VA Lying About Veteran Mental Health?

In some shocking but not surprising news from last week, Senator Pat Murray (D-Washington), charges that the VA has been lying about the problem and prevalence of suicide and suicide attempts among our veterans. She cites an internal memo:

"Dr. Katz's message to Ev Chasen, the department's communications director, started with "Shh!" It continued, "Our suicide prevention coordinators are identifying about 1,000 suicide attempts per month among the veterans we see in our medical facilities. Is this something we should (carefully) address ourselves in some sort of release before someone stumbles on it?"

Not really surprising, I suppose. We as a nation, and the armed forces in particular -- in all their machismo -- have long treated mental illness as something to hide, something not worth serious attention.

From my experience in medical school, I think much of this attitude starts in my own profession. I have repeatedly been shocked at the way both students and practicing doctors react toward mental illness -- ranging from fear to outright mocking. Until we find seriousness among our own outlooks and lead a deliberate, united effort to change public and institutional attitudes toward mental illness, I doubt much will change.