Us Va Deceptive Tactic - Tbi Vs. Ptsd

[anthony]

It seems the US VA are doing everything they can to reduce the number of PTSD diagnosis, thus reduce the number of invalidity pensions as a result, as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is not compensable for pension like PTSD is, so suddenly the increase in diagnosis for TBI has increased over 400%, and lowering PTSD diagnosis equivalently.

Don't get me wrong, professionals admit that there is a slight overlap between them both where misdiagnosis occurs, as with most mental health, but the sudden increase does not seem to mimic this crossover.

I must give it to them... they are tricky where possible. Any soldier around an explosion, they are trying to fit under TBI as their way out of disability compensation.

Saying that... there are a lot of veterans who once get onto disability, they become malingerers and don't try and get better, as the money's in the bank each week, so to speak. So I do get their attitude, though I don't like the deceptiveness when real suffering is passed over because the soldiers trauma happened to be an explosion basis.

 

[track108]

the va still wont admit i have ptsd even though its been diagnosed by two private doctors so they wont help me. i dont even want the money i just want the help.
My discharge is being reviewed by the naval discharge review bored maybe if they bump it up to general under honorable the va will be more apt to help me, they said when i was in that i had acute combat stress and a personality disorder from before i joined and lifelong depression it was just a rubber stamp to say nope he isnt messed from combat he was like that before the war

 

[anthony]

You may want to look into this more: Link Removed and there are myriads about this if you search.

There was action taken about this... you may want to research TBI, PTSD, Personality Disorder in Google and see what, if any, results came out of this. Basically, the US military got caught pulling all nasty sorts of shit, ie. diagnosing soldiers with personality disorders and dishonorably discharging them, when they have PTSD due to deployment, this way they don't have to treat the soldier or give them compensation.

 

[track108]

i saw this alot with me and my marines the personality disorders and lifelong depresion were always on the list as well as acute combat stress, we had 400 marines in my unit and not one had been diagnosed with ptsd, 400 marines in combat. From what ive read its like an average of 1 in 10 combatants will have ptsd so that means 40 ofbut they try to cover it up in the marine corps. We had one guy kill his 2 or 3 year old son cause he wouldnt stop crying, we all knew he had ptsd before it happened but they wouldnt help him its disgraceful and it infuriates me to be cast aside and told im just trying to soak up money, i dont even want the money i just want the help and maybe a therapist who is trained to help combat vets

 

[anthony]

I have to agree, that mentality from them is disgusting, to say the least.

and maybe a therapist who is trained to help combat vets

Whilst this doesn't fix the issue now, I am about to start my therapy diploma for credence only, to open as part of the PTSD Forum, an interapy site for self paced therapy and cheap consultation in conjunction with. That will be about 2 - 3 years away though unfortunately...

Whilst anyone can already provide counselling services, without qualification, I figure it best to have them for nothing other than credence for professionalism. I will only be helping PTSD, nothing else.

 

[femaleveteran]

I think you are going to be great at that Anthony. You really tell it like it is and you do not sugarcoat anything or try to baby any of us at all and I think that is the best part of the help I have gotten here from you as well as from OldAussie guy a and a few others. I do not like to be talked to as if I am some fragiel piece of ceramic pottery that might break anyway as that is never the way I was ever treated by anyone in life so I do not expect anyone to sstart now...there is a difference between compassion and empathy and being a enabler and allowing people to continue on in their bad habitual thinking I guess right? I might not enjoy it when people call me on my pity-parties but i know I like it because in the long run I suppsoe it will help me more than anything else. That is one of the things I like about talking to other veterans is the no-nonsense approach most of us tend to have. So good on ya for being one of the future good ones out there to be helping people. There are a few others from here who should get into the therapy thing as well I think because there a few who would probably make pretty good ones...not just you!

