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Jay Johnson
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Posts posted by Jay Johnson
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There is no military medical record to support my claim, only the facts of traumas which I was in contact with as a Corpsman which I can correlate to my service records.
I have found those through the help a Navy Historian in D.C.
Aside from those I am depending on the opinions of the doctors I've seen since my original discharge in 1976.
You don't need *medical" records to prove a service connection; you only need evidence showing that there was a stressor. Combat is *one* type of stressor, but there are many others that can lead to SC without actually being in physical combat. I knew a vet who got SC for PTSD just for seeing the bodies coming back from nam at Dover AFB.
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Actually, there are PTSD trained dogs that one can get without spending too much money (depending on income, disability status, etc)...the VA/medicare may even cover one. I will be getting my wife one once we buy a home (renting a house atm).
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I think one of the problems that can occur in diagnosing psychiatric disorders is that they are much more subjective and easier for someone to see what they are looking for. The "evidence" is different. And the lines are more "fuzzy."
My husband had cancer. No one could see the cancer unless it was there. But with psychiatric you can have PTSD and the clinician can SEE personality disorder and give "solid" reasoning for it - if that is what they WANT to see.
Because a lot of the psychiatric disorders have the same types of manifestations -- so the objective evidence is the way it manifests. The subjective part is what they decide to attribute the manifestations to.
That can create a problem.
Actually, as with my husband - he claimed fatigue -- under the dessert storm. The doctor tested him and decided his fatigue was "caused" by his mild depression. My husband never complained of being depressed. He complained of being fatigued. He was never treated for depression. He was never refered to get checked for his depression by any of his treating physicians. His doctors repeatedly documented how he was always in "good spirits," "cheerful" etc.
But yet the VA examiner - when doing the workup for fatigue - took the fact that he checked a certain number of boxes on the dperession inventory and that meant he was depressed.
Guess what boxes he checked that "triggered" the depression diagnosis?
I don't have much energy.
I have trouble getting things done.
I don't feel like going out much.
ALL the "triggers" on the depression inventory where about how TIRED he was. But yet, he was given a "depression" diagnosis because the diagnosis was triggered by the number of boxes checked.
What kind of circular reasoning is that?
What is your problem?
I am tired.
Okay - take this test.
On the test - mark that you are tired.
Oh.. you aren't tired. You are depressed. Because you checked the boxes on this form that said you are tired. And this measures depression. Therefore if you are tired on THIS test - you are depressed - and your fatigue is CAUSED by depression.
I can't see how a valid diagnosis could be made that depression is CAUSING your fatigue without OTHER indicators of depression BESIDES fatigue.
I don't think this is just the VA. I think it happens all the time in psychological / psychiatric diagnosis. They can see what they are looking for - and confirm it with their testing.
And I don't think the VA doc was "out to get" my husband. I think he actually thought he had "accurately" diagnosed him.
We have asked the VA to go back and reconsider this diagnosis - as ONE part of my husband's claim -- to reconsider the evidence in the light of new knowledge for diseases diagnosed after the presumptive period - to see if they were earlier manifestations of the disease that "gain new understanding in light of the new evidence"
In other words - fatigue is one of the first SYMPTOMS of many types of cancer. My husband consistently reported he was fatigued. Though the VA gave him a diagnosis of "depression" as the "cause" of his fatigue - the ONLY symptoms that triggered the depression diagnosis were the symptoms of his FATIGUE (no other indicators were triggered)
So we have asked them to reconsider that it as likely as not that his reported fatigue could be just as easily attributed to the cancer that was subsequently found - as it could to "depression."
I am not expecting the RO to do much with the info. But we still included it.
However, I have seen quite a few BVA cases where they have made similar decisions in cancer cases -- where cancer was detected shortly after the presumptive period - and the evidence shows that due to growth rates of that kind of cancer - it was probably incurred while in the service.
But often, instead of stretching all the way back to prior to discharge - the BVA will take some of the symptomology that the vet reported during their presumptive period - and decide that it is as likely as not that the symptomology reported in that time frame could be related to the cancer - and grant SC on that.
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This is the major problem with psychology....it relies WAY too much on self reporting statements that can easily be taken out of context or the person giving the statements can simply be lying. Personally, I think self reporting statements are as accurate as a blind monkey trying to shoot a humming bird with a sling shot.
