thedrifter
07-20-07, 04:45 AM
Military addressing soldiers with PTSD
By Manolo Morales
Nearly a thousand marines about to be deployed to Iraq attend a two-hour session on PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. While they're already aware of the death and destruction they could face, it's also important to point out how they might react to it.
"Make sure that they know then what are the mental and physiological reactions to those events are gonna be and to what they're feeling. And to let them know that they're normal, that everybody goes through them," said Regimental Commander, Col. Duffy White.
A recent survey showed military personnel who served in Iraq have the highest rate of combat stress, and there was lack of immediate medical help. A Kaneohe Marine spoke to KHON about it earlier this month, saying he was at a breaking point and needed immediate help and was told there was a three to four week waiting list. Officials at Kaneohe Marine Base say the system is improving. More mental health professionals have been added so marines can get immediate help if he or she asks for it.
"They do a mental triage just like if he was in a car accident, they can go through and and they know the right questions to ask and how to triage them properly," said White.
Mental health professionals are also going to combat zones and assessing the troops, along with helping military leaders identify the symptoms.
"Knowing your marines is pretty much the main thing. If you know your marines inside and out, you can recognize those signs and symptoms in the marines if they start to have problems and you can address them immediately," said Sgt. Stephen Mercer, a Kaneohe Marine.
Marines are also learning that it's okay to ask for help. And that mental stress from combat is not a sign of weakness.
"You need to be hard at some point but at the same time, we're trying to open up our marines to know that it's alright if you have some combat stress, it's alright if you have PTSD," said Mercer.
It's an eye-opening idea that could help them ease back to life away from the war zone.
Story Updated: Jul 19, 2007 at 6:49 PM HDT
Ellie
By Manolo Morales
Nearly a thousand marines about to be deployed to Iraq attend a two-hour session on PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. While they're already aware of the death and destruction they could face, it's also important to point out how they might react to it.
"Make sure that they know then what are the mental and physiological reactions to those events are gonna be and to what they're feeling. And to let them know that they're normal, that everybody goes through them," said Regimental Commander, Col. Duffy White.
A recent survey showed military personnel who served in Iraq have the highest rate of combat stress, and there was lack of immediate medical help. A Kaneohe Marine spoke to KHON about it earlier this month, saying he was at a breaking point and needed immediate help and was told there was a three to four week waiting list. Officials at Kaneohe Marine Base say the system is improving. More mental health professionals have been added so marines can get immediate help if he or she asks for it.
"They do a mental triage just like if he was in a car accident, they can go through and and they know the right questions to ask and how to triage them properly," said White.
Mental health professionals are also going to combat zones and assessing the troops, along with helping military leaders identify the symptoms.
"Knowing your marines is pretty much the main thing. If you know your marines inside and out, you can recognize those signs and symptoms in the marines if they start to have problems and you can address them immediately," said Sgt. Stephen Mercer, a Kaneohe Marine.
Marines are also learning that it's okay to ask for help. And that mental stress from combat is not a sign of weakness.
"You need to be hard at some point but at the same time, we're trying to open up our marines to know that it's alright if you have some combat stress, it's alright if you have PTSD," said Mercer.
It's an eye-opening idea that could help them ease back to life away from the war zone.
Story Updated: Jul 19, 2007 at 6:49 PM HDT
Ellie