Army’s High Suicide Rate Suggests Administration Is Understating Cases Of PTSD
Army’s High Suicide Rate Suggests Administration Is Understating Cases Of PTSD
Our guest blogger is Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org and veteran of the Iraq war.
It’s no secret that some of the toughest battles our troops fight begin when they return from overseas. That’s why it didn’t surprise me a bit this week, when the Army announced that suicides were at their highest rate in 26 years.
There are immense pressures on our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’re being asked repeatedly to go back into the fight — first for 12-month deployments, and now for 15-month tours. During these tours, the troops are only allowed a single two-week break to return to their families. When we do this to them, with very little respite, the military starts to break down.
To get to the core of the issue, we have to look at the real reason for which combat troops and veterans would take their own lives. And that real issue — the larger issue — is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The numbers of troops diagnosed by the military and the VA with PTSD are disturbingly low — especially when viewed by one who’s been in combat. Early in the war, the number given was around 30 percent. So the question becomes then, how do we reconcile these two figures — the high suicide rate with the low PTSD rate?
Troops that enter the military go through an extensive physical and intense training prior to joining their assigned unit. The rigorous screening makes these new numbers even more shocking, because those who showed any tendency to commit suicide are people who would never have qualified for military service from the start. Clearly, these are tendencies that largely come about as a direct result of being deployed to war. If this administration can so wantonly send troops to war, why is it having such problems taking care of them when they get back?
Suicide is no different than homelessness; it’s a symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Though it’s been estimated that one in three troops in Iraq is facing the symptoms of the disease, the larger question is why are so few being officially diagnosed with PTSD?
The first question we have to ask (and something the government has not done a good job of doing) is defining what is PTSD? What quantifies it in a person? How do you diagnose it? How does a veteran, as they’re often told to do, “prove” they have it?
If you walk into a hospital and your arm is broken you have an X-Ray for proof. If you have cancer or HIV there is medical proof for the diagnosis. There is nothing in the medical community that can completely prove or disprove PTSD — that is until its too late. These increased suicide rates are a sign that were still not doing our jobs catching those with PTSD, before they reach a critical point.
It can’t be ignored that there’s a monetary “benefit” for the government if it keeps the count of PTSD down. The bar for qualifying for is kept unreasonably high. If a veteran is diagnosed with PTSD, it will cost our government money in care and disability, perhaps for the life of the person. So, while we’re not seeing a real increase in the cases of declared PTSD, we have seen an increase in the diagnosis of “adjustment disorder” and “pre-existing personality disorder,” because those aren’t diagnoses the government will compensate our troops for. Not only does it deny troops financial disability, but also the mental services the system provides, leaving them all alone in society.
If you don’t think it’s accurate, I would remind you this is an administration that won’t even tell our country the names of soldiers wounded in war. They have a track record of dishonesty in supporting our veterans.
Not only are we misdiagnosing PTSD, but we are actively sending troops back to Iraq with the illness who are even being medicated with drugs. As reported by the Hartford Courant, Col. Elspeth Ritchie, a psychiatry consultant to the Army surgeon general, confirmed that there was a decision to send back soldiers to Iraq with symptoms or a diagnosis of PTSD stating that it was “something that we wrestle with,” and partly driven by the military’s need to retain troops because of recruiting shortfalls.
“Historically, we have not wanted to send soldiers or anybody with post-traumatic stress disorder back into what traumatized them,” she said. “The challenge for us … is that the Army has a mission to fight.”
Also, according to the Hartford Courant, one 26 year old Marine who was having trouble sleeping was put on a strong dose of Zoloft that carries warnings urging doctors to closely monitor new patients for suicidal urges. Within several months of starting that drug the Marine killed himself in Iraq.
When we see these increased suicide rates we must ask, are we diagnosing this problem properly and if not, why not? We must also examine why are we sending troops into combat on antidepressant drugs that have a demonstrable link to suicidal tendencies in some? Why would those who say they ’support the troops’ so clearly lead some on a road directly leading to suicide? Not only does it place that troop’s life in danger, but it hinders the command, and the safety of other troops.
The mainstream media didn’t miss the large point with this story. It is tragic and it is clearly linked to the Army extensions to 15 month deployments. But there is so much more to examine here, and I genuinely hope that here on this blog and in the mainstream media, we don’t soon forget this report.
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40 Responses to “Army’s High Suicide Rate Suggests Administration Is Understating Cases Of PTSD”
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I am sure multiple 18 month deployments, and to little time at home don't help eithe
August 17th, 2007 at 2:51 pmThey are destroying our soldiers, if not in Iraq, when they return.
August 17th, 2007 at 2:54 pmI'll say it again : the Chimperor and his Cohorts in Crime are nothing but Thugs posing as an American Presidency.
Rotten sons of b*****s
August 17th, 2007 at 2:56 pmWhy would you diagnose an antidepressant for what is essentially an anxiety disorder?
I'm asking out of curiosity, hoping someone with an understanding of neurochemisty can help...
