Skepticism Remains but They'll Give it a Shot

The New York Times recently reported that the US Army plans to provide intensive mental stress training for its troops. In an effort to reduce potential mental health problems such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide, the US Army will require that all active-duty soldiers, reservists, and members of the National Guard undergo stress training. The training will also be available to family members and civilian employees.

There is still some skepticism about whether the program will be effective--it is modeled on techniques that have been tested mainly on middle school children--or whether the training is really needed. The army's chief of staff, General George W. Casey Jr, said that many in the military consider talk of emotion to be a sign of weakness. "I'm still not sure that our culture in ready to accept this [emotional resiliency training]."

The primary objective of the program is to teach resiliency. The training draws on recent research that suggests that people can manage stress by thinking in terms of their psychological strengths. Ultimately, the goal of the training is posttraumatic growth.

It seems that more troops these days are returning with a greater degree of mental health problems. Does anyone know if this is really the case? Or are we just hearing more about it than in the past? Why do you think there is such a high prevalence of problems for returning troops and their families? Is it because the nature of the wars we are fighting has changed? Read more!

Gone But Not Forgotten: Remembering and Learning From the Events at Camp Liberty

Thank you Psychiatric Times for your eulogies to the fallen mental health workers and patients at Camp Liberty last month ("Death of Psychiatrist and Other Soldiers Triggers Inquiry Into Military's Mental Health Care", July 2009). Dr Houseal and Springle were truly dedicated humanitarians and patriots. I extend my condolences to their families and the families of the fallen patients as well.

I am a psychiatrist at a VA Clinic stateside. We are anxiously awaiting the onslaught of returning veterans who struggle with mental illness and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Existing studies regarding PTSD and our knowledge from working with Viet Nam veterans and Gulf War Veterans elucidates our failures more than our successes. The foremost is the failure to learn from our mistakes. Combat stress is in part dose and duration related. Killing is entrained but not extinguished by existing rehabilitation efforts. Young men and women with a history of abuse and familial mental illness are at higher risk, but they continue to be enlisted with regularity despite claims to the contrary. We glorify the soldiers’ motives to participate in conflict but do not look critically enough at the cultural and national issues that cause leaders to choose to decimate a significant part of the character and stability of our future generations. This is not just a job you may not live long enough to leave; it is a job that never leaves you.

Phyllis Henderson, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist Read more!