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True, but the veteran has the power to pick and choose the information the VA sees when he/she uses a civilian psych, just as the VA can pick and choose their information when they use the VAMC. If there is NO information for the VA to draw from in a P&T case, then the most they can do is order a C&P (illegally without new and material evidence, but's that's another debate) and one C&P will not out weigh a treating psychiatrist's opinion by a long shot; especially if the treating psych has a long history with the veteran and gives a very favorable, and detailed, evaluation.
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Honestly, if the VA just followed their own rules, we wouldn't have anything to fear. For instance, it wouldn't matter if they started digging into PTSD appointment logs at the VAMC if they just followed the regs which state that in order to reduce a 100% vet the VA must prove that the veteran has gotten better WITHOUT the need of doctors and/or meds and under real life conditions. But we all know this isn't the case and if the RO gets wind of a report saying something as simple as "little sally veteran seems to have had a good day today" they will throw little sally under a bus to prove she isn't "better". Thus the need to keep them as far away from PTSD vets as humanly possible.....
But this won't change until we can hold raters accountable for failing to follow simple and clear regulations that they should be following anyway.....in my opinion, every time a rater ignores those regs they should be held in contempt of congress.
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Hence why I think all PTSD vets at 100% should seek healthcare in the civilian community....even if it means costing you a lot of money. 1 or 2 thousand a year in medical expenses is better than losing 20K+ a year because the VARO got ahold of a psych appointment on a "good" day. Physical conditions are less subjective, so I wouldn't really worry much about those....
But, then again, we should just have universal health care and do away with the VAMC all together so more money can be devoted to compensation.
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One of the problems with ALL of our law systems in this country (civil, legal, SS, VA, etc) is that there is always someone that has entirely too much power in the process. A jerk rating's officer can ruin someone's life for years.....A jerk SS judge can make your life a nightmare, just as a rater at SS can before him. The same goes for criminal law.....one Ahole judge having a bad day and your speeding ticket turns into 5 days in prison. Conversely, a good judge/rater can make life a wonderful thing......
But, I guess our systems have some checks and balances which is better than most other countries......
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I have to come down on Jack's side on this one. Adderall and Ritalin are said to be the most overprescribed drugs in the country
Agreed. I think it's actually a good test for a med doctor for folks with PTSD (if you have young kids). If you go into the psych for your kid and he wants to start giving out meds for something like ADHD, then say no thank you and move on to a new doctor. A "good" psychiatrist should be giving the absolute minimal therapeutic dose of medications, be it for an adult with PTSD or a kid that is hyper.
Actually, I just recently took my son in because I'm afraid he is prone to anxiety issues like his mom. He has been having mild panic attacks in anxious situations (his heart rate went through the roof at a physical because he thought the doctor wouldn't clear him for football). So, I took him to my wife's psychiatrist and the psych basically said that it is probably due to hormonal changes (normal for an 11 year old) and he *could* outgrow it. He gave me a PRN script for ativan for the attacks, but said I really don't need to use it unless I think he's having a really severe attack and cannot calm down. He also said that most ADD cases are just kids being kids and that it is more likely a developmental part of one's autonomy and NOT a mental disorder....needless to say, this psych doesn't give out meds to kids very often and he specializes in child psychiatry.
So, as I've said in other threads, if you don't like how your psychiatrist is prescribing meds, fire his/her butt and find someone that's willing to work with *YOU* (general you, not husker in particular:-)
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I couldn't agree with you more.
When I was in school I had to study a lot of that psycho-babble too.
My conclusion= they are just grasping at straws in an effort to GRAB more money. MY MONEY (and yours). Those "doctors" are no doubt in bed with the pharmacutical companys to invent more drugs (which I, and my freinds, have been offered) to make more money! What a scam!
Information is POWER.
If a man empties his purse into his head no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
-Benjamin Franklin
I don't think meds are the problem; if anything, medications for psychological disorders is a step in the right direction because it denotes an underlying physiological problem. However, some people react differently to different meds, so they can be real hit or miss, but we KNOW that certain symptoms like depression, psychosis, anxiety, etc are partly due to chemical imbalances in the brain (dopamine, serotonin, etc) and drugs can improve on that imbalance.
I know my wife would be dead right now if not for those anti-psychotics....she clearly has a dopamine reuptake issue and requires some form of anti-psychotic to control it.
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I did read that testimony, and my reaction to that was the same as it was when that it was a load of crap. CBT may help the person who suffers from PTSD use more constructive behaviors, but it will not cure PTSD. Again, it is a means to help the patient learn to cope with the thoughts and the consequences of those thoughts. The real goal is to get the patient to recognize when the thoughts are coming on and to find a way to redirect to lessen the severity. Again, not a cure, but a coping skill.
To let everyone know how backwards some of these professional mind doctors can be, while I was working on my degree, I had to read a lot, and I mean A LOT of studies. One I remember quite well showed that there is a link between physical disabilities and depression. My first reaction after reading the study was DUH!!!, followed by being totally pissed off that these geniuses mose likely got government money to conduct a study that anyone with half a brain could have predicted the resluts for. This was not an older study but one that was conducted in the last five years.
The problem with most psychological "studies" are that they rely heavily on self-reporting statements, which I think is complete BS. Ironically, several studies have shown that 90%+ of the population lies several times a day and will lie even if there are no possible consequences for lying; yet those same psychologists rely solely on people telling the truth in those studies, lol:-) I recently read one study where very basic questions were asked of people like, "how often do you drink beer" and "how often do you eat fast food"...the study was completely anonymous, yet the researches found 100% of them lied. They basically went through the participant's trash to find that they were grossly underreporting their answers. Why do people do this? In my opinion, it's because people are lying to themselves......admitting they drink more has a negative connotation so, in their minds, they don't want to admit that they drink/eat fast food.
The same can be said for studies on rape, aggression, anger, etc.....who wants to admit that they are aggressive and what defines aggressive? Who wants to admit they were raped or molested no matter how anonymous the study is?
Let's face it, the field of psychological is merely educated guess work based on studies that are extremely limited and likely wrong.
But, as you stated, therapy can help people help themselves by pointing out flaws in logic and giving better ideas on how to solve certain problems (and prevent them before they occur). In the end, however, therapy is only useful if people are capable, and willing, to help themselves and that means admitting to one's own faults, which brings me back to my first paragraph.....
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I was taught that we were thereto help people learn to cope, not to cure.
Read the most recent notes from the senate hearing on PTSD in which the psychiatrist made it sound as if cognitive behavioral therapy could "cure" PTSD and that 100% PTSD vets should go to work to get better. Many, many psychs think "therapy" can cure mental disorders. If you don't buy into that, which you shouldn't, then you could make a good therapist:-)
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I didn't know there was any eductation higher than a doctorate in a certain field!?!? I'm not saying the VocRehab folks don't approve some veterans for post graduate studdies, it just isn't the norm, but rather the exception. I say that it is rare because when you take the number of applicants as a whole and see just how many from them have been approved for post graduate studdies, it certainly isn't the norm.
Vike 17
A lot of fields have post-doctorate work that can be done, but there is no official degree beyond the initial doctorate (outside of getting more doctorates in other fields). Honestly though, I would tend to agree with your assessment....in the government's eyes, you should be capable of paying for your own grad work if you have a bach already. Pell grants, and most other government aid, is limited to one bach. In fact, WA just passed a new law that allows 100% vets, and their dependents, to go to school completely free for your first bach degree...anything beyond that is on the vet to pay (outside of the ch 35 ben).
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I am not sure how rare it is to get graduate level education approved, but I was approved to pursue my Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy (yep, one of those people Jay despises LOL) of course my undergrad degree was General Ed
I don't despise therapy at all, especially in that context. However, I do not like when therapists/psychologists try to act as if they can cure major psychological disorders with "therapy". There is zero evidence showing that stuff works at that level on a regular basis and I think it does a disservice to those with severe disabilities to suggest otherwise. At best, therapy can help severely disabled vets learn to live with their problems a bit better (like giving morphine to someone with a broken arm).
Therapy for more minor/mainstream issues can be very helpful though; it can even be helpful for those who live with people with severe PTSD. Sometimes people need a third party that can help them sift through their daily problems.
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There are veterans that receive IU and somehow get to the 20 year mark and then are miraciously able to start working again shortly afterwards. This does make one wonder sometimes. I'm not saying this is the case with you by any means. Just something to think about as far as what IU is for and what it means.
Vike 17
There's a simple explanation for this and the VA could save $ if they would just use some common sense. There's a HUGE difference, for those with mental disorders, between working because you HAVE to and working because you WANT to. Money is the #1 stressor for all of us, regardless of our mental state, and most folks with anxiety issues (IE - PTSD) have BIG issues with authority and feeling "trapped", both of which are negated if you are only working because you "want" to work, because you always have the option of leaving.
