Comments on: Military using personality disorder diagnoses to cheat soldiers out of lifetime benefits http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/ Thoughts by Stephen Soldz on war, peace, politics, psychoanalysis, and research methods Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:12:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Christie Erwin http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-219134 Christie Erwin Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:01:02 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-219134 I was a good marine. Guide of my platoon and had a perfect PFT score, even when doing the male exercises. Within a year everyone who gained weight was made fun of, and called nasty names, especially the females. So, I didn't want that and became anorexic and bulimic. I worked out like mad if I ate, and then sometimes was so weak that I could barely keep my eyes open at work. I started having medical problems due to this. I asked the Marine Corps for help and they said that they don't have clinics that deal with my issue. So then I asked to take leave so I could get some help in the civilian world, and I was refused. So then I wrote congress. It was then that the Corps listened to me. Within 3 days I was discharged from the Marine Corps and given a personality disorder discharge. Now, free from my eating (not personality) disorder, my husband, who was discharged for cocaine, is trying to take away my child due to my horrible mental condition. I don't know who to turn to to get the truth. I don't care about benefits, I just need someone official to say that this disorder is a bunch of bunk. Does anyone have any advice? Erwin_christie@yahoo.com I was a good marine. Guide of my platoon and had a perfect PFT score, even when doing the male exercises. Within a year everyone who gained weight was made fun of, and called nasty names, especially the females. So, I didn’t want that and became anorexic and bulimic. I worked out like mad if I ate, and then sometimes was so weak that I could barely keep my eyes open at work. I started having medical problems due to this. I asked the Marine Corps for help and they said that they don’t have clinics that deal with my issue. So then I asked to take leave so I could get some help in the civilian world, and I was refused. So then I wrote congress. It was then that the Corps listened to me. Within 3 days I was discharged from the Marine Corps and given a personality disorder discharge. Now, free from my eating (not personality) disorder, my husband, who was discharged for cocaine, is trying to take away my child due to my horrible mental condition. I don’t know who to turn to to get the truth. I don’t care about benefits, I just need someone official to say that this disorder is a bunch of bunk. Does anyone have any advice? Erwin_christie@yahoo.com

]]> By: Beck http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-211000 Beck Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:27:34 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-211000 Hey Just to spread my mochary of this situation. It is 19 & a 1/2 month later still in IRAQ still in a combat zone. I guess that I can't handle a combat zone. LOL This just goes to show it is just bull. the 635-200 5-13 loop hole exhists. I guess It is not so bad I do make almost double what that doctor does. But what do I know I'm just a 22 year old male with out a Docorate Degree who makes almost $100,000 a year. so I couldn't possibly know anything about this. If I have a Personality Disorder now it Is arrogance because I don't have to listen to doctors who know so much more than I do but my question is do they really? Hey Just to spread my mochary of this situation. It is 19 & a 1/2 month later still in IRAQ still in a combat zone. I guess that I can’t handle a combat zone. LOL

This just goes to show it is just bull. the 635-200 5-13 loop hole exhists. I guess It is not so bad I do make almost double what that doctor does.

But what do I know I’m just a 22 year old male with out a Docorate Degree who makes almost $100,000 a year. so I couldn’t possibly know anything about this.

If I have a Personality Disorder now it Is arrogance because I don’t have to listen to doctors who know so much more than I do but my question is do they really?

