When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home: How All of Us Can Help Veterans (The MIT Press)

A psychologist's impassioned call to stop labeling our traumatized war veterans as mentally ill and a guide to how every citizen can help returning vets.Traumatized veterans returning from our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are often diagnosed as suffering from a psychological disorder and prescribed a regimen of psychotherapy and psychiatric drugs. But why, asks psychologist Paula J. Caplan in this impassioned book, is it a mental illness to be devastated by war? What is a mentally healthy response to death, destruction, and moral horror? In When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home, Caplan argues that the standard treatment of therapy and drugs is often actually harmful. It adds to veterans'burdens by making them believe wrongly that they should have'gotten over it'; it isolates them behind the closed doors of the therapist's office; and it makes them rely on often harmful drugs. The numbers of traumatized veterans from past and present wars who continue to suffer demonstrate the ineffectiveness of this approach.Sending anguished veterans off to talk to therapists, writes Caplan, conveys the message that the rest of us don't want to listen—or that we don't feel qualified to listen. As a result, the truth about war is kept under wraps. Most of us remain ignorant about what war is really like—and continue to allow our governments to go to war without much protest. Caplan proposes an alternative: that we welcome veterans back into our communities and listen to their stories, one-on-one. (She provides guidelines for conducting these conversations.) This would begin a long overdue national discussion about the realities of war, and it would start the healing process for our returning veterans. Traumatized Veterans Returning From Our Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan Are Often Diagnosed As Suffering From A Psychological Disorder And Prescribed A Regimen Of Psychotherapy And Psychiatric Drugs. But Why, Asks The Author, A Psychologist In This Book, Is It A Mental Illness To Be Devastated By War? What Is A Mentally Healthy Response To Death, Destruction, And Moral Horror? In This Book The Author Argues That The Standard Treatment Of Therapy And Drugs Is Often Actually Harmful. It Adds To Veterans' Burdens By Making Them Believe Wrongly That They Should Have Gotten Over It; It Isolates Them Behind The Closed Doors Of The Therapist's Office; And It Makes Them Rely On Often Harmful Drugs. The Numbers Of Traumatized Veterans From Past And Present Wars Who Continue To Suffer Demonstrate The Ineffectiveness Of This Approach. Sending Anguished Veterans Off To Talk To Therapists, The Author Writes, Conveys The Message That The Rest Of Us Don't Want To Listen, Or That We Don't Feel Qualified To Listen. As A Result, The Truth About War Is Kept Under Wraps. Most Of Us Remain Ignorant About What War Is Really Like, And Continue To Allow Our Governments To Go To War Without Much Protest. Here The Author Proposes An Alternative: That We Welcome Veterans Back Into Our Communities And Listen To Their Stories, One-on-one; And She Provides Guidelines For Conducting These Conversations. This Would Begin A Long Overdue National Discussion About The Realities Of War, And It Would Start The Healing Process For Our Returning Veterans. -- From Book Jacket. When Johnny And Jane Come Marching Home: The Problem -- Being A Veteran -- There's Only So Much Emotional Carnage Of War That Therapists Can Fix -- The Wrong Responses Begin: What The Military Is Doing While Johnny And Jane Are Over There And Why It's Not Enough -- What The Va Is Doing Once Johnny And Jane Are Home And Why It's Not Enough -- What Every Citizen Can Do To Help -- This Matters Desperately. Paula J. Caplan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [227]-272) And Index. A psychologist's impassioned call to stop labeling our traumatized war veterans as mentally ill and a guide to how every citizen can help returning vets. Traumatized veterans returning from our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are often diagnosed as suffering from a psychological disorder and prescribed a regimen of psychotherapy and psychiatric drugs. But why, asks psychologist Paula J. Caplan in this impassioned book, is it a mental illness to be devastated by war? What is a mentally healthy response to death, destruction, and moral horror? In When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home , Caplan argues that the standard treatment of therapy and drugs is often actually harmful. It adds to veterans' burdens by making them believe wrongly that they should have "gotten over it"; it isolates them behind the closed doors of the therapist's office; and it makes them rely on often harmful drugs. The numbers of traumatized veterans from past and present wars who continue to suffer demonstrate the ineffectiveness of this approach. Sending anguished veterans off to talk to therapists, writes Caplan, conveys the message that the rest of us don't want to listenor that we don't feel qualified to listen. As a result, the truth about war is kept under wraps. Most of us remain ignorant about what war is really likeand continue to allow our governments to go to war without much protest. Caplan proposes an that we welcome veterans back into our communities and listen to their stories, one-on-one. (She provides guidelines for conducting these conversations.) This would begin a long overdue national discussion about the realities of war, and it would start the healing process for our returning veterans. Contents......Page 8 Note to the Reader......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Prologue......Page 16 1 When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home......Page 22 2 Being a Veteran......Page 44 3 There’s Only So Much Emotional Carnage of War That Therapists Can Fix......Page 90 4 The Wrong Responses Begin......Page 132 5 What the VA Is Doing Once Johnny and Jane Are Home. . . and Why It’s Not Enough......Page 166 6 What Every Citizen Can Do to Help......Page 186 7 This Matters Desperately......Page 230 Afterword......Page 242 Notes......Page 248 References......Page 294 Index......Page 319