If the VA would just lock folks in (just like the 20 year thing), but after, say, 5 years (or when P&T is determined) then folks with PTSD should be able to work, but have their VA compensation reduced by the amount they are earning (net of course). This way, PTSD folks can attempt to work, but without the pressure of "needing" the job and/or money, which alleviates the majority of issues they have with working in the first place.
But to do that the VA would have to accept that 100% disabled PTSD vets almost never get better (to a point of gainful employment at least), but I think they are still influenced by the idiots that think a good talking to can cure a 100% PTSD vet!
A program of this sort would save the VA money and improve the quality of life for many PTSD veterans......
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Post grad work in clinical psychology is a PsyD, not a PHD. Also, your issue sounds far less subjective then something like PTSD, depression, etc. Either way, I have not said that the VA would *not* accept a psychologist's opinion...they even accept opinions from NPs and PAs, but only because they are cheap and cannot afford to get *good*, educated opinions from qualified personnel. In terms of IMOs, though, one would be a fool to try to overturn a VA decision based on the word of a NP, PsyD or PA.....even an IMO from a pscyhiatrist can be shaky if it's a one time appointment and the psychiatrist doesn't specialize in PTSD (or whatever disorder you're going for).
Try winning a SS case that is contested with only an opinion from a PsyD......
Again, a psycholigist and a psychiatrist are light years apart in terms of education and qualifications....if the VA doesn't see that, then they are dumber then even I thought:-)
BTW, as per the norm, the VA will weight things against you more than those FOR you. The reason they tried to bust down my wife's A&A rating a couple of years ago was based on a letter from a NP that stated ONLY that she was able to handle her finances for fiduciary purposes....the letter made one mention of her PTSD and said, "her PTSD does not seem to affect her ability to understand her finances". They used this to reopen her P&T A&A claim and lower her all the way to 50% on that alone, yet when I had the same PA write a letter saying that he made no diagnosis of her PTSD and that upon evaluating it he found it to be completely disabling the RO said, "a PA is not qualified to make that decision".
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Robyn,
This may be a hard pill to swallow, but you may need to distance yourself from your father, no matter how much you love him. One of the reasons we moved from the east coast to the west coast is that my wife's family (and my mom/brother) had very similar attitudes towards severe mental disorders (just like 90% of the other people in this country). Most people have this, "suck it up and get a job" mentality and that will only serve to cause you to push yourself into situations that will no doubt cause disappointment and, eventually, lead to suicidal ideation.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a supportive family member, so your choices may be limited. My father, out here in Washington state, has had issues of his own and understands my wife's problems, so he never pushes her and always makes plans with me that he knows will not affect her in any way. If, for instance, he wants to go golfing, he will send his wife (my step-mom) over for a "visit" while we're out....support like that is very helpful in one's recovery in my opinion. Especially given that many folks with PTSD *want* to push themselves because they do not want to appear "disabled". It's a vicious cycle of highs and lows that often leads to hospitalizations and/or suicide attempts.
My wife has stopped taking her meds several times because, "I'm fine and I don't need them"......well each time has either led to a suicide attempt or an extended hospitalization. The most recent issue landed *me* in jail and almost caused her to completely alter her life, for the worse, for good. Luckily, the prosecutor seems somewhat understanding of the events that took place that night and we are back together and she is stable (for the time). But the moral of the story is that even after years of meds/therapy she still has a side of her that wants to believe there is nothing wrong....this is compounded by her not taking her meds, which causes her to lose all control and the problems eventually spiral out of control.
Ironically, it's even more difficult on me, because the side of her that copes is very manic and very reckless, so when she was in her psychotic state without her meds she "appeared" to be better to the outside individual then she did while on her meds, because she attempts to do things that she cannot otherwise do like driving our van, going out alone, talking to complete strangers, etc. The problem is that she *does* have this ability to cope, but only in very short bursts and when she uses it all up, she *always* ends up in a hospital and/or caught trying to commit suicide. So, it's bad enough that no one accepts her illness as a valid one in our society, but it's even worse when she goes through these states and people think, "well she looks fine now, so there's nothing wrong with her....it must be the husband that's keeping her down".
