We’ve received a lot of response about last week’s show, “Heroes in Pain,” which focused on the epidemic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition that torments so many lives, including soldiers who’ve put their lives on the line serving our country. Some viewers expressed concern, and even disappointment, with the show’s original title, “Heroes to Monsters?” Our intent was to acknowledge the question so often cited in the media, not to make a statement, and to emphasize the severity of the pain and suffering our guests say they experience. In doing so, we unintentionally offended some of our viewers, and have therefore changed the title to more accurately reflect the show’s content.
I’m glad the show stirred so many of you to respond. Our goal is, and always will be, to call attention to the challenges our returning soldiers face, including PTSD. I really wanted you to hear firsthand the effects that PTSD can have on war heroes and their families, and I’m grateful to our guests for being so candid and honest about their experiences. I hope other media outlets will join us in talking openly about these challenges and our need as a society to respond with compassionate action. Two of my three sisters married fighter pilots (Vietnam era), and my nephew flew many missions as a Navy fighter pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, so the lives of our veterans hits very close to home.
The stories our guests shared last week told of the realities of PTSD, and I hope, stressed the need for both awareness and treatment — not only for the veterans reliving the nightmares of what they saw in battle, but for their parents, spouses and children as well. I will never forget what our guest Beth confided about the day her son Mathew returned from Iraq. “I looked at him and became paralyzed,” she said “I just knew from his very faraway, dark look on his face that our own private war had just begun.”
It’s estimated that post-traumatic stress problems affect at least one in five veterans who’ve served in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s especially significant among soldiers who’ve served multiple tours; many of whom are getting treatment, but others are still falling through the cracks. Here’s a figure that just stuns me: For every soldier killed on the battlefield this year, about 25 veterans are dying by their own hand.
I couldn’t be more proud of the team here at Dr. Phil for being so passionate about raising awareness and offering solutions. Over the last several years, we’ve taken on the VA and other agencies, and we’ll continue to do so. It’s critical that those who serve our country and keep us safe receive the best and most comprehensive treatment available.
For this show, we called on everyone to pay attention to this very real, typically brain injury-based disorder. And we brought in the best of the best to help shed light on treatments, including Dr. Frank Lawlis, one of the leading PTSD experts in the world. I encourage you to check out his book, The PTSD Breakthrough, and download — for free — his PTSD program, Retraining Your Thoughts, by clicking here. Both provide valuable information to help you understand how the brain works, its anatomy and how it can be fixed after a traumatic event that leads to PTSD.
I also encourage you to check out the deep and relevant resources available on DrPhil.com. It’s a disgrace that so many of our veterans are suffering, sometimes alone, the unintended consequences of their heroism. Let’s educate ourselves and work together so they suffer no more, and I personally pledge to continue to support our men and women who stand in harm’s way so that we may live in a peaceful democracy.
We are a Military Family of five. One Soldier (Erik-combat medic), me, and three teenagers who are still living at home. Erik returned from Afghanistan last July, with four LODs including one for PTSD, and this was his 4th deployment in 10 years. The deployment was difficult&however post-deployment has been equally challenging, if not sometimes more. This topic regarding PTSD&is our reality. We are living it. And Erik is one of those Soldiers who has fallen through the cracks , on more than one occasion. Honestly, I find it impossible to even try to sort everything out enough to put it into words on this blog. To sum it up (which is not even doing our reality justice)&I can say with 100% certainty, that not only does Erik need counseling, but our entire family needs counseling. I have so much to say, and so many emotions about this&that I could just explode on this blog&but it would all just end up being a mess because I do not have a clue where to begin. Thanks for listening! And thank you Dr. Phil, for confronting this issue for the soldiers. Somebody needs to put a stop to this trend&for the soldiers, and their families. Every single soldier, fallen or still fighting, has sacrificed their life for our Country&because we lose a large part of them, every time they deploy. God Bless.
I wished I had seen this episode. I know my brother has been diagnosed with PTSD after a tour in Iraq. I also my believe my husband suffers from it after 22 yrs of being a volunteer fireman and 18 yrs as a police officer. He has seen a lot as well. He recently lost his job and benefits so now we are unable to get him any medical help.