]]> By: Jane Doe http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-181708 Jane Doe Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:21:17 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-181708 I have severe delayed onset PTSD of many situations during sleep deprivation... that happened 12 years agao in the military. I was removed and given limited duty for PTSD. A year later it was charged to adjustment disorder with no psychopathy or abnormal thinking traits what so ever. Then the flashbacks started happening again... I was being seen for another year and a half of therapy for I was in a triggering environment; I deteriorated even with therapy to the point I was out of control with my speech...sometime yelling and talking crazy. Many times I could not remember what I was saying. My doctor wrote my paperwork asking that I be discharged for PTSD and that my work environment was triggering my delayed onset PTSD. Since I was at a remote location and my doctor (psychiatrist) was not my branch of service...It took 2 weeks for them to get me an emergency evaluation from my own branch. Sick days oddly enough were not authorized for PTSD and I continually had to leave work for flashbacks...what ever I could do to avoid being around people. I was so scared I was going to get a bad discharge for my out of control speech and crazy words. I go to this emergency appointment with my own military branch evaluating psychologist...she gives me those MMPI's, two computer tests...she basically tells me after taking them that my PTSD with anxiety is out of control but that since limited duty and med boards take so long, she constantly apologized that she had no authority to remove me from my triggering environment and that I needed to take the administrative discharge to get myself to immediate safety. She said that was her recommendation she was sending up. I pleaded and pleaded with her that if she did that there would be no medical help for me; I couldn't take that route...I was already overdosing on medications when flashbacks got out of control and I was reliving events that I'd rather be dead. So she sent me back to my triggering work environment and told me to think about it and caller her back when I've made up my mind...Maybe a week later I was in a waiting room filling out a questionier in a doctors office and totally fell apart...I was admitted to a civilian hospital 5 days for PTSD. Two hospitalizations later...over a month after my own branch tried to force my hand offering immediate safety taking the admin discharge, paperwork finally came in saying that I was to stay at my work place but that I was now on limited duty...paperwork stated: anxiety disorder, personality disorder...nothing saying I had PTSD. Being hospitalized inpatient with militarty care was like being in a personality disorder concentration camp. I'd be going through horrific flashbacks, crying while reexperiencing memories...and they would not asking what I was remembering just saying showing me the DSM personality disorders, "do you see all hystronic traits you're exhibiting right now, borerline traits your showing...They tried multiple times throughout the two weeks for me to say things that I had been injured in my childhood and that is why I was like this...by my evals have been exemplorary for my time in, not to mention I worked in a service oriented job and love people. What ended up happening was my own branch sent up a summary to my med board saying I had nothing but personality disorders with my MMPI scores showing that as well (criminal!), and a really high up doctor, my psychiatrist's supervisor (whom I'm never met) summerizing the same thing, and my CO backing it all up using against me that I allionated myself from the duty staff I worked with ( isn't that "avaoidance" symptoms too?)...insinuating malingering even putting me down in the medical report for refusing the admin discharge. How crazy is that...actually using against me that I was fighting for my rights. After that I was no longer able to use that pychiatrist who treated me for PTSD....anyway...this is the first part of my story.... give me a few more months and I'll post the rest....I am seeing a civialian doctor now and I'm doing really well. My brain shows severe tauma had been done...yes there is some good testing out there....it's just not given prior to handing out personality disorders... I have severe delayed onset PTSD of many situations during sleep deprivation… that happened 12 years agao in the military. I was removed and given limited duty for PTSD. A year later it was charged to adjustment disorder with no psychopathy or abnormal thinking traits what so ever.

Then the flashbacks started happening again… I was being seen for another year and a half of therapy for I was in a triggering environment; I deteriorated even with therapy to the point I was out of control with my speech…sometime yelling and talking crazy. Many times I could not remember what I was saying. My doctor wrote my paperwork asking that I be discharged for PTSD and that my work environment was triggering my delayed onset PTSD. Since I was at a remote location and my doctor (psychiatrist) was not my branch of service…It took 2 weeks for them to get me an emergency evaluation from my own branch. Sick days oddly enough were not authorized for PTSD and I continually had to leave work for flashbacks…what ever I could do to avoid being around people. I was so scared I was going to get a bad discharge for my out of control speech and crazy words. I go to this emergency appointment with my own military branch evaluating psychologist…she gives me those MMPI’s, two computer tests…she basically tells me after taking them that my PTSD with anxiety is out of control but that since limited duty and med boards take so long, she constantly apologized that she had no authority to remove me from my triggering environment and that I needed to take the administrative discharge to get myself to immediate safety. She said that was her recommendation she was sending up. I pleaded and pleaded with her that if she did that there would be no medical help for me; I couldn’t take that route…I was already overdosing on medications when flashbacks got out of control and I was reliving events that I’d rather be dead. So she sent me back to my triggering work environment and told me to think about it and caller her back when I’ve made up my mind…Maybe a week later I was in a waiting room filling out a questionier in a doctors office and totally fell apart…I was admitted to a civilian hospital 5 days for PTSD. Two hospitalizations later…over a month after my own branch tried to force my hand offering immediate safety taking the admin discharge, paperwork finally came in saying that I was to stay at my work place but that I was now on limited duty…paperwork stated: anxiety disorder, personality disorder…nothing saying I had PTSD. Being hospitalized inpatient with militarty care was like being in a personality disorder concentration camp. I’d be going through horrific flashbacks, crying while reexperiencing memories…and they would not asking what I was remembering just saying showing me the DSM personality disorders, “do you see all hystronic traits you’re exhibiting right now, borerline traits your showing…They tried multiple times throughout the two weeks for me to say things that I had been injured in my childhood and that is why I was like this…by my evals have been exemplorary for my time in, not to mention I worked in a service oriented job and love people. What ended up happening was my own branch sent up a summary to my med board saying I had nothing but personality disorders with my MMPI scores showing that as well (criminal!), and a really high up doctor, my psychiatrist’s supervisor (whom I’m never met) summerizing the same thing, and my CO backing it all up using against me that I allionated myself from the duty staff I worked with ( isn’t that “avaoidance” symptoms too?)…insinuating malingering even putting me down in the medical report for refusing the admin discharge. How crazy is that…actually using against me that I was fighting for my rights. After that I was no longer able to use that pychiatrist who treated me for PTSD….anyway…this is the first part of my story…. give me a few more months and I’ll post the rest….I am seeing a civialian doctor now and I’m doing really well. My brain shows severe tauma had been done…yes there is some good testing out there….it’s just not given prior to handing out personality disorders…

]]> By: billy tibbs http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-154710 billy tibbs Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:27:15 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-154710 I was a victim of the personality disorder trend way back in 1972.I had alot of problem, but the air force just didn't want to deal with it, neither did the v.a. In 2000 I was finally able to get the v.a. to diagnois me. They said I was bipolar and suffering from severe ptsd from my abuse as a child. They didn't mention the time I spent in the stockard where I was sexually assulted by 4 fellow inmates, they just discharged me. I tried to file a claim of misdiagnosis which was turned down when I sent for a transcript and found they had the dates of my psyche, but no transcripts of our sessions in the jail. I requested them from the st. louis record place twice and was finally told the v.a. had all the paperwork they had on me. Thank you for the article, I was wondering if you might be able to email me a copy of it. I was a victim of the personality disorder trend way back in 1972.I had alot of problem, but the air force just didn’t want to deal with it, neither did the v.a. In 2000 I was finally able to get the v.a. to diagnois me. They said I was bipolar and suffering from severe ptsd from my abuse as a child. They didn’t mention the time I spent in the stockard where I was sexually assulted by 4 fellow inmates, they just discharged me. I tried to file a claim of misdiagnosis which was turned down when I sent for a transcript and found they had the dates of my psyche, but no transcripts of our sessions in the jail. I requested them from the st. louis record place twice and was finally told the v.a. had all the paperwork they had on me. Thank you for the article, I was wondering if you might be able to email me a copy of it.

]]> By: Beck http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-149742 Beck Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:24:34 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-149742 Hey im back again just to add it has been 7 months since I last wrote on this blog. Among one of the army excuses used to put me out of the army was Doctor wrote down you cant take the stresses of war. Sounded like what Dependant personality disorder entails. But to that I have to say it is quite funny and I can prove evidence that in my case it is wrong Since april 7th 2006 I have spent 330 day's in Iraq with bullets flying at all times of the night. Rockets being fired on occasion, Coworker's who are sexually frustrated griping constantly( NO PORN, GO-1), and oh yeah Mortar's landing 3 football fields away. Then being ragged on by the marines for being Army prior service, God bless the Marines. thanks for the shirt lol By the way I work 84 hour's a week, Do full time college by correspondence all from Iraq. I have been put on a fast track to promotion, I am a safety rep for my contract group and the army unit in my area. And I am in charge of inventory plus my regular mechanic job. That is stress but I think if I was so bad I couldn't take stress of war I probably would have gone crazy by now. This is far more fatiguing than anything I ever did in the army just because of the 84 hourweeks with only R&R's and 6 day's holiday a year. No weekends here, But besides that Im fine. So I wonder what The DOC would say to this. Its my beleif that Marines and Army, are tought to psyche out their selves and deal with the pain. A thought process I think stem's as far back as the romans. The movie sparta shows this. The big boy's don't cry thing. So the way we greave is different than normal people. Because that thought process is engraned in us more than just our fathers ragging on us to make us tough. The navy is more technical, and if you can get over being home sick your good. very seldom does a ship take on fire like a soldier on the battle field in the modern day fleet. (Not saying it disrespectfully) because I know it used to happen, in WW1 and WW2. I plan on fighting this and pursuing the Officer side of the military. Sorry to be so long just bored in Iraq and 2 hours to spare between work and bed. BECK Hey im back again just to add it has been 7 months since I last wrote on this blog. Among one of the army excuses used to put me out of the army was Doctor wrote down you cant take the stresses of war. Sounded like what Dependant personality disorder entails. But to that I have to say it is quite funny and I can prove evidence that in my case it is wrong Since april 7th 2006 I have spent 330 day’s in Iraq with bullets flying at all times of the night. Rockets being fired on occasion, Coworker’s who are sexually frustrated griping constantly( NO PORN, GO-1), and oh yeah Mortar’s landing 3 football fields away. Then being ragged on by the marines for being Army prior service, God bless the Marines. thanks for the shirt lol

