While they have had shows on PTSD before, as in the case of the veteran suffering in flashback mode after ending up in a construction zone and killing anyone he felt threatened by, this one was totally different.
First the good points of last night. They talked about combat and PTSD a lot. Rossi talked about his time in the Marines and showed he understood this SEAL was deeply troubled. The SEAL was not killed unlike the other episode with a PTSD veteran. His ex-wife and daughter still loved him and wanted him to get the help he needed. Those were the good parts.
The rest was wrong to do. The SEAL was blowing away people while "thinking" they were impostors and out to get him. He blew away his boss then the rest of his coworkers. Imagine being an employer thinking about hiring a veteran with PTSD and then watching this on TV. He killed his parents. Imagine being a parent with a PTSD veteran. If you don't think thoughts went through the minds of viewers then you don't understand how popular this show is. Later in the show it showed the trigger. He killed a couple of children.
To blindfold the SEAL while taking him into custody was stupid beyond belief. That would be the last thing anyone should do. The enemy blindfolds so this only enforced the idea the SEAL was facing off with the enemy.
Here are some facts. Given the staggering number of PTSD combat veterans in this country, there are very few crimes committed by them. While there is a need for veterans courts, these are non-violent cases. For the most part the justice system does take into account PTSD and combat when considering sentencing for violent crimes but again, these cases are few compared to over 2 million veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan along with Gulf War and Vietnam Veterans.
Veterans with PTSD are generally not violent, more depressed than anything else. The rise in suicides is an powerful indication of this. At least 18 veterans a day take their own lives.
Families of these veterans either understand what PTSD and help them heal or they don't and end up turing their backs on them. Homeless veterans are on the rise.
On this blog I track reports from around the country. While there have been many cases involving law enforcement and veterans, the reports are tiny when compared to the over 24 million veterans in this country and that should have been the message delivered last night. Actually it would have been better for veterans with PTSD if they didn't do the show at all. In the four years this blog has been up there hasn't been any veteran serial killers like last night out of 12,937 posts. If they really want to do an episode on PTSD, wow do I have a script for them!
Criminal Minds show with PTSD as topic Dorado Falls
Colleen M. Crary, M.A.:
ReplyDeleteLAST NIGHT's EPISODE OF CRIMINAL MINDS on CBS STEREOTYPED VETS with PTSD:
Everyone go to this link and complain!!!
http://www.cbs.com/shows/criminal_minds/forum/Episodes/
My Post to that episode on CBS:
"I was furious last night when the first 15-20 minutes of the episode "Dorado Falls" reinforced the stigma and misinformation associated with military veterans and PTSD: That vets with PTSD go on "killing sprees". The episode went on to explain that it was a brain injury--HOWEVER!!! The stereo type was established at the beginning of the episode in the viewers minds--and if the characters are supposed to be highly trained in forensic psychology they would not have jumped to that stereotype. The second half of the show did little to explain the difference between PTSD and brain injury/illness.
THE FACTS ARE: People with PTSD are 99.9% of the time more like to commit suicide than harm others. Another fact: Approximately 18 soldiers/veterans a day commit suicide at this point in time. Another fact: Veterans and those trained to serve their country DO NOT "strangle their wives in bed" (as quoted by the show's character). This stigmatized and ignorant presentation of an old, misinformed stereotype is of great disappointment to me as a viewer.
Your show just set back people struggling with PTSD by 10 years. Thanks a lot. Next time GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT from modern research sources and people who work with trauma victims every day. Your show has done a great harm to all people with PTSD. Shame on you!"
I posted this today--PTSDers! STAND UP AND BE HEARD!!!
http://www.cbs.com/shows/criminal_minds/forum/Episodes/
Colleen M. Crary, M.A.
Founder and Executive Director
FEARLESS NATION PTSD SUPPORT, Inc.
~ A 501c3 Non Profit Organization ~
www.fearless-nation.org