NPR program about PTSD

[MORTARDUDE]

The other day I was listening to NPR and got in the middle of a discussion about Vietnam veterans and PTSD. It seems a bunch of vets got together in 1970 and recognized what they had and what was wrong with them. They invited a psychiatrist and the VA in. It seems "war neuroses" ( shell shock ) had been taken out of the American Psychiatric Handbook in the 1960s and as far as "organized psychiatry" ( what an oxymoron ) was concerned, it did not exist. The VA balked because they were afraid it would "bankrupt the country". Anyway, they were able to finally convince the psychiatric powers that be that indeed PTSD was real and applied to many situations beside war. The vet who got this rolling went to college and majored in psychology and tried to do a dissertation on PTSD and the professors told him to take a hike. They wanted him to do something with mice. He now works in construction. These are the same assholes who want to take "pedophilia" out of the same book...listen to this if you have the time. It is simply disgusting and appaling..but also uplifting. We are still truly a band of brothers fighting together for our rights and sanity.

http://discover.npr.org/features/fea...l?wfId=1401789

Aug. 19, 2003


NPR's Alix Spiegel traces the creation of the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental disease which didn't exist 25 years ago, but is now thought to afflict 7.8 percent of American adults. Psychiatrists first noted the disease when Vietnam veterans returning home described intense feelings of pain, anguish, and anger -- but nowhere was there a psychiatric name for their experience.

[Boats]

Mort,

I'm listening to this subject right now. They talk about this beginning in the late 60's. PTSD began when Caine killed Able. We've all seen some horrible things in our life and those that haven't can't relate to the inner workings of the mind.

If I sit down and dwell on something that I've seen it will almost make me sick. But when this happens I quickly find something else to think about - you know another distraction. Fortunately in America our daily routines are so busy we don't have the time to reflect back on issues that disturb us.

When one become's isolated (alone) for some period of time these issues will come into play. That's why I fear those isolationalist who go off into a dark place where they re-live things over and over again and I can see this will impact their social relationships with others in the long run.

Anyone whose been subjected (not just soldiers - though there are many more soldiers who've been subjected to horrible things) to trauma events will find themselves trying to deal with what they just saw.

In my late 30's I fell apart from an incident that I buried a long time ago - thank God there were some vets in there who got me to talk about it and bring it out into the open. Once that happened I was OK!

The human mind can rip you in two. PTSD is just a new name they've tagged onto it. The shrinks of today are getting smarter and you've got to hope they can identify the problem.

I don't like drug's being used because this also alter's the person's ability to function normally. Discussion one on one or in a group with those who've been there can do more help then putting someone on a drug regiment.

My thoughts - The VA is worrying about having to pay for PTSD and with all things related to the VA money or out of pocket expenses will always be a big topic. Unless they've been where we've been or seen things like other's have seen they can not relate to the subject.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Drugs

The psychotropic drugs now on the market are worlds away from two problems usually associated with them: addiction and alteration of mental functioning. In other words, all they do is affect the problem, i.e., depression. I have been on antidepressants for quite a few years and they do not reduce mental function at all. Severe and chronic PTSD takes me away from normal reality and the antidepressants help me to approach it.

[Boats]

CAVMED,

It's just me - I've had bad experiences with drugs and I'd rather do without them. If they work for you and your not affected or prevented from doing whatever you want to then go for it.

I've got a brother-in-law who lives on this stuff and he's not anywhere near reality when on it. It could be that he takes his meds and drinks like a snake and that compounds the problems but I'm not a medic I just know what happens to me.

God Speed

[MORTARDUDE]

I have used lots of different kinds of meds for depression. They all have affected me in different ways. Some real bad, some not at all, and everywhere in between. Talking and exercise have to be a part of the solution. Meds alone will not work.

Larry

[onesix]

The book that the APA uses for diagnosing PTSD and all other mental problems/disorders etc. is "DSM-IV-Diagnoistic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders". That is the bible.

As far as the VA recognizing it, I think we have the DAV to thank. They are the ones who originally opened Vet Centers (I don't recall the exact name they used) so that the vets had a place to go for "rap sessions". Then, when the VA did recognize PTSD, the DAV handed all of the centers over to them.

[onesix]

I have gone through just about all of the anti-depressents there are. The problem with me, is that they just have no effect what-so-ever. It is just like popping an M&M.

[Arrow]

A Soldiers Heart

"...Had (he) been a veteran of the Civil War,
the doctors would have called his malady 'Soldiers Heart.'

Had he served in World War I,they would have said he suffered from 'Shell Shock.'

After World War II and Korea,they would have labeled him with 'Combat Fatigue' or 'Nerves.'

Since Viet Nam, modern psychiatry has given the illness a name-- drained of both poetry and blame -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

"'Soldiers Heart' though, remains a pretty good name for it, for PTSD is a disorder of warriors, not men and women who were weak or cowardly, but to the contrary,a disorder of those who followed orders and who at a young age put their feelings aside and performed unimaginable tasks that most human beings never encounter.PTSD is a disorder of the good warrior."

Anonymous, from "Sharing the Struggles of a Friend"
by George Hill, U.S.M.C., disabled veteran

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Larry, it was a good program. It taught me some things I never knew.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

I have been very lucky

I have always had the doctors prescribing to be very amenable to feedback from me. To be treated properly you have to be able to tell them exactly how you are doing on the med. Dosages need adjusting and some meds work different on some people than others. Sadly, many doctors don't deal with the meds this way.