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1237757 tn?1323143119

Dished out the tough love tonight :0(

I have a friend that returned from active duty in Afghanistan who is struggling settling back home. They think they have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (which I think they have as well) and to top it off there previous partner who was bipolar committed suicide and they haven't really dealt with that yet as well. They keep getting moved about with postings and as much as they have tried have been unable to get in to see a military psychologist for over 8 months now. I'm really worried about them as they also have other medical issues which are causing them constant pain and the military just gave them 3 months supplies of pain killers as they can't see them to fix the other medical issue for another 3 months either. They've also been told that if the Defence force labels them with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) they will get kicked out of Defence so they are thinking of lying when they do see the psychologist. I've been supportive and still am but can also see the clear signs (as we can when others are suffering depression) that it's not right and obviously the military are going to late at best and unhelpful likely.

I could never forgive myself if I didn't say anything and told them that they need to make their mental health their number 1 priority and the fact they havent seen someone to help them within 8 months not the military's fault but theirs! It is their responsibility to manage their mental health and if the military is too slow they should be seeing someone outside the military. Whether it be a psychologist or whoever.  Problem is they are likely to be posted to the other side of the country in a few months so want to wait, which is exactly what happened 6 months ago.  I've also told them they need to put mental health systems in place that are portable, possibly web based. Does anyone know of any confidential web based service that could help possibly with military specific issues. I'd hate for this person to have gone to Iraq and Afghanistan only to die back home because we didn't help them.
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1237757 tn?1323143119
That's officially Frrrrrrcccckkk
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3236191 tn?1451021479
Yeah I was told by a military officer that they get honorably discharged with PTSD and put on disability if they were traumatized badly enough.
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Avatar universal
As you said, your friend needs to make their health their priority. EVEN if they're discharged for it - how useful would they be anyway if they let this progress? There have to be plenty of sources for them - unfortunately, your friend is not unique in this situation. Can they talk to their SO? Their recruiter? Can they request for a non-military medical referral? Have they mentioned suicide? (If so, call someone ASAP. The military really takes suicide risks seriously, though I don't know how it affects their record).
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Avatar universal
A diagnosis of PTSD will affect their status in the military.  If it's bad enough, a medical discharge may be enforced (had this happen to a friend in the army).  He needs to seek help outside of the military to at least start dealing with the issues as PTSD isn't going to simply go away.  It may not be what your friend wants to have happen or go on his record, but his mental health is very important.  Without the tools in his pocket to learn how to cope with the symptoms, it's only going to get worse.
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Avatar universal
I'll look into it...my dad went through almost the same things...
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