The Battle Continues When Soldiers Return from Iraq Essay -- Mental Il

The Battle Continues When Soldiers Return from Iraq Even though Jimmy Massey, a former U.S. solider in Iraq, was pulled out of the war almost two years ago, it remains at the center of his life. On May 15, 2003 Massey was flown back stateside and though he lives a life without bullets and tanks, he now fights off terrible nightmares, constant anxiety, and bouts of depression. Massey, 34, was a marine for almost 12 years before he was deployed to Iraq during the initial U.S. invasion. There he witnessed the shooting of more than 30 innocent civilians and his thoughts of war transformed forever. Massey was honorably discharged from the military with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and suffered major depression. Despite being called a coward by his superiors Massey, with the help of his wife Jackie, sought the mental health treatment he needed. The Massey’s search for assistance proved not to be a simple task. â€Å"At first all he did was see therapists. It took us about six months to get him set up through the Veterans Administration to get his medicine and start therapy. There is such a huge waiting list that he doesn't get to go to therapy as often as he would like but I guess at this point something is better than nothing,† his wife, Jackie said. There have been times when the Massey’s feel they are fighting an uphill battle with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Because there is no cure for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Massey will likely be in need of treatment for all his life. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that develops after a person experiences a horrific or traumatic event. More specifically, the term Combat PTSD was developed after Vietnam, even though the condition h... ...holism and PTSD go hand in hand and the VA Hospital made a terrible mistake that day,† Lessin said. MFSO never want a situation like Jeffery Lucey’s to occur again. Through working with organizations like MFSO and educating people about PTSD, people like the Massey’s hope the system can make progress within the system. Jackie Massey believes the blame should not only lie on the VA Hospital, but on the huge lack of funding and lack of staff. The VA reported that in 2003 almost 200,000 veterans were on waiting lists to receive health care. â€Å"I am working right now to make some changes. I want to have a database of therapists and doctors who will offer their services to returning soldiers for free or reduced costs so that these men and women can receive treatment outside the military. I think that is a very important key in the whole process,† Jackie Massey said.