August 17th, 2007 at 2:56 pmThe troops are getting caught in this admin's bottom line, and sadly the bottom line is more important.
No member of the military should be returning from a war zone to anything less than free high-quality medical care FOR LIFE.
August 17th, 2007 at 2:57 pmthank you Mr. Soltz for keeping this in the forefront. We ask the ultimate sacrifice from our fighting forces. We should be prepared to provide the ultimate care for all of them.
August 17th, 2007 at 2:59 pmJon Soltz is a fraud--he's an Iraq war vet who deceitfully claims to be more qualified than he really is to make such slanderous, bold accusations about the Iraq war and how it's being managed. Soltz's "service" in Iraq is pitifully short, only having lasted from May 03 to Sept. 03. Additionally, Soltz is also laughingstock because his service was NOT frontlines action; in fact, he was regrettably only a soldier in charge of deploying logistics convoys. This DOESN'T make him anywhere near qualified to brand the Iraq war as lost, or insistently demand a terror-emboldening pullout. Secondly, Soltz is good for nothing except demeaning US soldiers since he humiliates them all as suffering from PTSD in larger numbers then they do. In fact, the report about higher army suicide rates is actually out of context. Compared to other times of active war--such as 91's Desert Storm--2006's suicide rate was LOWER than historical, wartime rates. This pisses off libs.
August 17th, 2007 at 2:59 pmComment by LiberalismisaMentalDisorder — August 17, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
**yawn**
August 17th, 2007 at 3:01 pmWhy would you diagnose an antidepressant for what is essentially an anxiety disorder?
I’m asking out of curiosity, hoping someone with an understanding of neurochemisty can help…
Comment by toasterhead — August 17, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
____________________
I think most that most anxiety disorders can be medicated with the common anti-depressent meds. I believe the chemical imbalances that cause both conditions are similar, but I'm no M.D...
August 17th, 2007 at 3:03 pmComment by LiberalismisaMentalDisorder — August 17, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
August 17th, 2007 at 3:05 pm-------------------------------
How did you spend YOUR time in Iraq? Just curious.
It doesn't take much searching to see that Soltz is number one on the Hate Parade of wingnut blogs. He sends them into writhing fits of rage. Now, according to wingnut logic, liberals hate Ann Coulter because she's so effective, so obviously, wingnuts hate Soltz because . . . he's so effective.
Oh, yes, and "since they can't answer his arguments logically, they resort to character assassination." Seems to me I've heard that one slung around quite frequently.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:09 pmBunker Mentality
Shell Shock
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
These are all the same animal, different wars.
I lost many friends in 'Nam, but the hardest thing I've had to live with is those that 'survived', but are not the same people.
I have two 1st Cousins on daily doses of Lithium for PTSD. They were good soldiers; brave, passionate warriors who believed America was in danger. I lost 3 survivors to suicide within the first decade home. Others were lost due to long term effects of Agent Orange. (Thanks, Monsanto & Dow.)
Now, nearly 40 years later, we're acting like this is something new. The military is quite familiar with this disorder, but, as Mr. Solz suggests, it costs money to maintain the mental health of our troops.
I think that's the question I would ask Turdblossom on Sunday.
Mr. Rove, why can't our government take care of our troops after they've sacrificed life, limb & family for a war you started with lies?
August 17th, 2007 at 3:12 pmThe administration is understating the DEATHS of US Soldiers. The lie about everything else with this War especially when it comes to soldiers and casualties - whether it be PTSD, (while putting most who are diagnosed back on the line-now they just don't diagnose them with PTSD), Tillman, Lynch and now we don't report on most of the Iraqi deaths.
The deaths of US soldiers are in the thousands, far beyond what we are being told by this administration.
Ask: Lie about everything else, why tell the truth about the troop deaths? What compels them to do so?
August 17th, 2007 at 3:14 pmNow, nearly 40 years later, we’re acting like this is something new. The military is quite familiar with this disorder, but, as Mr. Solz suggests, it costs money to maintain the mental health of our troops.
Comment by Zimzone — August 17, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Nail on head, Zimzone.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:14 pmThe guest blog is a response to Army reports that suicide rates are increasing amongst those deployed for extended periond href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081502027.html" rel="nofollow">who have also served multiple tours. It was first reported in 2004.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:17 pmhey LiberalismisaMentalDisorder, eat a dick. I may not agree with this guys assesment of everything, but at least he's got enough balls to try and be a voice for deployed folks. Contrary to your slave driving mentality, it DOES suck to be deployed for a long period of time and awaya from your family. Add in to that equation that you are getting shot at on the daily, and are in a country full of people who would sell your ass down the river for a biscut and a chicklet. Also, add to that that you are under equipped to do the job you were sent to do. Is this painting a picture for you yet?
August 17th, 2007 at 3:18 pmAgain, I can't complain TOO much, because I volunteered for this lifestyle. However, when ass clowns like you say "it's not really that bad" I feel the strong desire to introduce you to the buisness end of a shovel.
