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New name for post-traumatic stress disorder?

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    Dr. Brian Russell weighs in on discussion

  • Duration 3:36
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-- BE ST -- post traumatic stress disorder is called many different things service had many different names.

Over the last several decades it was called shell shock in World War I combat fatigue in World War II.

And now the complicated condition could soon get a little change or an update to its name as well public hearing is happening right now in Philadelphia.

As to whether or not post traumatic stress disorder.

Should be post traumatic stress injury -- It's really important change talking to us now doctor Brian Russell who has worked with veterans.

I returning from Iraq and Afghanistan mean even.

Vietnam with PT SD -- doctor Russell why why is -- big deal what what is the difference between something being a disorder and being an injury.

Well at first glance you could say it's just a semantic difference but I think it's meaningful and here's why when we talk about.

Groups of Americans to whom we know health care -- there is no group of Americans to whom our health care debt is greater than our veterans and I'm talking physical and mental health both.

But there's a stigma among military -- ex military personnel about seeking mental health treatment.

And so I think to the extent that this semantic change implies that you don't have to have a.

Dis order you don't have to be mentally ill you don't have to be crazy to have.

Post traumatic stress and to seek help and to get help for it.

But just is we don't want to miss anybody who could use that kind of -- help to have a more successful life when they integrate back into the civilian world.

There's another way in which I can I think it can be helpful to the minutes this.

The award -- order has a connotation among members of the public that I think is it helpful to veterans we don't want the public thinking that everybody who comes back from military service.

Has some kind of a mental disorder we don't want the public certainly to be reluctant to hire veteran -- to data -- -- -- itself.

To the extent that this semantic change also makes it clear that you can have a post traumatic stress injury without really being pervasively mentally ill I think is helpful.

In that Arenas.

The reason why this is getting at is that the American Psychiatric Association is updating its its its mental illness Bible a few -- that's what they want to make sure this next edition has the most accurate terms SM psychiatrists say the reason why -- order should stay -- should stay is that sentiment has has this condition and they have more in common with someone that has depression.

Or even bipolar disorder.

Then someone who has.

A bullet wounds and that sort of injury so would you stated the spokes at say listen it's actually disorders -- because.

It tells us how to treat this.

-- -- ever since I've been a mental health clinician Jenna.

I have never been nearly as concerned about the semantics that we use in the labels that we put on people as I am about just understanding their condition.

And helping them to get -- so I think big greatest concern in that regard would be.

That insurance companies continue to give it the coverage.

That they do.

Now even with the semantic change and certainly I think the veterans administration is already on board with -- -- -- -- semantic change in the name they would still continue to get the same coverage so.

So that's a concern making sure that people still see it as equally.

Worthy of treatment and insurance coverage but in terms after I had -- -- Howard disorder in the label I don't think that's important.

Okay we'll leave it there thank you very much an interesting topic and -- but -- viewers what comes out of this public hearing thank you very much doctor Russell.

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