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I made a throwaway to comment on this...

I think the biggest reason why soldiers are killing themselves is that the Army throws drugs at the problem and then doesn't monitor the soldiers. Everyone I know in the Army was on "psycho" drugs at one time or another.

While serving in the Army, I found myself having symptoms of PTSD. Before this, I thought PTSD was for Vietnam or WWII vets. Anyway, the docs gave me handfuls of various meds (lithium, Haldol, Prozac, Risperdol, Seroquel, Clonopin, etc.) and did minimal monitoring. I would fall asleep in the parking lot of Landstuhl and barely remember what I was doing there. I became violent and beat my wife. I would become another person while I was on the meds. I was arrested for domestic violence and ordered to go to anger mngt, which was a joke. Everybody in my platoon was already there so it was just a way to get out of work and screw around. I trusted the docs to know what they were doing until I was at the edge of suicide/murder. Eventually, I stopped the meds (really tough aftereffect) and started dealing with the wreck my life had become. Most soldiers don't need meds, they need sleep and some one to talk to. The Army needs less psychiatrists and more psychologists.




Thank you for sharing your heart breaking story. I'm really happy you sought out the help you needed and deserved.

> The Army needs less psychiatrists and more psychologists s/Army/North America

We are fixated on taking a pill to fix things. I thank big pharma, amongst other things, for this.


Terrible. When I was in the Army, the policy was effectively "Ignore anything and everything that might hurt the numbers, until it becomes a PR. problem. Then, just toss the nearest private under the bus". It sounds like they've taken another step sideways since then.


It's hard and takes time to fix root emotional problems. Attempting to suppress your mind with drugs is easier and cheaper.

Consequently, when someone is found to be on (illegal) drugs, locking them up in prison for a few decades is also easier than fixing the problem.

In fact, according to the prisons themselves, banning books is thought to help apparently. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8704401


Consequently, when someone is found to be on (illegal) drugs, locking them up in prison for a few decades is also easier than fixing the problem.

Completely off topic. The post to which you replied was about legal drugs prescribed by a Dr.


Er... not sure that locking people up is cheaper. What it is is more profitable for lobbyists and prison companies, to the tune of $37 billion + per year!

Nice one lobbyists!


He said easier, not cheaper.


Read the parent comment again...

> Attempting to suppress your mind with drugs is easier and cheaper




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