Reply #3: I spent 2 years working with Vietnam combat Vets in a PTSD support group. [View All]

[Stanchetalarooni]

This was back in the mid 80's a full decade since the war ended. War is a mind-fuck and these guys were truly "in the shit".
The worst were the guys that took the indoctrination propaganda bait hook, line, and sinker.
They did what they were ordered to do, did what they had to do to survive, and fucked a lot of innocents in the process.
I would surmise that the suicides after the war far outpaced the 58k that were lost in the war.
I heard so many stories of people "greasing" and getting "greased" that I think that I acquired my own brand of PTSD.
Suicide bombing for a fucked-up ideology and greasing whole villages because one is following orders are two sides of the mind-fucking task that humanity has to process.
One is called martyrdom and the other is called duty. Each is deluded into thinking that he is righteous. Each a victim of the powers that be.
Each a pawn on the grand chessboard.
Victim and victimizer all bundled up into one
The suicide bombers at least have no PTSD to deal with although they create a whole bunch for others.
PTSD is not curable in the traditional sense.
It can only be transformed.
I do not believe that the US military or it's VA can facilitate this transformation.
It only has expertise in transforming whole villages into rubble.
Those that can not transform the guilt and horror and nightmares and loss are up shit creek, most times a far worse place than being in country.
One of the worlds most highly respected researchers in PTSD is Dr. John P. Wilson who also is a leading researcher in victims of torture.
Funny how the victim and victimizer can at times be plagued by the same effects of prolonged distress.