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May 13, 2009 4:58 pm US/Central
Mental Health Treatment Needed For Servicemembers
Marianne Martinez
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images
It's been about two years since Stephanie Saunders lost her brother, Jason. "The worst day of our life," she said of the event.
Jason was shot and killed at the Glenn Heights home of a woman he had recently met. Stephanie talked about how a man killed Jason. "He shot my brother twice, military style."
The gunman, who also killed himself, was the woman's ex-boyfriend. After her brother's death Stephanie learned the shooter was also a Marine who was Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).
When Stephanie learned of the shooting at a Baghdad stress clinic on Monday, it reminded her of what happened to her brother. "It's still unreal. Every day is a new day of denial."
At the VA North Texas, doctors say mental health treatment is more accessible than ever, but it can be tough for veterans to admit they need it.
"Often times, there is still a great deal of stigma about accessing mental health services," explained Dr. Lia Thomas, a psychiatrist who treats veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. "No one expects to be shot at; nobody expects to see their friend get harmed."
Dr. Thomas also said there is an increased risk of having mental health issues when servicemen and women go through multiple tours of duty. According to Dr. Thomas, while depression is common, there are also programs to prevent suicide and other violence.
Despite the resources available Stephanie said more intervention is needed to prevent other families from going through her pain. "We owe them more than what they're getting," Stephanie said sadly. "They deserve more mental health treatment."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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