That firrst link in my #17 S/B.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:20 pmThis Administration getting something wrong about Iraq! Surely you must be mistaken! Surely you can't be serious!
August 17th, 2007 at 3:25 pmBush Regime downplays everything, so no surprise about this at all.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pmComment by Craig Mack — August 17, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Well said, Craig.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:29 pmHey, LiberalismisaMentalDisorder... You didn't answer my question:
How did you spend YOUR time in Iraq? You must have been right on the front lines, huh?
August 17th, 2007 at 3:30 pmThis a repeat comment for the regulars but about a month ago I saw a documentary on tv about this issue and it was very sad.
Interviewed one shell-shocked looking dude who said that if you told your superiors while you were still in Iraq that you had PTSD they'd purposely NOT send you home to add to the growing number of those getting diagnosed. But if you waited until you were home to say it then they'd say 'You must be fine or else why didn't you say something while you were in Iraq?'. The classic Catch-22 situation.
One soldier they interviewed had a bumber sticker on the wall behind him that read:
August 17th, 2007 at 3:34 pmWE ARE NOT SAFER
Occupation Breeds Hate
Comment by LiberalismisaMentalDisorder — August 17, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
**yawn**
Comment by Zooey — August 17, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
I CONCUR>YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaawn...
August 17th, 2007 at 3:39 pmmargaret-I saw that. really breaks my heart..
August 17th, 2007 at 3:40 pmClassic neocrap talking points from LMD. Shoot the messanger and ignore the message.
Bush and his administration is destroying the military. They push fear but are too scared to stop tax cuts. Too scared to call for a draft. Too weak to lead.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:43 pmI have relatives that were "shell-shocked" (that's what they called it after WW2) that never got over it and just kept it all in and didn't talk about it-EVER.
We need these soldiers to be able to speak up and get treatment or else our whole country will feel the ripple effect down the road.
August 17th, 2007 at 3:49 pmIT'S THE MERCURY IN VACCINES!!!!!
Soldiers who didn't get vaccinations (the French) in the first Gulf War didn't get Gulf War Syndrome!
Soldiers who received more vaccinations (such as US pilots) had WORSE symptoms!
August 17th, 2007 at 4:39 pmThe soldiers are just getting the rumsfeld-ian "hardening" by war.
They are supposed to like it ????????????
More BS from the armchair generals and commanders.
August 17th, 2007 at 4:44 pmhttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1595248,00.html Confronting Iraq's Exodus : The war in Iraq has driven nearly 4 million people from their homes. As many as 2 million have fled the country, in what Refugees International calls the fastest-growing crisis in the world. - By MASSIMO CALABRESI
August 17th, 2007 at 4:49 pmIn Iraq, American military finds it has an alcohol problem . - http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/12/news/alcohol.php
August 17th, 2007 at 4:54 pmWhat's with the art work? What is this Reader's digest?
August 17th, 2007 at 4:57 pmTP
We are not allowed to talk about history - Shock and Awe, but you allow the silly nonsense from the trolls to go on?
Every time I bring up that part of history, my post is deleted... 5 times now.
August 17th, 2007 at 5:20 pmBushco underreports everything that may make them look bad.
August 17th, 2007 at 5:30 pmMultiple deployments and extended tours are not helping either.
Reason one is that the Bush Administration is filled with a bunch of users.
August 17th, 2007 at 8:28 pmThe troops mean nothing to these users.
The users have no represenatives in the military.
Spoiled, stuffed shirts sucking the life of our own.
And they are proud of their war.
W has misunderestimated most things about his war and the military in general, why should the negative effects of war be any different to the man with rose (blood?) colored glasses?
August 17th, 2007 at 9:56 pmPTSD has every thing to do with 15 month deployments, the suicide rates, the fact that soldiers are not being diagnosed early enough or at all. Our soldiers are not getting the care they need. Walter Reed is a prime example of this. If Bush cares for the troops he will do more than just saying he supports them.
August 18th, 2007 at 2:20 amSurely the time has let the soldiers know that the intense psychological reactions they endure is a wholly normal reaction to prolonged tours of duty etc and not an indication of weakness.
If the money is not available for individual treatment or time is of the essence has the govt or military set up a forum, available to soldiers, where they can talk about their individual difficulties before they actually get individual treatment? Because surely, though the specifics vary considerably, many of the traumatic situations encountered by our soldiers are common to a majority of soldiers and are not at all the odd man out reactions .
August 18th, 2007 at 2:44 pmThe suicide rate for active duty military members, is still lower than that of the general US population.
You guys are all a bunch of close minded people that only see what you want to see.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:06 pmI think that alot more of soldiers are facing ptsd.. but the mental heltal people say that it is just a personality disorder. Which i myself do not belive..
August 20th, 2007 at 3:35 pmTo Jil. comment yes they are but yet the US. cilvians dont come to any type of close shit like an infantry soldier.. and i freakin no cuase i am one... i just recantly got back from afgan... and the shit i went through over there is nothing i or many people that are civlines have or every go through......
August 20th, 2007 at 3:38 pm