PTSD and Carrying a Firearm

[Titan6]

We were made to watch a film on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with a military shrink yesterday.

In the film a service member had returned from theater and was having issues coping with the return to US life. We were asked to point out all of the danger signs that indicated that the soldier was suffering from PTSD. Well I missed a big old clue that someone else pointed out which is that service member was carrying a loaded pistol at all times whenever he would go somewhere.

-Sigh-

So the shrink says ''When in theater you need to carry a weapon with you at all times. Here in the states there is no enemy so you don't need to do that''. The temptation to talk was nearly overwhelming but I kept it zipped up, after all I am not a medical professional and all.

So if I understand this what they are saying that the desire to carry a weapon could be an indicator of mental illness?

 

[GRIZ22]

This reminds me of a health survey we had to fill out when taking our physical. Among other things it asked us if we owned firearms. After taking the survey I was informed that I should avoid firearms. This was when the Soviet Union was still around and I might be sent into a chemical or nuclear environment against a country with more tanks and more artillery than us.

 

[BADUNAME13]

Yea, I had to go to PTSD 'councling' when I got back. They tried to tell me I had PTSD... they pulled the "You 'feel the need' to carry a gun around now don't you?"

I told the group: "I carried a gun every day BEFORE I went to Iraq!

...They didn't know what to say.

 

[Pilgrim]

It's only Ok to carry a weapon 24/7 when it is under 'their' blessing and control.

Pilgrim

 

[mek42]

It would be better to phrase this as "You think you will need to use the weapon every day," rather than "You think you need to have the weapon available every day."

 

[thexrayboy]

So the shrink says ''When in theater you need to carry a weapon with you at all times. Here in the states there is no enemy so you don't need to do that''.

I can think of some places in Detroit, NY, So Central LA, etc. etc. that this
moron needs to spend some time in. He should be forced to walk ever street in every gang infested barrio unarmed before he has the right to even consider making a statement that stupid.

 

[Titan6]

I am not quite sure I understand what the issue is. I know that you do not need to veer away from every pile of trash on the side of the road here in the states and stuff like that but as someone else pointed out if you carries before what difference does it make now? I would say not carrying if you carried before might be construed as a symptom...

A little paranoia is a healthy thing, especially when so many stories begin with ''I never thought it would happen here...''.