I was diagnosed with PTSD after a car accident. Let me tell you first hand it is not fun. If you suspect someone having PTSD you need to do everything in your power to make sure they get the help they need. Its been years since Ive been diagnosed, and its gotten better, but I still deal with it every time I get in a vehicle. I recognized that I needed help. I was lucky to have family to support me and friends who were willing to be there when I needed them most.
I suffer from Chronic PTSD after suffering a breakdown while working in the Perth Central Law Courts in Western Australia. I spent 9 weeks in the Hollywood Hospital where they specialise in PTSD and was told that I just have anxiety! This was to cover up the company Sodexo not doing anything about the blatant abuse and sexual harassment that was being dealt to the female officers by their own colleagues. I was even deliberately shut in a cell with maximum security prisoners by a fellow officer and he received a promotion instead of being charged and I was demoted&despite the fact that I had followed due procedure and had 2 officers supposedly holding the door while I rescued an inmate who had self harmed and was unconscious. Thankfully, the other inmates knew that I was helping their mate and that the officer who pushed the door shut was the one in the wrong. 6 months after that I witnessed the death of another female officer, and 6 months after the Inquest of which I had to appear as a witness for the company I just stopped! I have no memory from then to when I ended up in hospital, lost 37 kilos in that 3 months, have terrible flash backs to this day& and yet they said I only have anxiety! The world of MAN is so corrupt that I now add Man Hating Heterosexual to the list of my problems.
Dr Phil I saw your program on PTSD and it is a long time coming. It should be shown to each and every veteran since WW II. There needs to be something available for the Spouses, the children, and the families that are left behind while the soldier is in harms way. The military has resources they could provide to those at risk of having that soldier return with PTSD. As you stated, it is as important that the families go through some informational training as it is for the soldier themselves. I for one still have problems with personal relationships. I chose not to remarry since divorced in 1980. The reason: I do not play well with others of closeness. If I am around (close) to someone for a period of time they seem to take an exit. Why because of my attitude, my feelings, my nights of waking up and not being able to sleep, the self medication with alcohol, my not being capable of viewing anything as being permanent, my having a problem not being angry and not being able to control that anger. (I am not talking about physical abuse, but mental abuse&it sucks) as you know mental abuse is not good&&it doesnt get better&&&
I would like to Thank You for your show on PTSD as it helps to bring the awareness of a very serious issue in this country for both our veterans and many others. We all need the awareness because people going through this dont always have the realization that they need help. For our veterans it seems unless they themselves request the help then the VA refuses to admit it. My 26 year old son spent 5 years in the Marine Corps. He was and is a great guy. Will do anything for anyone. But he fails to do for himself. He has a minimal part time job. His drinking is a huge concern as he admits he has a problem but can solve it on his own when he wants he says. He has tried, it hasnt worked. I spend almost every night in fear of the phone or someone coming to the door to say he is dead. He has threatened to kill his father a few times. We tried to get him help but the VA says they have to talk to him and that he needs to call them. While in the service, his closest friend was killed, not in action. Then while on a ship in the Persian Gulf I had to let him know that his brother was diagnosed with cancer. Nine months later we had to get him home on family emergency as his brother died. He is so lost it seems. He doesnt know which way to turn except to the alcohol. He mentioned to me the other night that when he walks into a bar he doesnt think about what he is going to dring. The first thing he does is figures out how he can kill everyone that is in there. I am scared. I feel I will certainly lose him either to a tragic death, suicide, or prison. PTSD is very serious and is taking a huge toll, not just on the person suffering it but also on their families who also suffer from it then. I dont know what the answers are but hopefully there will be some coming soon.
Ive been married to a USMC Combat Vietnam Veteran for 38 years. The one thing you said in your show was that PTSD is just as if they had lost an arm or leg. We know thats true but for the combat vet, it is not. My husband was in Vietnam in 1968-69. It took him until the late 1990s to seek help from the VA for PTSD. He still had both arms and both legs and did not want to take away from those that did loose thier limbs. Thats how he thought since his wounds were not visible. It wasnt until he came across a few other USMC Vietnam Vets that spoke with him and talked him into getting the help he needed. The first 11 years of our marriage was hell due to his drinking. Then he quit drinking and life was good until after 9/11 then he started again. So thats what were dealing with now.
