Doctors have incentive to diagnose PTSD, and the VA has incentive to expand the roles. And if you pay disability for it, then vets have incentive to claim it.
No one has incentive to reject PTSD claims, unless it is pride.
My Dad had nightmares for years, and never told anyone what they were about. Heck, it wasn’t until years after his death that my MOM told us he had them at all - but he was a very successful officer, husband and father.
My Uncle John had 3 ships sunk out from under him, and did the 2 days in the North Atlantic with no clue how he survived - he also was a successful father and businessman.
And yes, I’ve met vets of Iraq & Afghanistan (BTW, I flew combat over Iraq and did a ground tour in Afghanistan) who discussed how to maximize their benefits. SOME people in Iraq and Afghanistan truly went through very traumatic experiences, but not all that many. My son in law, like my Dad, has some things he refuses to talk about, but he also refuses to ‘try’ for PTSD.
Are you confident in your assertion that the there is an incentive to diagnose PTSD?
Let me know after you read this.
Here’s a letter from the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (“CREW”) and VoteVets.org that alleged that “a mental health professional on the VAstaff told staff members to refrain from diagnosing PTSD and consider instead the alternativeand less costly diagnosis of adjustment disorder.”
http://www.scribd.com/doc/52001426/CREW-v-Army-Re-PTSD-Diagnoses-5-28-08-VA-IG-Letter-Final
As a former VA psychologist, let me clear the air. We (not psychiatrists who only push pills) provide differential diagnoses that the VA evaluates to determine Service Connection disability. We have an incentive to differentiate legitimate from phony PTSD claims because the phony claims take money away from those who legitimately suffer. As in any field, some are better than others when it comes to getting at the truth.
The problem with anecdotes and layman opinions is that it often doesn’t stand up to scientific scrutiny.
I’ll not argue against any of your personal military experiences, but instead offer up to you a RAND report about a research study done on PTSD, Major Depression, and TBI. It’s very illuminating, and it might change your mind about your perception on PTSD.
Enjoy!
Invisible Wounds of War -
Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.pdf