By the way I work 84 hour’s a week, Do full time college by correspondence all from Iraq. I have been put on a fast track to promotion, I am a safety rep for my contract group and the army unit in my area. And I am in charge of inventory plus my regular mechanic job. That is stress but I think if I was so bad I couldn’t take stress of war I probably would have gone crazy by now. This is far more fatiguing than anything I ever did in the army just because of the 84 hourweeks with only R&R’s and 6 day’s holiday a year. No weekends here, But besides that Im fine.

So I wonder what The DOC would say to this.

Its my beleif that Marines and Army, are tought to psyche out their selves and deal with the pain. A thought process I think stem’s as far back as the romans. The movie sparta shows this. The big boy’s don’t cry thing. So the way we greave is different than normal people. Because that thought process is engraned in us more than just our fathers ragging on us to make us tough. The navy is more technical, and if you can get over being home sick your good. very seldom does a ship take on fire like a soldier on the battle field in the modern day fleet. (Not saying it disrespectfully) because I know it used to happen, in WW1 and WW2. I plan on fighting this and pursuing the Officer side of the military. Sorry to be so long just bored in Iraq and 2 hours to spare between work and bed.

BECK

]]> By: Mr. Guapichon http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-128201 Mr. Guapichon Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:51:15 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-128201 Dr. Joe you are a gung-ho navy bastard. you're just like the guy who discharged me for personality disorder. I hated my navy experience and would take any discharge to get off my assigned ship, so when my psychiatrist gave me a personality disorder, I asked why? Now I know why, and this conspiracy is absolutely true. Many in the military are being discharged for personality disorders so they receive no benefits after their term of service, and being that it is such a simple and easy diagnosis, many doctors give this discharge freely. Very sad and unbeleivable but true. This has to be stopped. Dr. Joe you are a gung-ho navy bastard. you’re just like the guy who discharged me for personality disorder. I hated my navy experience and would take any discharge to get off my assigned ship, so when my psychiatrist gave me a personality disorder, I asked why? Now I know why, and this conspiracy is absolutely true. Many in the military are being discharged for personality disorders so they receive no benefits after their term of service, and being that it is such a simple and easy diagnosis, many doctors give this discharge freely. Very sad and unbeleivable but true. This has to be stopped.

]]> By: Psyche, Science, and Society » Editorial: Personality disorder discharges save money, sacrifice soldiers http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-116477 Psyche, Science, and Society » Editorial: Personality disorder discharges save money, sacrifice soldiers Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:24:39 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-116477 [...] have reported previously on the military’s use of personality disorder diagnoses to deny claims from [...] [...] have reported previously on the military’s use of personality disorder diagnoses to deny claims from [...]