It's a horrible thing to deal with and, for the first time after this last episode, I contemplated divorce. It's bad enough that no one cares about what I've lost to take care of her, but when people start looking at me as the problem because they do not understand these types of disorders and the highs/lows therein, it becomes almost unbearable to exist. I don't expect a reward for what I do, but I also don't expect to be called an abuser either.....this last episode was completely demoralizing for me:-(
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I almost forgot, having issues with the VA paperwork is not uncommon at all. Although I still think it's a good idea to use civilian psychs for compensation purposes (or protection therein), the main reason we use civilian care is because my wife cannot stand the VA and those who work for it. To her, they are no different than the military that treated her like trash and ignored her MST. In her mind, they are all "out to get her".
It's a very conflicting thing for her because she did enjoy the AF and loved her job, but she was also hurt by a military system that failed her. Heck, if she didn't have a GREAT AF psychologist (Captain Anderson....I'll never forget him) things could have been MUCH, MUCH worse. That psych truly cared about her and my family and would even call me while on vacation when she was in the hospital to make sure *I* was ok and that she was doing well. Obviously, though, he wasn't your typical AF psych in that he made it clear to her, from day 1, that he was only in the service to pay off his student loans and also complained quite openly about the military's mental health practices. He even went as far as to risk his license, and commission, by not asking her questions that would force him to report the crime because as he said, "the military will make things worse if you report it now" and he was right. Great guy.
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Robin,
I completely understand where you are coming from, so please don't worry about my feelings:-) It's actually a good step in your recovery that you can say what does or does not bother you....admitting your limitations is the first step to getting better in my opinion.
With that said, I may say some things to *trigger* you in this response, so read it when you're feeling a bit better. However, I do try to keep things as G rated as possible, because I deal with those triggers on a daily basis.
First thing you should be aware of is that Terri Sparh Nelson's book will certainly be a trigger for you....a severe one! It's a great book to validate your concerns and fears and it highlights many of the problems the military has with MST, but those highlights likely parallel your history, which will most certainly cause you high anxiety.
I'm sorry to hear about the courts martial result, but I'm afraid that is par for the course. In fact, I would say that 99% of the cases never even make it that far. Unfortunately, most of those incidents are acquaintance in nature, which are darn near impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt whether it be in a civilian court or a military court. The problem in the military is that it is compounded by the chain of command and the "good 'ole boys club" that exists in most commands. Just keep in mind that innocent in the eyes of the law does not mean innocent in reality....I know that's a hard pill to swallow regardless, but you can't beat yourself up and treat it as a failure (which I'm sure you've been told a million times by now).
Like you, my wife is also proud of her service and it was rather distinguished for the short period she was in. She got several letters of accommodation from high ranking AF officials to include personal letters from the AF's top enlisted man, the general of her base and the general in command of her Majcom (AETC). She even received a medal for the work she did and she was only a lowbie in military pay and never deployed once. She also tested into the E-5 slot on her first try and was boarded as a staff sergeant with only 5 years in service (it's different for different branches, but that's an achievement in terms of the AF). My wife loved planes and loved working around them....she wanted to be a pilot, but she has the depth perception of a rock:-)
As for laws dealing with sexual abuse/rape - I tend to be outspoken on this and my views are well outside of the norm. If you would like to discuss I will, but I'm sure my views would upset you and many others here.
BTW, I may be a guy by design, but I'm far from the norm. I'm certainly not the truck driving, gun toting, action movie watching variety that seems to typify the average American male. In fact, I can't stand action movies (I like artsy flicks....just saw pan's labyrinth and loved it; not to mention cried my eyes out:-), I won't allow my kids to play with toy guns and I drive a minivan, lol. So, think of me as a 230lb ugly girl with a hormone imbalance:-)
Anywho, don't worry about your agoraphobia (wanting to "stay away from people"). Although most therapists and psychologists will tell you that you are being irrational, I don't look at it like that at all.......in order to rebuild your confidence in humanity (men in particular) you need to find your comfort zone, live within your limitations and allow time to heal your wounds. Gradually, you will take baby steps that allow you to *safely* remove your limitations and no drug or therapy will change that.....those are band aids; the real healing comes from being safe over a long period of time. The key is to get yourself to a position where you are safe enough that suicide is no longer a major issue. There will still be times where you wish you "weren't around" and that's to be expected with the highs and lows of depression, but you can get to a point where your suicidial ideation is manageable and build from that point. The problem is that reaching that point takes brutal honesty with one's own limitations which is VERY difficult for most victims to do (my wife struggles with it to this day).....you will probably have to take a few steps back in order to start moving forward. Unfortunately, society, and the field of psychology, wants you to always be moving forward and expects you to "suck it up" and move on.....some folks can do this and lead productive lives, but many others end up getting far worse and are at the highest risk for suicide in my opinion.
