Page 619 - Total War on PTSD

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Of course, the power of pause alone is not enough to reverse the suicide epidemic. Even if one does pause and acknowledge that they are struggling, what happens next? For example, when it comes to mental health, the culture of the military and asking for help are often at odds with one another. “I thought the definition of a man was to beat my chest and say, ‘I got this,’” states Rieman, reflecting on his own challenges overcoming military culture, “but if you want to look at yourself and be happy, you have to ask for help.”
Although significant progress has been made since the Vietnam era in acknowledging and treating PTSD, American society as a whole continues to struggle with the stigma around mental health. As elaborated on in a 2011 Government Accountability Office Report about VA Mental Health services, Veterans often experience “[p]erceptions that as a result of accessing mental health care they will be viewed negatively by others such as peers or employers. For example, Veterans may feel that by accessing mental health care they will be perceived as weak or having lost control.” Feelings of fear of being perceived as weak are enhanced by a culture that rewards bravery and heroism.
So, how do we take a population that is hardwired toward not asking for help, to do in fact just that? There is no simple answer to this question. Of course, if there was, there would presumably be no need for this conversation. Since that, unfortunately, is not the case, here is an overview on some additional things we can do that will collectively make a difference.
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