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Julie Cohen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist MFT and a Child Mental Health Specialist with a private practice in Los Angeles Her areas of focus include depression anxiety panic post-traumatic stress bipolar…
FAST FACTS
VA Psychologist Refuses to Diagnose Suffering Vets with PTSD
A recent Washington Post article states that a Veterans Administration (VA) psychologist in Temple Texas was encouraging other staff psychologists to avoid diagnosing Veterans returning from Iraq with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because so many veterans were seeking disability payments.
This psychologist recommended a diagnosis of "adjustment disorder" instead, which offers less compensation to veterans. She justified this by saying that diagnosing PTSD required extensive testing that staff members do not have time to do.
This outrageous behavior was not only unethical but possibly illegal as well. It seems like fraud. I can't personally imagine what it must be like to serve your country in a time of War but I know a lot of Daily Strength members can. I also can't imagine what it must be like for the friends and family who not only worry about loved ones deployed but also care for them when they return with physical and/or mental problems. I would imagine that those soldiers and families of soldiers trust that they will be taken care of if injured. Wasn't that part of the deal when they enlisted? What a betrayal! Diagnosing someone with an adjustment disorder when they clearly have PTSD is kind of like diagnosing someone whose leg was amputated with a bad limp. It would never happen. Can you imagine a person not offered the proper treatment or given a prosthesis, pain medication and physical therapy? Yet these poor veterans clearly suffering with PTSD are left hanging without proper treatment and compensation.
And what is this about PTSD requiring extensive testing to diagnose? As a psychotherapist who works primarily with people who suffer with PTSD, it takes the same amount of time to diagnose an adjustment disorder as it does PTSD. Quite frankly, you can do "extensive testing" for PTSD if you want to but the DSM lV created guidelines that any adequately trained professional can follow that requires absolutely no testing. In fact, I have tried to administer PTSD assessments to clients and I could never get past the first few questions without the client being triggered and experiencing extreme reactions. I do not have a military background and there very well may be a protocol for assessing PTSD in the VA that I am not aware of. I would be very interested to know. Does anyone know how this works?
Now the article did state that the VA did take action against this psychologist and stated that they do not support her view. I hope this is just a case of one bad apple and that our Vets do get the compensation and treatment they have not only earned but truly deserve.
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Displaying comments 31-12 of 31
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I am thoroughly opposed to warfare, and yet when military people come home they deserve to be treated humanely which includes helping them recover as best as possible. Help them regain constructive and positive roles and to have fulfiling non-destructive lives.
This just shows how bad war is across the board. Even for the "winners", there is severe disrespect, suffering, and contagious unhappiness and social strife.
I read what the mother wrote in Reply #14 of this thread. I have gone through that with a friend of mine - who was also sent back to Iraq - even after my friend had asked for help with the PTSD. Instead of offering help with such problems, the military tells people that if they even try to seek help, they can be discharged dishonorably.
These men and women (and often young people not old enough to legally buy a drink) put their lives on the line for our country. When they return home wounded, my opinion is it is our responsibility to make sure they are cared for. That should be considered to be a cost of the war.
Not only that, but the families of these people who serve are left to deal with the problems. After months upon months of not having their loved one there with them, of worrying about what is happening to them and doing without financially, they then have to struggle with the wounds from the war (physical or mental).
So many people with mental problems, including Vets with PTSD, are now in our prison systems because this country no longer funds mental health facilities. And they certainly do not get the treatment they need there.
For the war in Iraq or against, I think we can all agree that when someone puts their life on the line for our country, they deserve better than what they are getting now.
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-...
I just am looking forward to the change in government and hopefully that will get things back on the right track.
Refusing care to people to save money ONLY COSTS MORE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN than if they just gave proper treatment like the PTSD cocktail in the FIRST PLACE!
'Nuff said
Recently i join DS group on war and created a topic for options to get people to think and not go along w herd in thier daily busy schedules.
Unforantly topic area provides 500 spaces to write - which am gratful for but i was unable to add that i have had and still have friends in US Navy and some of my friends were in US Nave in Va over 25 yrs ago and they all are US college educated and who are iranians.
Regarding this topic. The medical benifits and SSI and SSD w other Goverment agentcy had already recieved instruction and guild lines to denie our vets ...Long befor US 1st troops where deployed.
as with the programs and training to denie baby boomers from state benifits and from SSI and SSD where already calulated in long befor our 1st troops deployed.
Its a shame that we the people can not follow to the letter the way Goverment conducts its own business on backs of ants.
In 1999 I already heard of Goverment plans and provideing states w guildlines -regarding disquilifing vets and baby boomers espically in yr of 2007 and by 2010 there will be no funds available for SSI and SSD and state progran benifits will be cut. I could be wrong but being that SSI is social sercurity insurance that we worked for and paid into will i feel that those who are recieveing thier retirement SSI checks the amount of thier retirment checks will decress. so no extry money for meds are grocery - out w the old and those over 50 :I
But yet again USA goverment has been bankrupt for yrs we are basically a bank for the world w out our own money except that which Goverment obtains barrowed money thur loans and collateral being Our buiness's, land and earned benifits.
Japan has 1st dibs on buying Spint offc and brach offcs and wearhouses and Spint business itself. My Sister in law home being Japan, says that we the people have nothing left to give and barter w except for our county land. She says she has better state benifits and insurance in Japen than she can obtain in USA. she lives and has lived in US for over 40ty yrs.
If possible keep post up regarding our vets and states new policys.
Thank you for your time and aassistance.
StephP
It last longer than the Acute Stress Disorder, it's PTSD...look at the Vietnam Vets still suffering.
I have PTSD myself from Childhood Sexual Abuse that didn't get diagnosed until I was 32, but had it for 4 years prior to that. It's turned my life upside down, affected my cognitive abilities...and I was a sharp Cardiac Nurse prior to this.
I am struggling to get my Social Security Disability Benefits, so I can take this time to heal myself, and hopefully re-gain some of my cognitive abilities back.
It angers me to see the Vets struggling to get their PTSD Treated appropriately.
I wouldn't wish PTSD on ANYONE! PTSD SUCKS the LIVING LIFE out of one.
And, finding a good Pdoc and therapist is hard to find! Third time was a charm for me, but it took me a whole year to find the right PDoc and therapist.
Onward with my healing, and still without SSD...I'm at the hearing stage b/c the stupid Pdoc's office didn't send in my records...ARGH!