Removing the Stigma That Surrounds PTSD
Video Transcript
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Army Colonel
Greg Gadson was blown out
of his passenger seat
by a roadside bomb.
He was in Baghdad, 2007.
His physical injuries were so
severe, doctors assumed he would
suffer
from post-traumatic stress
disorder, but he was too
embarrassed to accept it.
Why did you find it so hard to really believe that you had post-traumatic stress?
GREG GADSON: It was not something that I could identify with. As an athlete, as an officer, as a leader, we're trained to override pain, to override doubt.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Both his legs were amputated above the knee. He had permanent nerve damage, limited function in his right arm. Gadson underwent 22 surgeries. He was in rehab for 18 months. His abilities greatly diminished from his college glory days.
SPEAKER 1: Tried to get off the pass. And down he will go. Great defense by Greg Gadson, number 98, of Chesapeake, Virginia.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: You're a football player. You're a leader. I mean, all these sort of, almost stereotypes, right? Of like the tough guy, all capitals letter.
GREG GADSON: And you can say "macho" if you want to say it.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Yeah, OK. I'll say macho. I mean, how much of your reluctance to get help was that this macho stereotype was kind of going to stand in the way of that?
GREG GADSON: Probably 100% of it. I mean, every tough challenge in my life, I fought through. So I was committed to fighting through it again, and without help.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: I was very surprised that of the one in five people who get diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, like half of them don't get treatment.
GREG GADSON: Right.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Massive number just do what you did.
GREG GADSON: Right. Up here.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Stigma surrounding post-traumatic stress disorder sometimes discourages vets from seeking treatment.
GREG GADSON: Good boy.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: The VA's Chief Mental Health Consultant is Dr. Harold Kudler.
HAROLD KUDLER: The most important thing to remove the stigma from PTSD is for people to talk about it. But in talking about it, not fall into the stereotypes.
For people who have PTSD, they're at risk for depression, for substance abuse. They're at higher risk for suicide, largely because of the nature of PTSD, to think about the world and yourself in negative terms. And this idea that nothing could ever go right.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: You never use the word "disorder" or the D in disorder. Why not?
GREG GADSON: The D to me, it's a negative label that doesn't need to be attached. You know, the face of post-traumatic stress are those that wear the uniform, less than 1% of our population. And so that word can be associated and labeled with all. We all have some level of post-traumatic stress.
Does it make us dysfunctional? For most of us, I would say not.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Got Your 6, which means got your back in military slang, works with the entertainment industry to educate the public about veterans. Bill Rausch is executive director, and a veteran.
BILL RAUSCH: 83% Of Americans believe that veterans are more likely to have mental health issues, for example. Well, that's simply not true. When someone says veteran and post-traumatic stress, they automatically think, oh, crazy veteran, active shooter. You know, they automatically jump to these really, really horrible, destructive, and inaccurate stereotypes.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Gadson's made progress. Despite his injuries, he cycles. And occasionally, downhill skis. He tours the country, making dozens of motivational speeches to soldiers and civilians.
Part of his message? Don't let shame get in the way of getting help.
I'm Soledad O'Brien in Alexandria, Virginia.
Why did you find it so hard to really believe that you had post-traumatic stress?
GREG GADSON: It was not something that I could identify with. As an athlete, as an officer, as a leader, we're trained to override pain, to override doubt.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Both his legs were amputated above the knee. He had permanent nerve damage, limited function in his right arm. Gadson underwent 22 surgeries. He was in rehab for 18 months. His abilities greatly diminished from his college glory days.
SPEAKER 1: Tried to get off the pass. And down he will go. Great defense by Greg Gadson, number 98, of Chesapeake, Virginia.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: You're a football player. You're a leader. I mean, all these sort of, almost stereotypes, right? Of like the tough guy, all capitals letter.
GREG GADSON: And you can say "macho" if you want to say it.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Yeah, OK. I'll say macho. I mean, how much of your reluctance to get help was that this macho stereotype was kind of going to stand in the way of that?
GREG GADSON: Probably 100% of it. I mean, every tough challenge in my life, I fought through. So I was committed to fighting through it again, and without help.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: I was very surprised that of the one in five people who get diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, like half of them don't get treatment.
GREG GADSON: Right.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Massive number just do what you did.
GREG GADSON: Right. Up here.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Stigma surrounding post-traumatic stress disorder sometimes discourages vets from seeking treatment.
GREG GADSON: Good boy.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: The VA's Chief Mental Health Consultant is Dr. Harold Kudler.
HAROLD KUDLER: The most important thing to remove the stigma from PTSD is for people to talk about it. But in talking about it, not fall into the stereotypes.
For people who have PTSD, they're at risk for depression, for substance abuse. They're at higher risk for suicide, largely because of the nature of PTSD, to think about the world and yourself in negative terms. And this idea that nothing could ever go right.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: You never use the word "disorder" or the D in disorder. Why not?
GREG GADSON: The D to me, it's a negative label that doesn't need to be attached. You know, the face of post-traumatic stress are those that wear the uniform, less than 1% of our population. And so that word can be associated and labeled with all. We all have some level of post-traumatic stress.
Does it make us dysfunctional? For most of us, I would say not.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Got Your 6, which means got your back in military slang, works with the entertainment industry to educate the public about veterans. Bill Rausch is executive director, and a veteran.
BILL RAUSCH: 83% Of Americans believe that veterans are more likely to have mental health issues, for example. Well, that's simply not true. When someone says veteran and post-traumatic stress, they automatically think, oh, crazy veteran, active shooter. You know, they automatically jump to these really, really horrible, destructive, and inaccurate stereotypes.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Gadson's made progress. Despite his injuries, he cycles. And occasionally, downhill skis. He tours the country, making dozens of motivational speeches to soldiers and civilians.
Part of his message? Don't let shame get in the way of getting help.
I'm Soledad O'Brien in Alexandria, Virginia.