Thank you for this Dr. Phil, you lifted a weight, even though you never intended to lay it.
This is for Felicia. I served in Vietnam 68-69 in the army. You struck a nerve when you said your husband had a relapes due to 9-11. After the end of my second marriage and many years single,I was on my third marriage, I thought i had a good handle on things, I did not know my problem was PTSD. Then I was down town Oklahoma city three blocks from the Murrah building when it was blown up. It really messed me up, My third wife said youve changed , It wasnt until I picked up a phamplet about PTSD that I realized I had all the symptoms. Lucky for me i found one of the leading doctors here in okc. Still under treatment doing well. Tell your husband not to feel guilty for taking money from the VA. They owe it to us&
Dr Phil I urge you to please do another show. This show while needed would have been better to do as a 2 or 3 episode series showing not only the dark struggles of PTSD, but also the veterans who have been in that dark place but are getting better. You also need to include more on from the spouses about how their options are limited for getting help before the situtation escalates to extreme violence.
Dear Dr. Phil, I thought of writing you many times for many reasons and though I have not yet watched the show(i still have it saved on my dvr) this is the one thats done it. My brother Kenny served in the first Gulf war he was in a mechanized unit First ones in and all and though there was not a lot of fighting he was almost killed by a bullet that was accidentally shot from another soldiers gun and he saw his share of a lot anyway there a year. He was never the type that should have went into the Army he didnt believe in guns but Half my family on my dads cousins side were all military and my cousins husband was a recruiter and recruited him and my other cousin with an understanding that they would get Germany (we are German) and such. Well his brother in law(the recruiters did) and my brother got a year on the DMZ A year in Saudi (I digress) to make my father proud. He never felt that he could do anything to make him proud and boy was he proud now. His son the soldier. My brother was diagnosed with PTSD finally after years of going to the V.A. I went on almost every visit and he had therapy 1 time a month for about 3 months. Then He almost O. D.ed on ambien. I knew he had just got them the day before and during the night he had taken 14. He never could sleep. He went to a 3 day place here called New Hoizons and was released because he had a v.a. shrink. They took him off the ambien but the Xanax was then raised. My brother died 13 days before his 45th birthday, 1 week before Christmas. It was not an intentional suicide he just took to many for him and stopped breathing. Here is my question, you said family members can also suffer from PTSD. I looked in his room that morning early and he was sitting cross legged on the floor with a blanket wrapped around him and was sleeping with the T.V. In front of him or so I thought. I was happy he was sleeping. A few hours later when I knew he should be up I went to check on him and he was in the exact same position and I touched his cheek to say Kenny, time to get up and he was Ice cold. I knew right away he was dead. He had color,even the funeral home said he needed no make up. Things from there are a blur and I am happy I don.t remember When we layed him down I saw the blood pooled on his stomach though my son says he was told to try mouth to mouth, by 911. There was no service for my moms sake she blamed the army for how he was and wanted nothing from them and there will probably never be another Christmas, Dr. Phil after this amount of time I dont expect the grief to be gone. I never expect that but I think you can imagine the quilt I feel for not waking him sooner. I know its not rational. But I still live it everyday. I saved his life when I was 5 and he had climbed with his highchair and got the baby asprin and ate the whole bottle. I asked my parents could he have that&go to later as he is having his stomach pumped. I saved him once but I could not save him a sec. time, I feel that as much crisis as he was in the v.a. should have had him in 3 days a week, everyday whatever it takes. Maybe they are getting it now but its a bit to late for Kenny. Do you think it is possible that I may have PTSD? I never really allowed myself to grieve because I thought my mother would die from this. I really dont know what I want from you except to tell you about the funniest, cutest brother a girl could have and he has left me alone. Thanks for listening, yours truley Karen Hartman.