To many outsiders, my wife looks worse today than she did 5 years ago, because she rarely leaves the house, doesn't drive and is, for the most part, attached to my hip. However, she hasn't been hospitalized in almost 2 years, has not been a serious threat to harm herself (or anyone else) and has been far more "even" than she has been in the past. She has even began to take some steps like going for walks with me (in non-crowded areas), exercising and has managed to be in public when absolutely necessary (kid's plays, signing the lease on the house, etc)....I think this is because she isn't constantly trying to conform to social norms by pushing herself to do things that make her feel terrible. In time, I hope she can build on this and have a more productive social life.
Honestly, I hate the word irrational and I wish psychs would quit using it, because what you, and many others, are experiencing is NOT irrational to YOU. An analogy I like to use is that of our fear of touching a stove - How many times have you touched a stove in your life and have it NOT be hot? Probably 10's of thousands, yet we all still have a fear of getting burned because we experienced (or watched someone else experience) ONE burn in our entire lives from a stove.....every time I touch a stove I use extreme caution even though there is a 99.9999% chance that it is not hot. So, why is this not an irrational fear? If someone is attacked and their life is threatened then why shouldn't they develop the same sort of lasting fears of people? These are flight or fight responses that are deep seeded in our brains that deal with self-preservation and no therapy is going to talk you out of protecting your own life. Only time and practice can diminish these feelings to a point where you can live with them, but you'll always still have some fear of that stove.....your brain is trying to protect you.
Ok, enough psychobabble:-) I enjoy talking with you as I really do enjoy helping women who have these sorts of problems....if I didn't how could I live with my wife for all these years given the extremes she's been through and what I've had to give up to keep her safe. As a kid, I always had more girl friends (plutonic) then guy friends and I spent most of my waking hours helping them with their problems. I've always felt compelled to do so...I'm not sure why; maybe it was because my mom was very mothering and my dad was verbally abusive /shrug.
I've even instilled this passion into my kids. My middle daughter started her own program at the YWCA for the kid's of the battered women there. One halloween she came to me and said she was sad that those kids at those shelters didn't have homes to trick or treat and that she had more candy then she could ever eat, so she gave the majority of her candy to them. The following year she asked her principal if she could collect candy from all the kids in the school and she made dozens of baskets with candy for those kids.....she was 8 at the time. Tonight she started marking off items she wanted from some magazines we get (oriental trading company) to buy (with her money) to give to the kids for Xmas too and she wants to start collecting items for the mothers as well. Obviously, I'm extremely proud of her:-) She even got into the gifted program next year!
Bah, I could write forever, so I'll wrap this up......I did email the folks at VETWOW and I hope there's something I can do to lend a hand there. I have won my wife's case (on 3 occasions) and was even the first person in the Philly RO to get A&A for PTSD for her. I'm far from an expert on these matters, but I'm no novice either, so if I can help in any way I would love to.
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Thanks for the link; I didn't even know such an organization existed. As for my wife, she was lucky (if you want to call it that) in that she had met a former AF vet in the civilian hospital while still on active duty. This veteran was the victim of MST back in the 1980's and was also 100% disabled due to PTSD. This was the ONLY person who mentioned the VA to us at the time and that helped me to start digging for more information on the topic. Eventually, I found a good AmVet rep that hooked me up with the "fast track" program that allowed my wife to file for disability before she was even finished with her medical boarding from the AF.
My wife's attackers (it happened more than once) got away with it. She was afraid to come forward at the time and when she tried to (about one year later) OSI (AF investigative unit) basically called her a lying whore and said they would change her honorable status if she tried to pursue the issue further:-( As far as I know the once staff sergeant is now a commissioned officer and serving at Hurlburt AFB (AF special forces). So, I'm glad to hear you were able to get a court martial out of your ordeal....it's quite rare.
BTW, there is a good book on this topic written by a former female Marine officer called "for love of country" by Terri Spahr Nelson....it's a good read if you can handle it.
