The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the month of September as National Suicide Prevention Month. National Suicide Prevention Week is the week after Labor Day. “Suicide prevention is important every day of the year. National Suicide Prevention Month gives us an opportunity to shine a special, encouraging light on this topic that affects… Read More »
In a comedic piece about euphemisms, George Carlin reminded us that what we now call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, was called “shell shock” in World War I and “battle fatigue” in World War II and “operational exhaustion” during the Korean War. Carlin reminded us that buried under all this jargon is the pain and… Read More »
In the News and Opinions section of its January 23 issue, The Week magazine reports that the Pentagon has decided soldiers afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are not eligible for a Purple Heart because, the Pentagon claims, “psychic wounds are hard to diagnose.” A study by the Rand Corporation estimates 300,000 U.S. troops have… Read More »
“Give an Hour” is a non-profit organization providing free mental/emotional health services to U.S. military personnel and families affected by the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As part of its stated mission “to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society…, Give an… Read More »