Military Combat Credibility?

[Richie]

as a lot of people know, I am a British Army Veteran studying to become a psychologist specialising in PTSD. I already know that just being a veteran myself would make a huge difference to being a therapist treating military personnel. I would like to look into pre-op training and post-op de-briefing to see if there is anything that could be changed or implemented during these phases.
simple question:
from a combat vet (you guys), would it make me more credible to you if I had actually visited an operational theatre even just for research purposes? Would that experience (on my part) help you to trust me or is it enough that I have served even without a combat role?

 

[scout86]

Not a combat vet. But my T isn't a childhood abuse survivor either. What gives him credibility is his willingness to listen and not tell me I'm wrong. (When he thinks I'm wrong, which sometimes I am, his pointing that out always accepts that my version of reality seems real to me.)

I can see where it might easier, in the beginning, to trust another combat vet. In the long run? I think it's attitude and competency that are the most important.

 

[illusionist]

From my experience of listening to veterans....., if you have not been been in the ' thick of it '......don't even mention it, as you can't possibly fully understand...anything else is an insult to them.

 

[gealach]

Based on my experiences, I would say definitely yes!!!!!! It's not credibility as a T that's the issue, it's understanding the nuances (not exactly the right word) that go along with wearing a uniform, and the duties involved.

For example, when I was first sent to T for help, she had no experience with EMS and just could not wrap her brain around anything I was telling her. She couldn't even understand how a city is considered a 'station'. She also didn't understand the personalities and reputation unique to this station. Because she couldn't understand anything, she decided I was making it all up. She literally said ''I believe that you believe this is true''. I have a new T, very experienced with EMS & my station in particular, and it took less than 5 minutes for him to understand what I was telling him. Huge difference, and now I'm getting the help I need.

Long story short, it will make a world of difference to your patients to not have to explain every small detail. You'll already know those things, and can focus on the important issues.

 

[Ronin]

Ditto to understanding being more important than what the life experience is.

Some of the people who've helped me most in therapist capacity weren't vets, or even army, themselves. Instead they have degrees in things like political science along side psychology and are able to understand complexities of conflicts to help me separate what's what & understand issues that are just hard to verbalize / nigh on impossible to verbalize.

So it's the mindset and attitude / willingness to learn and patience to teach that are more important to me.

 

[Richie]

Not a combat vet. But my T isn't a childhood abuse survivor either. What gives him credibility is his w...

the reason I am looking specifically at combat vets is due to the predictability associated with the job. When you sign up the odds change towards experiencing traumatic events which is why pre-op training may be relevant. Prevention is better than a cure!
this simply does not apply to civilians though hence the section I chose to post the thread. Apart from emergency services of course and it was actually a police officer who inspired this idea by suggesting I observe police training

 

[scout86]

So you're looking at training people BEFORE they're deployed to try to decrease the incidence of PTSD? (I've read some little about that and think it's a great idea.)

 

[Gadgie]

I can see where it might easier, in the beginning, to trust another combat vet.

I find it a lot easier to talk and listen to another person who has actually " been there and done it" than it is to talk or listen to somome who has read books on the subject.

But then, that's just my opinion?

 

[Richie]

So you're looking at training people BEFORE they're deployed to try to decrease the incidence of PTSD?...

it is a theory that I thought of last week. We are training to go to war but the reality is probably very different to a training establishment. There may be some psychological de-sensitization training that could be introduced and incorporated into things like FIBUA training. Increasing realism may decrease the risk of PTSD.
thanks for the feedback. You guys are my best resource for learning and developing ideas

 

[Neverthesame]

I don't know if it's possible to desensitise someone to things like that.

You can get used to some things definitely, like horrific human injury.
But it's more of an academic thing. I think, anyway.
I knew what severe burns, amputation, crush injuries, gunshot wounds, necrosis ect, ect. Looked like long before I saw it on scene in a professional capacity.

Hell, first couple of years after I moved to Canada. The junior high school I was attending hosted a presentation from the district fire chief.
Which basically consisted of gathering a couple hundred children aged 12-16, into the auditorium and subjecting them to a hour and a half long slideshow of unedited photos of the mangled and charred corpses of people who were the victims of drink driving.

Years later, my first DB call as as EMT... Yup, that's exactly what that looks like....

Did it prepare me for how it would feel to be face to face with a person who just died a horrible death? No. I don't think it did.

Was there any benefit from seeing it in pictures before hand?
Well, I suppose you could say it was easier to identify what I was looking at, in relation to the circumstances of this victims death.
One could argue that it could have made the emergency scene management aspect of being a first responder, a bit easier.
The major flaw with that however, was the simple fact that I was in no way in charge of that scene. All the other ems personell around me were.

My role was to learn, not lead.
Which sort of renders what possible advantage any exposure to such situations and imagery moot. In my opinion.

@Richie Not trying to crap on your parade or anything. I'm just not sure what would work as a form of desensitisation method.
I agree the theory is sound, but the medium of exposure is the issue I feel.

 

[scout86]

I think there's actually been some work done on this. I wish I could remember where I read about it. I almost think it's something the US military had been exploring. It's not exactly desensitized. It's more about learning techniques that reduce the probability of getting PTSD by learning more useful ways of looking at your experiences.

I'm not explaining that very well, I know. I've talked about something like this with my T on several occasions. He head things he does that he'll him stay grounded himself so he can deal with the stuff he deals with with his clients without being traumatised himself. What you're talking about is similar to that and I think it's something that's being considered and explored.

 

[Richie]

@Neverthesame I appreciate the feedback positive or negative. I am here to learn and if you guys can point out flaws then that is part of my learning process. I dont have all the answers and any idea needs criticism as well as support to identify any potential problems. I want to be good at what I am doing and if something thinks that I am going wrong then I am going to listen