PTSD and Other Stories

First, let me preface this by saying that nothing is surprising. Soldiers, police, and emergency services have a higher rate of post-traumatic stress than most civilians. So, reading this reminds me of those of the stories we have had about returning combat troops.

There is another constant: this piece is just part of that pattern. This is the unwillingness of soldiers to seek help. They are warriors first, and going to talk to a shrink is a sign of weakness. There is another aspect to this. I know this from experience with my paramedics, there is a belief that unless you have been there, done that, there is no way you are qualified to talk to me.

This is ten times as bad with soldiers and police officers. However, I suspect Russia will have a harder time with this for cultural reasons. Ukraine does better in this department, too. So here is the story via MO:

“Something broke in him, he was always funny, but now I’m scared just by his look.” How Putin’s niece’s foundation does not help war veterans who returned home with mental disorders

The Russian authorities are not coping with the consequences of post-traumatic syndrome (PTSD) among those returning from war, the “We Can Explain” project found out . The staff of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, which until recently was headed by Vladimir Putin’s niece Anna…