Dr. Phil, All thou I applaud you for doing a show about combat stress and PTSD the damage you did cannot be reversed. By calling the show Heroes to Monsters the stigma of this condition is fed and results in people not wanting to get help. Monsters&how could you use this word. I am a combat nurse who was at the top of her profession never thinking I would end up with PTSD after my deployment. Although I had PTSD, at no time was I a monster . These kind of words do more harm as far as I am concern. This continues to feed the notion of all veterans with PTSD are out of control, are violent, and we should be afraid . Yes, ask someone what you feel about a monster? It is not empathy but fear. Shame on you again for using such poor judgement with you words. I now am an advocate for our veterans who are trying to reintegrate back into this country. I speak out on this subject because so many of us who have this cant be in public, speak out about our condition, and try to get the VA to provide quality care so these heroes can go on with life. But everyday we face this prejudice. Look at what is happening down here in San Diego with the Aspire clinic. This is a treatment center for PTSD and TBI for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It will be one of the few centers that will really focus on providing holistic care for these veterans but their is a fight in the community because they dont want these monsters (your words) in their community, right next to a school. Your words hurt and will give them all the backing to say that we are monsters who should be feared.
I myself&.my husband and many people I know live with ptsd&..I am raising awareness through education. I also have an ever ribbon in place. The other 99% of veterans that were not on Dr.phils show are not all monsters and shouldnt be feared as scary people we are human and need help and support from others even a simple thank you goes a long wayand we never forget it!
I forgot to mention all money raised goes to the va for educational awareness for veterans and civilians.
Dear Dr. Phil, I personally do not approve of this, Your title Heros To Monsters is disrespectful, Please Tell me, who are you to say anything about a soldier with PTSD, Have you ever lived with somebody who has it, do you have anybody in your family with it.? Its a very difficult thing to deal with & you probably have no clue about it, i understand if you would like to understand how it feels to have somebody close to you suffer from PTSD, but how dare you call a soldier a monster, Our men & women out there serving there country so you can talk on tv, so you have the freedom of speech, and you dare call them a monster. How about instead of makeing a tv show, why dont you go visit one of the countries medical centers that are taking care of our wounded soldiers & then write a show about it. My step father, deployed last year on my birthday & had a son on the way, he got hurt december 22 2010 & has been in the medical treatment center since, he lost both his legs & some fingers, the docters say he may have a small amount of PTSD, so i know what its like, liveing at the medical treatment center & being around these people. They are not monsters, they may be hurt but they are still human beings with feelings, & im not a wonder soldier & i take offence to the things youve said, imagine how they feel. Just because your famous gives you NO right to talk down on somebody, all these soldiers need is some love & caring, somebody there to help.. not call them monsters. Think of it like this, there was an American, & he decided we had to go to war, now because of one persons decision we have loved ones & friends coming home hurt, because they want to protect whats rifally theres, all im saying is your show was ignorant & very uneducated in many subjects, Thank You, Jill
Dr. Phil, Thank you so much for addressing PTSD. I really tried to convince my husband that we should contact you regarding this serious issue. After his deployment to Iraq he, and our whole family have dealt with this horrible consequence of war. I would like to know if there are resources that I could check into for myself and our children. They are older but are definitely aware of what their dad is going through. I think spouses and children need to seek help also. Our soldiers have lots of treatments and help for them to attempt to deal with PTSD but it is more difficult to find help for ourselves and our children. Thanks so much for all you do!
I think its great you changed the title .. honestly I feel it shows the ignorance and insensitivity that our heroes and their families go through on a daily basis even with the military in which they served!!! Working with Veterans everyday helping those who get no help from their own branch of service, VA.& our Government, they turn their backs on our heroes and treat them like old used up combat boots and that is a disgrace .. they had our backs & we as a nation need to have theirs! & if the show want to continue to bring things to light look into the issues within the military and the WTU, if someone truly cares they will and bring the issues to the nation because thats not something they want done & a great book about What PTSD does to a family had been written by shawn gourley The war at home I suggest u look at it, it could help a lot of our heroes.
Yes I am to offended by the title heroes to monsters. I am one of your biggest fans but very disappointed in the examples you had on your show. Especially the mother who bated seeing her son walk thru her door! You should have chewed her and his girlfriend for their lack of support and trying to be an advocate for this man. My son did 2 tours and came home alive but with ptsd. We didnt know what it was but we educated ourselves. He stayed in our home to recover and just get therapy. You didnt mention what families should do. What is available through the va. Columbus Ohio has the best OIF/OEF program. My son has been going thrum intense therapy for 2 year. He is back in school made the deans list and starting an internship in a juvenile detention center. He is a success and we should be sharing stories like this to give hope and help to our soldiers. President Obama and Michelle and his team are standing with us to support our soldiers and I know you and Robin will too. Show the success of our soldiers they deserve our respect and support. A mother who is proud of her successful son who showed the strenght to seek help from his loved ones and the VA.