]]> By: school http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-94906 school Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:09:20 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-94906 MS. STRAND PLEASE REVIEW THIS ARTICLE MS. STRAND PLEASE REVIEW THIS ARTICLE

]]> By: school http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-94903 school Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:56:17 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-94903 send to Dr. Jean Strand send to Dr. Jean Strand

]]> By: ashley http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-85846 ashley Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:27:22 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/03/23/military-using-personality-disorder-diagnoses-to-gyp-soldiers-out-of-lifetime-benefits/#comment-85846 In addition to what has already been said in the above column, I would like to mention my experience. I have also gone through a similar situation. However, I was trying to stay in the service. I am a physically fit, healthy, and educated individual with no criminal history or medical conditions. I enlisted with every intent on doing what I volunteered for. However I was discharged based on an evaluation that lasted about ten minutes. Two days later another Psychiatrist told me there was absolutely nothing wrong with me and I was to return to active duty. I was happy that the truth was told. I reported to my first sgt. who the took my laces, belt, and canteen strap. She also sold me not to worry the "report clearing you will be taken care of." She proceeded to tell me that she liked me "so much that I am going to keep you until the eigth week and recycle you several times." I continued to train with no laces determined to graduate. I knew that this wasn't going to be an option for me. I was denied a lawyer, and a doctor several times. I was a PFC in a network of people who outranked me and disliked me. Why is it that a strong and hardworking private was put through this? It wasn't sexual orientaion, gender, race, skill, or any other typical discriminatory factors. I was simply barrated, belittled, and kicked aside because I have permanent cosmetics on my face and could not take it off in training. This did not have any impact on my determination, but it did prevent my sucess. In addition to the falsified documents, I obtained a document from a Major that was treating me for Hyperthyroidsm which turned to hypothyroidsm a few weeks later. At the time the behavioral assessment was given. He made it clear that no diagnosis could have been made at that time because Thyroid disorders in fact mimic many of the symptoms of a personality disorder. At a time of war and low recruitment levels and retention rates, why is it that so many qualified people are discharged because they are simply not like by the chain of command. I was not the only soldier at my company going through this. I finally was able to see a lawyer. Demotions were habded out to a few of my drill sgts. One wqas even demoted to a specialist. This wasn't for the fake report, just what they did to us and how they treated us. I saw firsthand several soldiers sent home becuse they simply didn't want to deal with us or to punish and humiliate us. I have also seen many people leave on a 5-13 simply because they didn't want to train anymore. Why didn't they recieve failure to adapt instead? Good luck to all. I hope I provided some insight! In addition to what has already been said in the above column, I would like to mention my experience. I have also gone through a similar situation. However, I was trying to stay in the service. I am a physically fit, healthy, and educated individual with no criminal history or medical conditions. I enlisted with every intent on doing what I volunteered for. However I was discharged based on an evaluation that lasted about ten minutes. Two days later another Psychiatrist told me there was absolutely nothing wrong with me and I was to return to active duty. I was happy that the truth was told. I reported to my first sgt. who the took my laces, belt, and canteen strap. She also sold me not to worry the “report clearing you will be taken care of.” She proceeded to tell me that she liked me “so much that I am going to keep you until the eigth week and recycle you several times.” I continued to train with no laces determined to graduate. I knew that this wasn’t going to be an option for me. I was denied a lawyer, and a doctor several times. I was a PFC in a network of people who outranked me and disliked me. Why is it that a strong and hardworking private was put through this? It wasn’t sexual orientaion, gender, race, skill, or any other typical discriminatory factors. I was simply barrated, belittled, and kicked aside because I have permanent cosmetics on my face and could not take it off in training. This did not have any impact on my determination, but it did prevent my sucess. In addition to the falsified documents, I obtained a document from a Major that was treating me for Hyperthyroidsm which turned to hypothyroidsm a few weeks later. At the time the behavioral assessment was given. He made it clear that no diagnosis could have been made at that time because Thyroid disorders in fact mimic many of the symptoms of a personality disorder. At a time of war and low recruitment levels and retention rates, why is it that so many qualified people are discharged because they are simply not like by the chain of command. I was not the only soldier at my company going through this. I finally was able to see a lawyer. Demotions were habded out to a few of my drill sgts. One wqas even demoted to a specialist. This wasn’t for the fake report, just what they did to us and how they treated us. I saw firsthand several soldiers sent home becuse they simply didn’t want to deal with us or to punish and humiliate us. I have also seen many people leave on a 5-13 simply because they didn’t want to train anymore. Why didn’t they recieve failure to adapt instead? Good luck to all. I hope I provided some insight!

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