November 29, 2012: Research Update
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Among U.S. Military Health Care Professionals Deployed in Support of Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the greatest stigmas that I have witnessed in the military as well as in community mental health settings is the stigma surrounding death by suicide. Unlike other untoward events that therapists go through, this is one event that can be lonely, litigious, and career changing. “Therapist and Legal Issues for Therapists Who Have Survived a Client Suicide: Breaking the Silence” edited by Kayla Miriyam Weiner is a collection of 8 different articles on issues related to surviving the death of a patient.
The percentage of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are using community-based mental health care, according to a report issued earlier this month by the National Council for Behavioral Health, Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In real numbers, that's about 657,000 vets. And by 2014, the report says, 40 percent (970,000 veterans) will be using community-based care.
We've almost reached the end of a holiday-shortened week, but we've still got time for a roundup of this week's happenings in our latest CDP news entry. This upcoming Monday, Nov. 26, is the final day to register for our last week-long training, Addressing the Psychological Health of Warriors and Their Families, of the year. The training is going to take place in Blacksburg, Va. from Dec. 3-7. If you're interested in attending, sign up quick!
The day after I separated from active duty service, I walked into a recruiter’s office. It was a completely unplanned visit that I later swore to my husband resulted from curiosity to see if there were any Reserve positions for my career field. Actually, it resulted from my initial difficulty accepting I was now “just” a civilian. Whether coming off of active-duty orders after deployment for Reservists and Guard members, retiring after hitting the 20-year mark, or simply separating after serving out a commitment, all military members will eventually transition out of their service. This transition inevitably means a shift in identity from being a part of a clearly defined community to having to develop a more individual self-definition.