P.S. - I completely understand your issues with me being "male". My wife has serious issues with men as well and has, at times, lashed out at me in disassociative states in which she confuses me with the "typical man". I know that the doctors will tell you that those fears are irrational, but they don't seem irrational to her and who are doctors to define what is and isn't irrational? Actually, that leads me to a funny point my wife made at her psych appointment a few weeks ago....the psych was getting on her about her fear of flying, men, leaving the house, etc as being irrational, but he said that some fears are ok. He went on to say that he would never jump out of an airplane to go skydiving and my wife responded, "you have less of a chance of dieing from skydiving then I do getting raped, attacked or dieing in a plane crash, so why are my fears irrational and yours not?" The psych was speechless:-)
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Welcome to the boards:-) It sounds like you had a VERY similar career path to my wife. She entered the AF in
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I called Mary Flynn, one of the lawyers working with the Court of Veterans Appeals and she told me according to VA regulations the Clinical Psychologist is given the same weight as the Psychaitrist.
She stated the R. O does not always follow this guideline, but they do at the BVA and the Court of Veterans Appeals.
From the way you speak of the " Psychiatrist and how the brain functions, then we can assume the " Psychiatrist knows exactly how to do " Hypnosis". The Psycologist would not be capable of doing this correct?
In my eyes the " Psychiatrist" at the VAMC that I went to is no more than a puddle of xxxxxx.
I am not saying that all Psychiatrist are this way, but I quit going to them myself for they were pushing too many pills at me and we weren't working at what was causing the problems that I needed so much medication.
I have a letter typed to turn them in to the Commonwealth of Virginia Enforcement Division of the Board of License.
The " Truth is the Truth" and a "Lie is a Lie". I will not allow those two quacks to change my medical records.
We shall both loose. I will not sit back and let them slander me.
Thanks.
Josephine
This is just a misconception on how one should seek treatment in terms of mental disorders. One should only go to a psychiatrist for medicine....it is not their job to give you therapy or try to fix you through unproven psychology methods. A psychiatrist should only be assessing your problem and finding the right combination of medicines to alleviate your symptoms. However, some psychiatrists will offer therapy as well as meds, but NO insurance on earth is going to pay 10x more for therapy from a psychiatrist when they can pay 10x less for a therapist/psychologist.
This is a fundamental flaw in our medical coverage in this country because insurance will typically not pay for someone to see a psychiatrist AND a psychologist at the same time. So, most folks are left paying out of pocket for one or the other. As for my wife, we try to see her psychiatrist only for meds and as infrequently as we can to save money (every other month mostly).
Also, a psychiatrist works for YOU, not the other way around, so if you feel that one is over-medicating you and unresponsive to your complaints then fire him/her and find someone better. Every person reacts to meds differently and a good psychiatrist should be attempting to medicate you as little as possible while still having a therapeutic effect.
As for giving a psychologist the same weight as a psychiatrist - I would want to see BVA/CAVC cases that actually give two diverging opinions exactly equal weight when one is an MD and one is not. It makes no sense that any evaluating body, be it government or otherwise, would apply equal weight to two opinions that have vastly different educational backgrounds. Comparing a psychologist to a psychiatrist is like comparing george bush to eintstein:-)
Of course, that isn't to say that psychologists are idiots, but there's a reason why the average psychologist earns as much as a factory worker with a high school diploma while a psychiatrist earns 200K/year.
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"The VA will allow a psychological diagnosis from A PHD in clinical psychology."
Hoppy,
I don't mean to be rude here, but I have a fair amount of education in this field and I think there are some misconceptions as to what a psychologist is and what education is required. A "PhD" is a doctorate in philosophy. If a psychologist has a PhD they can actually spend very little, to no, time in clinical psychology. A doctorate that emphasizes clinical psychology would be a PsyD, which many psychs have.
For ratings purposes there is a HUGE difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist because a psychiatrist is taught the physiological basis for mental disorders and how to treat said physiological problems with pharmaceuticals. A psychologist can only make an observation of symptomology and diagnosis accordingly.
Let's put it this way - If I gave you several books on the theories of freud, erickson, piaget, etc and you spent 3 years studying them, would you really know any more about why and how something like PTSD works? Now what if I taught you how recent research in brain lateralization (how one side of the brain communicates with the other...IE - hemispheres) has shown that some forms of hallucinations and fears/anxiety could be due to one side of the brain perceiving the other as a foreign body? What if I taught you the physiological reasoning behind most disorders like elevated dopamine due to reuptake disorders between neural transmitters and how to prescribe medicine that alleviates that problem?
