"It requires a bit of witchcraft and sorcery to define Personality Disorder or to diagnose that in the troubled person. A recruit goes through several medical-type exams before he/she actually gets into the service. If that person is the slightest bit "flakey" they won't even get in. Basic Training is a real "Ball Buster" and if any recruit doesn't seem to have some of the order taking gung ho personality to be a real soldier or marine he/she will NEVER get through that training. Even after that they are still under surveillance and can "flunk out" any time." (Leveque 2012)
A note on the DOD and VA official policy on Axis II personality disorders, as the DOD and Department of Veteran's Affairs understand them. This is taken from the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Post-Traumatic Stress: (Page 84)
Personality Disorders: Personality disorders are long-term problems of coping that begin in childhood or adolescence and are often associated with past abuse or neglect and recurrent relationship problems. These patterns often result in poor adherence to prescribed PTSD management, and the primary care provider may require early assistance and advice from the mental healthcare provider.
A primary care provider should remain cautious of a personality disorder diagnosis when PTSD is a known or suspected diagnosis. In some instanced PTSD can be attributed to a Personality Disorder. A mistaken personality disorder diagnosis can lead to delays in treatment for PTSD. Poor adherence to treatment can indicate a personality disorder but it also may indicate a patient that was sexually assaulted on active duty and the assault was not appropriately investigated by the chain of command. (End)
A Personality Disorder Diagnosis is a prima fascia anathema to effective treatment. They are often given too early, with too little evidence, and with overlapping data for a PTSD diagnosis. If a veteran or service member is given a Borderline or other Axis II diagnosis there is a nexus for a trauma they should find out where that doctor is licensed and file an ethics complaint. They should also complain all the way up that doctor's chain of command. That veteran should contact their Congressional Representative and ask for an investigation on the clinic that gave the diagnosis. The next abused veteran may kill them selves and that veteran deserves the gift of life after service and they deserve fulfillment after trauma.
Stay tuned for
more on how to help veterans survive mistreatment at the Department of Veterans
Affairs.We are greater than what happened to us.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
