Military Mental Health Care

'Combat is one of life’s most significant traumatic events.' And in a manual that is both thorough and tender, the authors provide a splendid service to veterans, their families, and the mental health professionals who compassionately care for them. Recommendations and resources pertaining to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, anger management, suicide prevention, and drug abuse fill the book. An extensive presentation on posttraumatic stress disorder includes symptoms and various treatments of the problem. The discussion of traumatic brain injury—considered the 'signature wound' of the current war on terror—is adeptly handled. A stellar section on grieving reminds us that 'grief has its own time line' and comes in many forms: normal, pathological, acute traumatic, and complicated. Ways to aid bereaved military children are offered. A chapter on homelessness highlights a very sad situation: every night an estimated 67,000 veterans in America are homeless. The stigma surrounding mental health issues contributes to the silent suffering of veterans returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some feel shamed by their vulnerability; others feel guilt and blame themselves. This guide makes it clear that every veteran 'deserves to get better,' and highlights the various kinds of help available to military personnel. * Booklist, Starred Review *
Mental health help for vets is abundant, but finding the right resource in a time of crisis can be tricky. Therapist Lawhorne-Scott and journalist Philpott (the duo behind the forthcoming Wounded Warrior Handbook) abet that search for soldiers and their families in a unique reference that pulls together information on treatment and support for a range of post service psychological problems, from traumatic brain injury to substance abuse, anxiety, and sexual trauma. The authors present a particularly packed section on the treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder, including types of counseling, recent medical findings, and an exhaustive—and somewhat dense and technical—look at anger management, an issue affecting soldiers with PTSD at a higher rate than those without. The manual also includes a detailed guide for families to hold meetings designed to help each member—as well as the vet—and a plan for families to face the changes and expectations that arise with a returning soldier. Given the tens of thousands of soldiers coming home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan each month (a third of them with or likely to develop mental health problems), Lawhorne-Scott and Philpott’s guide is particularly timely. * Publishers Weekly *
Therapist Lawhorne-Scott and journalist Philpott (coauthors, The Wounded Warrior Handbook) state that 'one in three returning warriors has or is likely to develop serious mental health and/or psychological issues that make it difficult for them to adjust to a normal environment.' Directed at military service members, this is an easy-to-follow reference guide on mental health for returning veterans. Chapters cover problems (e.g., PTSD, head injuries), symptoms (e.g., stress, anger, depression), social issues (e.g., suicide, homelessness, family relationships), resilience, and wellness. Self-help sections include bulleted lists, suggested websites, and resources from the Veterans Administration and other service agencies. Each chapter is designed to stand alone, so there is some repetition; for example, anger appears as the subject of one chapter, while the information is duplicated in the chapter on PTSD. VERDICT A thorough starting point for families, veterans, and caregivers seeking information on military service–related mental health issues. * Library Journal *
The stigma of mental illness is one that, unfortunately, plagues current and former members of the military, as well as civilians. Yet those returning home from the trials and stresses of combat far too often also face depression, disconnection, isolation, anger, post-traumatic stress disorder, unemployment, poverty, substance abuse, divorce, grief, domestic abuse, homelessness, and suicide. The past decade has seen tens of thousands of Americans deployed in many theaters of war; some died, some came back physically wounded, and undoubtedly many more came back mentally wounded. As its subtitle indicates, Military Mental Health Care, by Lawhorne (clinical therapist) and Philpott (editor, International Homeland Security Journal), is designed to serve as a resource for "service members, veterans, families, and community." The various chapters deal with specific mental issues and are divided into useful, specific subsections. The book also has an excellent glossary and index. Considering its content and reasonable price, this book should be a useful resource for library and personal collections. It is a nice addition to the "Military Life" series, which includes, among other titles, Lawhorne, Philpott, and J. Hill's The Wounded Warrior Handbook (2nd ed., CH, Jul'12, 49-6037). Summing Up: Recommended. * CHOICE *
Mental illness in the military is a critical issue discussed regularly on television, radio, and newspapers. . . . Mental health clinicians will benefit from the book’s description of agencies, services, and self-help groups for military personnel with mental health problems. ... Military Mental Health Care is a good place to start for those interested in mental health problems relevant to the military (e.g., post-traumatic stress). Military Mental Health Care is a practical guide for those who want to understand the specific mental health problems most frequently suffered in the military. Each chapter provides quick, concise information on a specific mental health topic and how ultimately to receive more information. This text, like other texts, is not a replacement for professional mental health care nor does it purport to be. The book, however, is useful to any lay person trying to understand mental illness in the military. * North American Social Science Review *
Military Mental Health Care is an excellent resource for mental health organizations and veterans groups. With the statistic of every soldier who gets killed in the line of duty, 25 soldiers die of their own hand, a lot more needs to be done to help our returning warriors! The introduction in this book tells us that 1 out of 3 returning veterans needs some kind of mental health care. Not only are these soldiers struggling, but the problems spiral out to include wives, children, and our community. ... This book works as a reference book with easy to locate chapters in a time of crisis. For example, anxiety, PTSD, depression, stress, sexual trauma, grief, anger and several other problems are all completely covered by chapter. As a worker for NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), we are constantly on the look-out for books of this nature to help our clientele. Instead of having to read an entire book to get the help you need, you can locate the chapter that you need at the present time. ... I think this book would be a very beneficial book to have in offices such as NAMI, Mental Health of America and organizations that do counseling for our returning soldiers. * Goodreads *
From the foreword: While prevention will always be the ultimate goal, unfortunately in our line of work that is sometimes unavoidable. We define resiliency as having the ability to overcome adversity or setback, rebound from an incident and return to a renewed level of optimal performance. I think you will find that our various resiliency programs provide valuable resources in overcoming adversity and building resiliency in the mind, body, and spirit. As you read through these chapters, it will be evident that resiliency plays a critical role in all phases of the process from initial injury/incident through rehabilitation to sustaining optimality. . . . Stay Fit! Stay Strong! Stay Resilient! -- Sgt. Major Bryan Battaglia, Senior Enlisted Officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon