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  • Talking about 1 in 8 returning soldiers suffers from PTSD - Mental Health - MSNBC.com

     

    Unfortunately, this is nothing new.  In fact, this has been going on for quite some time with war after war after war.  Whether or not it was "right" to be in the war in the first place is a moot question and one that isn't going to change the fact that many of these soldier's lives have significantly altered.  As an advocate I receive many calls from spouses of military soldiers who are suffering the symptoms of PTSD.  What I often advise them is that, if there is a question of safety, then one must leave until the person suffering actually gets the help that they need.

    How long?  How long will it take them to recover from their PTSD symptoms is not something that I can answer in one fell swoop; just as everyone is unique in their own way, everyone handles grief and recovery from any form of mental illness.  One resource I often refer them to is NAMI (the National Alliance for Mental Illness) because they have a strong network of support groups, caring information seminars, and advocacy for both the person suffering any form of mental illness, as well as their caretakers and support network.

    What I suppose has to be another question to is what programs does the military have set up to deprogram these soldiers to get them back into the realm of the society without the constant fears and paranoias associated with the PTSDs?  Why is not the military taking a greater role in pushing for the recovery of the soldiers with PTSDs?

    Why ask why?  Well, why not?  After all, if the government is going to encourage participation in the wars, would they not want to ensure the safety of the soldiers in their ability to mesh with society once again (where violence and killing people is frowned upon)???

     

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    1 in 8 returning soldiers suffers from PTSD - Mental Health - MSNBC.com

  • Talking about Boy suspended for stick-figure drawing - Education - MSNBC.com

     

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    Boy suspended for stick-figure drawing - Education - MSNBC.com

    So frustrating is the fear of the unknown.   I remember when I was mentoring a after school program in an Community Program in a poorer segment of Austin (not East Austin) and a young boy had drawn a much worse picture than this child who had been suspended.  While I was alarmed that a boy could have drawn such a picture, I was told that these children were allowed to have their creative expressions.

    Somehow, the balance between creative expressions and the psychological aspects of whatever hidden meanings behind artwork done by our children must be met.  Without the creative expression, one might not be able to understand what is going on in the minds of our children.  I believe that children's creative expression should not be suppressed or meant to be punished; after all, how are we going to be understand what is going on in the children's minds if they feel threatened for punishment if they express themselves.

    I am not saying that children's expressions that seem to have hidden messages of psychological problems should necessarily be promoted and offered on a public display; however, admonishing them because they have expressed themselves through drawing (which may be a mode that that they are more comfortable with than writing or talking) seems wrong.

    Perhaps, a better approach would be to have the parents and teachers more attuned with the meanings and offer the child guidance when the child "speaks out" through his artwork.  Of course, caution should also be had to make sure that, also, too much is read into things as well.  :)

    What say you???