In other words, psychology, in general, is nothing more than "theory" that is unproven and relies heavily on subjective observations; whereas, psychiatry follows the medical model and assumes that there is a physiological basis for "mental disorders". Psychiatry is far from always being correct either, but they have FAR more education about human anatomy and how the brain works than ANY psychologist....a psychologist is nothing more than a therapist/social worker who had the time/money to go to school for 1-2 more years.
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This is my take on this topic.
The difference between NP, PA's , and psychologist are....Nurses have to work under an MD's supervision and they are not doctors. They may work in clinics by themselves but they have protocols that are written by the advising MD and they still have some restrictions that they must have supervised. Physician assistants are under the same type regulations, they are not licensed as doctors and as such they are not able to work without MD protocols and MD review of activities.
Psychologists, are doctors. They are not required to work under the license of an MD. They have thier own licensing authority and it is not the AMA. They are considered a specialist the same as a pediatrist, opthomologist, chiropractor. They are expected to diagnosed and treat patients within thier expertise, but certainly not under the license of an MD. If they choose they can work in conjunction with an MD to aid their patient's in recieving meds, etc.that a psychologist cannot dispense. They can work in clinics with MD's but they still have their own doctorate, PHD.
Jangrin
This is incorrect. First, psychologists are not "doctors" in the traditional sense; they merely have an 8 year degree which does not qualify them to dispense medicine any more than someone with an 8 year degree in basket weaving. NPs do not have to fall under an MD to give therapy, nor do therapists or PAs, but they must be under an MD to dispense medicine. Actually, NP's and PAs and more qualified then psychologists because a psychologist cannot dispense medicine even under an MD.
In fact, many psychologists have a PhD, which is a general 8 year degree with an emphasis on psychology. A PsyD is an 8 year degree that is only in the field of psychology and focuses on therapy.
If anything a NP and a PA has far more education on human physiology and the biology of mental disorders. Also, many nurses have doctorates as do many PAs, but they do not have medical doctorates (MDs).
P.S. - A therapist (6 year, master's degree) has the same "license" to provide therapy that a psycologist has and both of them could have quit going to school after their associates, because one learns next to nothing in the field of psychology beyond a few classes....most of their education consists of regurgitating past theories that are completely unfounded and unproven. In that sense, psychology is more faith than science.
BTW, I am pursuing a masters in psychology right now and I stopped learning anything new in this field after my first general psychology course....therapy is a joke, period.
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Josephine,
Thanks for the kind words:-) Where do you live by the way? The best way to find a good psychiatrist is to use your yellow pages and start making some phone calls....be sure to say you are a cash customer and that you are shopping around for a med doctor and an eval. I know some areas have far more psychs than others (rural areas are extremely limited), so you may have to drive a bit to a major city to find a good one. Perhaps you should write something up (formally) and send it to the prospective psychiatrist so the psych knows what you're looking for, so you don't have to waste time/money on one who will not be favorable to your case.
As far as getting them to review your records for a nexus: Time = money, so understand that every hour they spend on reviewing your records and writing an opinion = an hour's worth of billing you must pay them. Considering most psychiatrists charge upwards of $200/hr+, it will likely cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 - $1000 or more. If they know you are willing to pay them for their time, they will pretty much review anything you want.....it's easier on them to review paperwork then to schedule appointments, because they can do the review on their spare time and still charge you the full rate.
However, you need to keep things short and sweet or they can get lost in the paperwork and not be concise enough for the VA to sound educated on the matter. So, hammer home the nexus issue with documentation showing your anxiety while in service and leave out all of the VA mumbo-jumbo. On top of that, get a good eval that strongly discredits the personality disorder thing and that shows your disability in a manner that you feel is correct.
You may even need to do this with more than one doctor to get a favorable decision, but I think the key is to establish an ongoing relationship with a civilian doctor in order to build a strong case down the road. If you just get some IMOs without any long term care the VA will likely discredit it as "buying an opinion".
No More P & T Under Dole - Shalala Report
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
I think you are misreading that portion of the report. A "periodic review" is not P&T and, under current rules, the VA is "supposed" to wait 2 years to review a non-P&T case, but they are given great lattitude and many vets are reviewed far more frequently. To me it sounds as if the report is saying that it should be more standardized to reduce needless reviews.......
There was no mention of P&T in that portion of the report and it didn't seem to me to be implying P&T either....