Dr Phil, I think your title for the show, Heros to Monsters is ironic when it comes to my story. The headlines to a local newspaper read, MY SON IS NOT A MONSTER. My son is an Iraqian Vet. He done three tours but his last deployment destroyed so many lives. On April 6, 2009 got was arrested for fatally shooting two people and seriously injuring another. He has been in solitary confinement since that day. Last month his case went to court and he just got sentenced three days ago. Two life sentencing and a few more years for other things. Three years ago Nick got a medical discharge because of his PTSD. He was collecting 100% disability because his problems were that severe. In fact, during his last deployment, only after being in Iraq for a couple of months he started having problem. He was hospitalized a few times, his weapon was taken from him, but the last one was because he totally lost it. After a few days in the hospital he was sent back to the states and weeks later was discharged. Months before he deployed he was in counciling and getting medical treatment. I seen Nick pack up for his deployment and he had at least 8 bottles of pills that the doctor prescribed. When I questioned him about them he said one was for anxiety, one was for depression, one was for hypertention and&.. These were mostly new drugs that he never took. The doctor wanted him to stay in the states for an extra month to be sure he would be okay without side effects or whatever, but the Army said NO! It was obvious Nick wasnt ready to do this again but he went. And thats when the problems started. After his discharge he moved close to home but in a town where there was a VA hospital because he knew it was going to be a long road back to normalcy. We had no idea how bad he was mentally but it didnt take long. This wasnt my son. It wasnt the son the Army took from me. The very few times we did see Nick he acted as though we were strangers. He would have a HOLLOW look in his eyes. He would argue and refuse to let us see his children. We found out later that he had guns hidden all over his house, under couch pillows, under beds, in his garage, in the basement. He also had a gun permit so needless to say he carried one on his person and he would go in his basement, stand in a corner and just cry. He had trouble going in public, shopping, socializing with friends and family. After reading Nicks medical reports from the VA it stated that he asked to be placed as an in-patient in the VA hospital but was told we will discuss it at your next appointment (which was a month later). Nicks next appointment never came. A week before was when the shooting rampage happened. To think this all could have been prevented!!! Nick and his wife got into an argument at a Walmart and he jumped out of the car and disappeared. He went to a bowling alley, had some pizza and beer and somewhere along the way he went into a deleriem. He went a few blocks away and started shooting the back of a Subway Shop. He did a few other strange things like disconnecting the power, shooting out power meters but then he got into the shop and thats where he shot two people, they say he robbed them with a total of $130. He then walked out of the shop, went a few block more and shot another man. This tragedy is the worse nightmare a family could ever have. Two innocent people are dead, another wounded. As selfish as this might sound, we two have lost something our son. My daughters lost their baby brother, and my two grandbabies lost their loving father. Nick has lost many things. Not only did he lose his life, he lost his children and his wife to another man only months after this happened. She is a nurse and reassured us that she was taking good care of Nick and we didnt have to worry. She kept the truth from us. We never knew how serious Nicks illness was until we got his medical records. Everything was in black and white. The court denied Nick to plead insanity even though he has PTSD and the VA had him addicted and loaded with drugs. He still cant remember anything that happened that day and I feel that is a blessing because I know Nick could never live with himself he he could. Nicks passion in life was LIFE. He is sweet, kind and caring. He always has a way to make your day a little brighter, a little sweeter. This was nothing that my son is made of. This would have never, ever happened if Nick wouldnt have seen war or if he would have gotten the proper care. Our soldies give it their all and get nothing in their time of need. God Bless all our soldiers and vets for everything you gave for all of us. Please, if there is anyone out there who feels they need help, please find it and dont give up. I would never want this to happen to anyone or any family ever again. If this happened to Nick, it could happen to anyone. Thank you Dr Phil for trying to educate our country.
People need to know that the PTSD that our veterans have are due to prolonged traumatic events and not just one single event that a person would experience. People who claim or have been diagnoised with PTSD that have never served in combat are just not in the same league. As spouse of a Vietnam Combat veteran I know the difference.