Thursday, Lafayette, Indiana

What a surprise? A new study reveals that soldiers are hesitant to seek psychological help for their stress problems because they feel that the stigma of getting “shrinked” will damage their careers. Specifically, war veterans resist taking the medication prescribed for their stress related problems. And many refuse to get any form of counseling in spite of seeing unimaginable death and injury.

Who can blame them?

Frequently their superiors make clear that there are implications when a soldier admits to having emotional issues that might affect performance. This attitude is common in the military and in other careers that compel a focus on command and control. It dates back a long way, famously depicted with General George Patton - the tactical genius and neanderthal individual with his own emotional problems - when he slapped a soldier overcome with fear. Patton’s rage at stressed troops (while he, by the way believed that he was a reincarnated, ancient warrior - HELLO!) reflected perfectly a prevailing attitude about the expectations for soldiers.

Especially for those who desire a long, ascending career in the military, presenting a front of psychological strength and stability is seen as a critical asset for advancement. For example, professionals in law enforcement have a similar resistance to therapeutic intervention for their stress related problems.

This, of course, is just lunacy! The fact is, any emotionally healthy, psychologically intact individual will always have a profound reaction when faced with, and confronted by extreme violence and traumatic loss.

Not only must the military or be more assertive in helping troops exposed to trauma reorient themselves, it needs to make sure that the approach to keeping soldiers healthy demands an attitude of triage - that it is expected and accepted throughout the chain of command. The bias against psychological intervention, whether official or tacit, demonstrates a significant deficiency in leadership and management. It fails to recognize that it is absolutely “normal” for any human being to need time and help recovering from the exposure to trauma.

Responsibility for this antiquated attitude also rests with the mental health profession as well. There has been so much emphasis for so many years on mental disease and psychological deficiency, it has scared off many people who need help. The infamous stigma of mental illness includes not only those who suffer with chronic psychiatric problems, but serves to dissuade virtually everyone who could benefit from the great resources available in light of their own, normal human struggles.

How in the world did we come to a place where we have created a feeling of shame that I can’t just “bounce back” after being up close and personal with deadly violence? So much for our vaunted intellectual sophistication!