 

[No Folded Hands]

Another point is that some of us have both TBI and PTSD, whether officially diagnosed or not. Subtle differences from milder TBI can be overlapped by PTSD symptomology, as I understand it. It may only be possible to be certain of the TBI efects if the PTSD ever gets well enough under control that the overlapping portion of symptoms is in abeyance at times. But I don't undertsand why they don;t consider TBI a disability situation...neither TBI or PTSD is curable, but I haven't heard anything that can put TBI effects into abeyance at all. Do you know more about that, Anthony? (Or anyone else...)

 

[femaleveteran]

nothing at all has alleviated my TBI effects so far. The headaches are usually followed pretty closely by severe mood swings and changes in behavior (like I can behave very aggressively which is totally never been a part of my behavior before). I do not know if it is the headaches that are causing the mood changes or if they are just another part of the TBI and to be honest no doctor seems to know if they are separate symptoms or if they are related. Some think they are separate and others think the mood changes and behavioral changes are just because of the headaches getting so bad.

 

[abnvet]

I count my ptsd diagnosis as lucky. It took several years and a divorce for me to seek counseling. The luck was I found a doctor while I was still on active duty who took an abundance of notes and had experience being inserted in combat areas to talk with soldiers immediately after their experiences. This doctor submitted his notes to my medical file and I made many copies for myself before I separated. I had the VA rate me at 40% and have since had this increased to 60%. I see a counselor with the VetCenter (VA sponsored). I used to see him once a month but now its down to once every 2-3 months because of my work schedule. Its been 20 years since my experiences and I have come to terms that I need to talk about them.

 

[Sarg]

Abnvet,
I go to the Vet Center as well. Outstanding outfit, can't say enough good about them.

Anthony,
I thought they compensated for TBI? Or are they substantially compensating lower for a TBI diag. than they would for PTSD? I'm right with you on te stuff the VA pulls, it took me 30 years to be cmpensated at the 100% rate. I was originally diag. as 10% "anxiety disorder" in 1969.

As long aspeople like Dr. Norma Perez still work at the VA, things will never change.

Sarg

 

[Ted Moen]

There is a lot of misinformation concerning the VA. They do have their challenges, no doubt. But both TBI and PTSD are potentially elgible for compensation if the case meets the criteria. To be elgible for compensation, any condition must have been caused or aggravated while on active duty. Secondly, the condition must result in significant disruption of the veterans ability to work and function in the civilian world. The fact that a veteran has a condition doesn't mean anything of itself. First the veteran must show that it was caused or seriously aggravated while on active duty. If the veteran had the condition prior to active duty, they would have to document the extent of the condition prior to service, the aggravating incidents, and the extent of the condition post service. Similarly, the fact that the veteran has a condition and that it was caused or aggravated by the veteran's service does not necessarily entitle the person to compensation beyond treatment at a VAMC. The person must document that the condition itself disrupts their life, primarily their ability to be fully employed at a level appropriate to their education and abilities. And of course, to be elgible for any VA benefits the person must have an honorable or general under honerable conditions discharge.

In my twenty years of group therapy I helped a lot of veterans with their claims. Many had a problem proving they were involved in a qualifying situation. They seemed to feel the VA should just know. It doesn't. The person has to provide documentation. Many did not understand or make any attempt to show a connection between the incident(s) and the impact on their current situation (inability to work). They seemed to feel the VA should just know. It doesn't. Many had a problem interacting with the VA benefits administration. In group we coached people through the system.

I also know a lot of Veterans who I know to have ptsd and/or other service connected problems who are simply unwilling to present themselves for therapy and evaluation, in part due to their image of the VA. It is up to the person to present to the VA for evaluation and therapy and treatment. Or not.

Of course, a complicating factor for those of us with ptsd is a feeling that the institutions that should be supporting us ought to know and ought to facilitate the process and if they aren't willing to do what they ought to do, screw them. Any person with ptsd has to manage that feeling in order to get support.

Ted

 

[Kevin1]

I have been diagones by two VA doctors with PTSD..... BUt the comp and pen doctor said I was bipolar, and they denied my claim TWICE!!! The lawyers wont take my case , cause they said there wasnt enough time to get it ready before a appeal. This is the way our country repays us. I have a TBI rating to.