with my generation. The reason it’s more common today, (which statically is 20% for acute cases, while the more rare chronic PTSD like I have is around 5%) is because of the controversy surrounding it, sensationalism in the media, and soldiers today are being encouraged to reveal whats going on inside unlike your generation who just ‘sucked it up’ as you say, by drinking it away while their wives and families suffered. Yes, there are some fakes out there and the VA will catch them. But I’d rather have a few fakes get away with it than to loose another friend  to suicide. From one soldier to another: I don’t know if you are truly concerned, or just bitter that you didn’t have the resources and help that are available to us today.

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