CaptainPledge, I hope I never have to go through an event that would cause it. But if I did, I would certainly seek treatment. Don’t make the fallacy of thinking that because I don’t think you can get PTSD from getting arrested and taken to court means that a) I don’t think PTSD exists, that b) it isn’t a serious mental health issue or that c) it COULD have occurred in this kid.
What I fear is that mental health diagnoses are thrown about willy nilly, cheapened by people who don’t actually know what the causes / symptoms of mental health diseases are and therefore actually harm those with the disease by lessening their seriousness. In all honesty, it hurts people who actually have PTSD to get lumped in with someone who doesn’t but it is hoping to collect on an emotional damages verdict in a civil suit.
I have seen mental health issues get thrown about by my clients all the time. “I have ADHD, I’m bi-polar, I’m depressed.” And they are a) undiagnosed b) not in treatment, or c) have no basis for the claim. And then I have clients who ARE diagnosed and in treatment and sometimes it appears to be bad parenting or drug seeking behavior on behalf of the person instead of true mental health issues. Both of those approaches HARM people with mental illness because it’s harder to identify people who actually have the issues when EVERYONE has them.
Diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues, hell, even ASKING for help, is a very difficult process. I just get angry when I see something that I just can’t jibe with the science and it gets thrown around flippantly. In my opinion, it harms those who really need the help and those with the actual diagnosis.
