Military fights stigma of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

[McG]

Understanding the pain
Military fights stigma of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Donald McArthur
The Windsor Star
09 Feb 2009

When paramedic Frank Labodi came home from Afghanistan after a harrowing tour in 2006, where he was involved in several mass casualty incidents, he slept in fits and was quick to anger.

He isolated himself from his wife and his friends and he increasingly sought solace in a bottle. Certain smells triggered memories of bloody battles and walking down aisles in supermarkets reminded him of creeping between the maze-like walls of Afghan villages.

Labodi, a reservist and civilian paramedic from London, didn't realize it at first but he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder -- a treatable affliction often associated with depression that affects an estimated six per cent of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Labodi was one of several reservists, soldiers and medical professionals who shared their experiences Saturday at the fourth annual Windsor Military Studies Conference at the Major F.A. Tilston VC Armoury.

"There's help out there if you want to seek it," said Labodi, who after six months sought treatment that improved his condition.

Labodi and several others praised the military for making great strides in recent years in removing the stigma surrounding the disorder and providing help to soldiers who need it.

There was still a stigma attached to mental health issues when Lt.-Col. Morris Brause, commanding officer of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, returned home in 1994 from Yugoslavia, where he was responsible for 450 men.

"I went through a very traumatic time and I didn't want to talk about it," he told conference attendees. "I'm a leader and leaders don't have problems -- they solve problems."

Brause suffered in silence until he "crashed" in 2003 and finally sought treatment.

He stressed there is help available and that counselling made a difference for him and can make a difference for others.

"There are very effective treatments for PTSD," said Capt. (N) Hans Jung, deputy surgeon general of the Canadian Forces. "The earlier they come in, when the symptoms are not so entrenched, the easier it is to treat."

Dr. Bob McGirr, 86, of Leamington, volunteered for the army as a 19-year-old and fought on the front lines against the Germans in the Second World War.

He said PTSD was known as "battle fatigue" or "battle stress" in those days and that people who suffered from it were often labelled "cowards" by fellow soldiers and subjected in some cases to courts of inquiry.

 

[Snakedoc]

The CF has gone a long way to recognize mental health disorders in the public.  Much more so than in the civilian realm where for example, the percentage of PTSD is in fact higher than in the CF (as stated by Capt(N) Jung in the conference).

 

[OldSolduer]

I'm very happy that the CF is recognizing PTSD and staking steps to help.Although some still do not think PTSD exists, the fact is that most of our population has never seen anything all that traumatic, and are deeply affected when they do see the victims of car accidents, violent assaults etc.

The key is training the mind as well as the body.

 

[dapaterson]

The OSISS speakers bureau is available to come and address units to provide additional information.  It's very worthwhile to engage them to provide insight.

 

[the 48th regulator]

The OSISS speakers bureau is available to come and address units to provide additional information.  It's very worthwhile to engage them to provide insight.

As are all Peer and Familily Peers support Co-ordinators.

The speakers bureau will provide briefings, that usually run for a full day (about 8 hours) period, and can be broken down.

PSC and FPSC's can provide a presentation can go for an hour.

Either way, dapaterson is right on the money.

dileas

tess

 

[mariomike]

The CF has gone a long way to recognize mental health disorders in the public.  Much more so than in the civilian realm where for example, the percentage of PTSD is in fact higher than in the CF (as stated by Capt(N) Jung in the conference).

As a civilian, any stress I have been put through is nothing compared to what we have sent our military into. We still are.
If I didn't enjoy my line of work, I would have quit a long time ago.

 

[the 48th regulator]

The CF has gone a long way to recognize mental health disorders in the public.  Much more so than in the civilian realm where for example, the percentage of PTSD is in fact higher than in the CF (as stated by Capt(N) Jung in the conference).

The comparrison of PTSD levels in The civillian population, and that of the military are well know to be akin to comparing apples to oranges.

The military is able to screen entrance of personel (I know I known I have seen the other threads that debater that....) so that they are fit when they arrive, physically and mentally, and of an age to serve.

However, are the pollsters taking this into consideration when they are polling civillians?

I can bet you a dollar that the military has a higher level of OSI's, that includes PTSD, than the average Canadian public.

dileas

tess