(11-05-2010 06:19 PM)trojanbrutha Wrote: I pray this guy get's the help he needs.
Me too. I suffer from the same disorder thanks to the search for those elusive WMD's. It's obvious this kid's not seeking the help available to him (for free, btw) from the VA or he wouldn't be self-medicating with alcohol to that extent. Hopefully he didn't know he has PTSD and will find out he does then get the help he needs. I got back home from the Desert in early '06 and wasn't diagnosed till mid '07 -- just knew I was drinking too much, blowing up at my boss at work, getting banned from bars for fighting (short fuse can't even begin to describe it), etc., etc.
While there's no "Happily Ever After" ending here (nor will there be for this kid), I am a lot more under control (self-control especially), being treated and educated weekly/bi-weekly voluntarily and I hope this happens for this young man, too.
Last but not least, I hope to see your area do what Mobile and many other areas around the country have done -- appoint a special judge to hear cases involving combat veterans -- a judge with extensive knowledge and special training on combat-related PTSD. This kid doesn't need jail time, he needs a special judge to sentence him to his free treatment he earned at the VA -- something I do and have done voluntarily. That doesn't mean he needs to be institutionalized either, by the way...
I'm starting to see these fellow Iraq and Afghanistan (and even Vietnam) vets showing up to group PTSD education classes because they were sentenced to attend no less than three per month and probation for cases like the one described here. On top of learning how to deal better with this horrible affliction, they're also getting the medications and one-on-one expert counseling they need as well.
Sorry for the long post... obviously, this is an issue affecting me personally and it is an important one affecting our society today unfortunately. The answer isn't to start a criminal history for one of our wounded heroes with no previous run-ins with the law (remember, the military in general is QUITE selective about who they allow to wear the uniform) over but to get them diagnosed and educated since there is no current "cure" or "panacea" for PTSD...
Thanks