Home Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨

Highest Decorated Soldier Decries the state of Veteran Mental Healthcare

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
It's not exactly news but if it disgraces a few senior politicians into making some improvements, all's the better;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7916221.stm

Poor mental healthcare for soldiers returning from witnessing or experiencing horrendous scenes, in both the British and American armed forces, is something of a silent scandal that's never been away.

In America, the proportion of population of homeless that are vietnam veterans is on the decrease - partly due to mortality but even more so due to the fact that they are being superceded by veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well they'd better fucking do something about it because if my dad needs that when he comes back then they'd better fucking have it for him.

    ARGH.

    I hate the way the government can spend money on arms but not actually look after the soldiers or families. Knobs.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Let me just make a quick point - when this all kicked off - the Iraq war I mean - there was a whole lot of propaganda slung about with regard to people against the war not 'supporting the troops' or some such rubbish.

    One of the key points made by Stop The War at the start of this, was that the legacy of bitter conflicts, particularly those motivated by foreign policy goals or ideologies that are pushed through by particularly forceful governments (Vietnam, Iraq) - they are the first to cry 'heroes' when the battle starts, but where's all the help when they get back?

    America's treatment of it's veterans after Vietnam was an utter scandal, and so is a lot of what has happened after Iraq - but that's ok, because in a great deal of cases of both sets of returning combatants were drawn from the poorest sections anyway. :banghead:

    Back on the specific subject: from my understanding (which is at best partial) - military mental health services are highly specialised, they need access to services that address the highly exception circumstances that give rise to their symptoms - long term, sustained, reliable services.

    Pushing these people into the public system is pointless and dangerous for two reasons;

    1) The public MH system is at breaking point in many areas of the country as is.

    2) The services are largely inadequate to deal with their needs.

    For my part I think the citizenry needs to take more interest and active involvement in the issue, and hopefully this will help.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That's the point. I think among the propaganda and the politics people sometimes forget that there are actual men and women going out there to fight for a country that doesn't even care. But people should care, and take more of an active role in what happens to these soliders before and after they've been away.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it's that the country doesn't care. People are happy to pay taxes to pay for this. It's that the government would rather spend that money on setting up pointless investigations and any other stupid thing they can think of. I think some people would argue there are more deserving causes, but that happens to any group they need and deserve support.
    The fact is that the government are happy to use and destroy people to achieve whatever it is that they want. I don't think you can blame normal people for that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it's that the country doesn't care. People are happy to pay taxes to pay for this. It's that the government would rather spend that money on setting up pointless investigations and any other stupid thing they can think of. I think some people would argue there are more deserving causes, but that happens to any group they need and deserve support.
    The fact is that the government are happy to use and destroy people to achieve whatever it is that they want. I don't think you can blame normal people for that.

    You're right, but there are also so many people who are against the war (understandle) but they want to take it out on the soldiers. It's not the soldiers' fault!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    IWishIWas wrote: »
    You're right, but there are also so many people who are against the war (understandle) but they want to take it out on the soldiers. It's not the soldiers' fault!
    You make it sound like entering the war wasn't a choice. Yes, it's bad that the government just tosses these people out and don't care for them when they get back, but what do the majority think they're going into in the first place?

    I'm not one of these "Don't support the troops", I do, but only on wars that are justified, if there is such a thing. This war isn't justified.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    JavaKrypt wrote: »
    You make it sound like entering the war wasn't a choice. Yes, it's bad that the government just tosses these people out and don't care for them when they get back, but what do the majority think they're going into in the first place?

    I'm not one of these "Don't support the troops", I do, but only on wars that are justified, if there is such a thing. This war isn't justified.

    No, I know it's not. And yes, these people do know what they're going into.
    I just feel that it shouldn't shrug there shoulders and say, "Oh well, their decision." Yes, it is, but it's a really fucking gutsy one to make.

    Going to war and knowing that it isn't justified, knowing that your government doesn't give a fuck must be really tough.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Everyone I know who's against the war sees soldiers as victims of it, but it's easy for someone to take what you say in the wrong way because people can be so defensive, which is understandable but can make the problem worse. I'll admit I don't like anyone I know who's in the army, because they seem to be narrow-minded idiots with no sense of responsibilty. I know people who've took that to mean I think everyone in the army is like that, or I don't like anyone in the army, rather than I've met a few idiots who happen to be in the army. I have had arguments with people about it though, because, probably as response to people blaming soldiers for the war, that no one in the army should be criticised in anyway.
    I think the problem is that people in favour of the war in Iraq have portrayed those against the war as being against soldiers and not thinking they're worth the care they need.
    I do know people who believe soldiers shouldn't be a higher priority than other groups, but that's because they know someone who's not recieving the care they should be. To be honest, I don't think whether people like the existence of an army, or them getting funding, is relevant. The government was happy to do to war so it's their responsibilty to make sure the soldiers get the care they need. Even if the whole country was against it I don't think it would matter because it's the government's responsibilty.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    IWishIWas wrote: »
    No, I know it's not. And yes, these people do know what they're going into.
    I just feel that it shouldn't shrug there shoulders and say, "Oh well, their decision." Yes, it is, but it's a really fucking gutsy one to make.

    Going to war and knowing that it isn't justified, knowing that your government doesn't give a fuck must be really tough.
    Could say the same if you want to leave, you go to jail for it. Just like NatureGoddess, I have family who are in the war, most of them have just thought they'll be living the high life, doing loads of free fun activities payed for by the MOD, along with using guns legally and all the other crap those adverts and army cadet day out things say.

    I find it ironic how the TV authorities say that McDonalds can't advertise fatty foods without advertising a healthy option. Then there is the MOD advertising the army.

    -- oh and most of the people who go into the wars actually either don't know it isn't justified or they just don't care and go into it for the thrill and money. I know some of my family members are like that. There's loads of videos from Army soliders from both the USA and UK who talk about wanting to leave, refusing to fight, hating what they're doing because they know it's all a fad - but they can't say more than that due to the situation they're in.

    My views on war will stand for life, I don't support it. If there's no one willing to fight in a war, there wont be any. That's how I see it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was so angry when my dad told me he joined. So angry. I don't support the war and I don't understand why he was. But he's joining for different reasons, as a chaplain. He's there to support these people through the worst experiences of their lives. He is their moral support.

    Apparently the chaplains come back worse off. They've had to be supportive of everybody through life changing decisions and trauma. Who do they turn to?

    If he needs the help when he gets back, I want him to have the very best. He's my dad, so easy to say. But I admire his position and his integrity and I believe that should be rewarded when he returns, even if all that means is the best mental health care.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The problem is mental health care is rare for anybody. The waiting list for a counselling for a child who's just lost a parent is minimum 2 years. For mothers with post natal depression it depends on how lucky you are. For long term carers it doesn't exist. I'm not going to say that soldiers don't derserve care. Although, like JavaKrypt, all of the cousins I have in army joined for the wrong reasons and should not have been allowed anywhere near this situation, I'm not going to assume that everyone in the army is the same. I think your dad was trying to do something good and the government need him to do it, so they should give him anything he needs to recover, but there are a lot of people who also need help and get nothing. It's not that people don't care about soldiers, it's that resources are so limited people have to compete for them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To be honest, I think the fundamental issue here is that the state of mental health help in UK is shit.
Sign In or Register to comment.