Claims military overmedicating soldiers
December 2nd, 2007
ABC News reports that the military, presumably in a rush to get soldiers back in the field, is overmedicating them. ABC News claims that this reliance on drugs can teach soldiers to rely on other drugs, including illegal ones, leading to a rising addiction rate.
Instead of providing proper counseling and care for Iraq war veterans suffering from physical and psychological pain, too often the U.S. military is trying to medicate the problem away, according to drug counselors and therapists.
Andrew Pogany, who works with service members nationwide as an investigator with the veterans advocacy group Veterans for America, said overmedicating veterans is a common problem.
“Pretty much every person in my caseload is medicated, heavily medicated,” said Pogany. “There’s potential for them to become addicted.”
According to Pogany, a reliance on prescription drugs often leads veterans to reach for other coping mechanisms — illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and crystal meth.
The report attributes the overmedication to a lack of counseling resources.
But Andrew Pogany said the reason why vets suffering from PTSD are not afforded better psychiatric care is clear — a lack of resources on the part of the military.
“Do they have enough trained providers to provide individual care? The answer is no,” he told ABC News.
And the military apparently agrees. Results from the DOD (Department of Defense) Task Force on Mental Health released in June 2007 find that “the military system does not have enough resources, funding or personnel to adequately support the psychological health of service members.”
“Handing somebody a bag of medication and then seeing them once a month for a half-hour appointment, that’s not adequate,” said Pogany.
Another factor that may contribute I’ve heard about from some vets, and from reporters investigating the issue is that military commanders simply cannot accept that military experience could lead to trauma, as in PTSD. These sources feel that the pervasive denial contributes to some of the abuses os soldiers and vets that have recently been reported in several media sources.
Entry Filed under: Healthcare, Mental Health, Psychiatry, Psychology, Substance Abuse, US Troops, Veterans
2 Comments Add your own
1. No Alcohol Abuse | December 2nd, 2007 at 11:39 pm
our young men and women in the armed forces put their lives on the line for our freedom and our safety and they are being led down a path that could easily result in alcohol or drug addiction. I also remember hearing recently that approximately one-fourth of the homeless people in the U.S. are veterans. Hey fat-cat politicians, it’s time for a reality check: the brave men and women in the armed forces are the ones who are making sure that you have the freedom and the opportunity to pursue your dreams and goals. We simply have to view the health and well-being of our troops as a top priority and give back to what they have given us.
2. Bill Ledford | February 21st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
My son is a classic case of all that Andrew Pogany claims.
He was injured during Combat Operations in Afghanistan about June 1, 2007 and was recommended to have a Med Discharge on Oct. 1. He is at this moment in jail (for 30 days) because he was finally Court Martialed as a result of accumulated infractions.
These infractions were committed over the last few months in which he was prescribed about 30 pills a day including Oxycontin, Percosets, Morphine and several others.
It seems as if his command intentionally goes out of their way to find things to write him up for. Remember he is 20 yrs old and highly medicated. He also wears a cast and walks with a cane, yet his commad has made him work on his hands and knees as that doesn’t technically violate his profile!!!
Something needs to change!!
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