Treat PTSD or be sorry, expert says - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Treat PTSD or be sorry, expert says

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Left untreated, post-traumatic stress disorder can become a ticket to the brig.

“The odds are that if they don’t do something about it, they are going to get into some kind of trouble,” said Rebecca Warden, a clinical social worker at the Camp Lejeune, N.C., brig.

The Marine Corps is losing good, well-trained Marines who love what they do, but ended up in trouble as a result of going untreated, “and I hate to see that,” she said.

Warden spoke about PTSD at a regional seminar for first sergeants and master sergeants held last month, describing the disorder’s symptoms and how it can be treated.

“I know a lot of you have concerns about, ‘What if they’re faking it,’” she told the group of roughly 200 Marines. “They can’t fake this for very long. Unless they’re severe, really severe, they won’t get disability for it.”

The message she wants to get out is that Marines who suffer from PTSD can be treated and returned to duty.

“This has been really important to me since the very first deployment came back,” she said. “I think that what needs to happen is that all the commanders really need to take this to heart, to really pay attention to their people. If they see them acting out in ways that concern them, they really need to take it seriously. It’s possible to treat it and return them to being very productive people. We don’t have to lose them.”

One of the more tell-tale signs of PTSD is a change in personality.

“It’s a pretty obvious thing that this person is just not themselves,” she said.

Signs of PTSD typically begin within three months of a traumatic event, but occasionally symptoms may not occur until years later.

Symptoms include detachment, increased alcohol use, shame or guilt, nightmares, being easily startled, being uncomfortable in crowds, having flashbacks, feeling emotionally numb, showing irritability or anger, self-destructive behavior, trouble sleeping, memory problems or trouble concentrating.

Marines who have these symptoms may not want to come forward out of pride or fear, Warden said.

“I think a lot of it has to do with that pride. When you add that extra bit of Marine Corps pride, then it’s really hard to say, ‘Yes I’m having a problem with this,’” she said.

“A lot of them are afraid that, once they admit to these symptoms, they’ll never be able to go back to Iraq again. They want to go back and be with their unit, and so they’re not going to be honest about it.”

Commanders, she said, need to get the message across that seeking help has nothing to do with weakness or cowardice.

“I think the best thing their commanders can do is to get that message across,” she said.