eric_christensen

Hello, I have a problem with a claim I opened up a while back. First off, I've been approved for my very first claim, the one I opened right before I was medically discharged. Then all the doctors, psychologists, VSO officers started telling me I should open a claim for another condition, or at least get help for it. So I did, and it didn't go very well (lets just say the psychologist over in the VA was everything other than helpful and caring). To make this short, they denied my claim. One of the reasons was that I wasn't showing up to my appointments in California. The problem was, I don't live in California. I currently live in Arizona (was supposed to be temporary (9 months) until they wanted to hire me on in December for 6 more months). I told them that and every single time I receive a voicemail, call, or a letter stating that I have an appointment, I ALWAYS call them back and tell them that I'm not in California anymore and there's no way that I can get into the hospital for that appointment. I even called the VA 1800 number and told them to change it and to have it on record that I'm not in Arizona. The thing that really confuses me is that they scheduled me over in California for a evaluation/appointment with a private doctor, and when I called to tell them that they need to schedule one over here, they told me it was okay and they'll find one for me here. Now the problem is, I never received that call for a reschedule (even though it wasn't very long ago, perhaps a week or so). And I just got a letter stating that I've been denied (I really can care less about money, I just REALLY want it on record that what I've gone through, and am going through, is related from when I was in the military). I've been trying to call them and tell them that I told them I'm not in California anymore and that if they want appointments, they need to schedule them over here; but I have been unable to get a hold of them apparently from the high volumes of calls...sigh. Another reason they told me I was denied was because of the lack of evidence that was recorded while in the military and even when I was out of the military. Well yea, the first psychologist I went to in the military was a civilian contractor and she actually had the audacity to blame what I was going through, on VIDEO GAMES (umm wtf? I BARELY even played video games, let alone anything that remotely had resemblance to what I was going through, anyways, video games?????). The second one wasn't interested or have experience in what I was going through, and the Chaplin would never call me back or answer the phone to help out. I don't understand how they can say they're going to call and give me an appointment, and then don't and deny my case. I live and work in Flagstaff, and since there's no VA hospital here, I would have to drive 100+ miles to Phoenix's VA and get an appointment there. I currently work mon-fri for a typical 8 hours, and where I live/work, I don't have cell service. It's a huge pain and I feel they don't fully understand where I'm at, or care about it.

Don't ever say "oh you where not in combat, bla bla.." PTSD is NOT COMBAT POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. It DOES NOT have to do with JUST combat. People get PTSD from everyday stress, either from jobs, relationships, accidents, or anything that causes a lot of stress. So don't ever say that sentence again or ever look down on yourself because you weren't in combat. But fyi, even though it's good to see a VA therapist, they're VERY VERY quick to deny a veteran of PTSD, no matter what someone's going through or what happened to them.

Testvet is completely right. Money isn't the cure to your stress. But since you're having trouble with your jobs, then money will help you if you have money problems. But staying with your therapist and meetings is one of the best ways to learn to cope.

I completely agree. I've seen some stupid things on this forum and other military/veteran forums that make me think lower of a lot of veterans. Therapists go through training and schooling for years to get to where they're at, so they can give you advice on how to get through your ordeals. They DON'T need PTSD for them to help those with it. I know there are a lot of vets out there with PTSD who look down on other vets with PTSD just because they didn't go through the same type of stress that they went through. And if you have a therapist who went through something very stressful, there might be a big chance that they will do the same.

Thanks a lot for the replies! Well, right now I'm in a better living situation and my stress level has drastically lowered from where I was at the other house. Everything else still exists, but the self harm hasn't been an issue since my previous job. I've realized that I never get those little stress levels. It always seems that I always get a ton of stress issues dumped on me at the same time and that's when I start getting into the bad thoughts. But right now, I'm hoping that it'll stay away because of where I am now. And thank you for the Mental Health suggestion, I've already called them, but since I've just transferred to this VA about a month ago and my first visit with my Primary Doctor is on the 10th, I won't be able to see anyone in Mental Health yet, so I'm going to have to wait about 8 days. And when you say they want you to go away and hope that you give up, well, does that go with the Therapists too? I mean, that makes me think that the therapists are uncaring too. @Hollis & Berta, thank you for the information, I'll look into those.

Hello, I'm new here but thought this was the best section to ask this. When I was going to a VA center in Long Beach, I had multiple civilian therapists and doctors tell me they think I have a high possibility of having PTSD, from the problems I have told them I have. They strongly suggested I go to the VA PTSD therapists and see if I can get seen there and get evaluated. Although I was reluctant, I finally decided to go. The individual must have asked me 4 questions and I was there a total of 10 or less minutes, before I was told I don't have it. I felt like he didn't even care to give me a proper evaluation and he told me to just go to Mental Health. I have depression, death nightmares/daydreams, hard time sleeping, have had previous thoughts of 'harm', anger issues, and other problems, but I just don't think this is the place to discuss my issues. I just wanted to give a sample of the problems. Now the issue is, once I was given the decision for my previous claim, I decided to open a new claim for my mental issues (when I was in the military, I didn't put these issues in the claim, because I thought it would go away once I got out of the military), hoping that they'll give me some diagnosis or at least some kind of treatment. Now, I personally don't care what diagnosis they give me, as long as I feel they gave me a proper evaluation. Hell, I served along with all of you that served, and we deserve a proper evaluation and diagnosis of our problems that have came result of our military career. If I go there and get an ACTUAL evaluation, and they tell me that I don't have it, and it's something else, then I'll be perfectly happy with that. I just want someone to take their time and do the job that they're getting paid to do, not a 4 question evaluation and a 'go elsewhere' response. So, I'm going to a new VA hospital, due to the fact I had to move. And the problem right now is, since I put in my new claim, I have had really NO time to sit there and set up a meeting with a therapist or doctor (they still haven't given me a primary doctor yet), and I'm wondering how this will affect my claim. I just feel that if it's on the claim, they'll do more for your evaluations and diagnosis', and whatnot. So, what I'm wondering is I put this in probably a month ago, and I haven't been able to see anyone. Is this going to affect my claim drastically and is this going to affect my evaluation?