One category of caregiver that needs support and tends to be overlooked is the mental health provider, be it psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, social worker, behavioral health tech, hot-line operator or other numerous personnel in the field field - both civilian and military. A psychiatric injury acquired on the battlefield, from trauma, or from chronic exposure to other's distress is not readily recognized or acknowledged. Their wounds are hidden. They do not bleed, cause physical deformity or other visibly notable signs.I know from personal experience that debriefing after an event is helpful - but may not even scratch the surface of the abscess that forms after emotionally disturbing situations. Caregivers are reluctant to confess to needing aid to find comfort or solace after a shock. Doctors, nurses, counselors and chaplains receive repeated jolts to their psyche as a matter of course performing their duties. When in the military the strain is compounded immeasurably.
The tragic incident at Ft. Hood has brutally brought this issue to the forefront. Scott & White nurses in Texas had to quickly combine critical thinking skills to deal with the fall out while testing their mass casualty plan on November 5th. Urgency demanded expedient care and military patients were transported to civilian facilities. Our country has not experienced this phenomenon much, since war usually doesn't take place on our soil.
It appears that one of Homeland Securities' functions will need to be preparing for attack from within. It looks like mental health needs were ignored when gearing up our defenses. The focus has been on nuclear fall out, bio-weapons, terrorism, and other physical items. A holistic approach would demand that the mental, emotional, spiritual and social well being of the nation's be considered as important as infrastructure, munitions, intelligence and so forth.
Temptation to ignore what some call "fluff" during economic stress is strong. Let's not forget to take care of our whole selves no matter what kind of care giver we are. If we don't, we won't be available when needed and become part of the problem instead.
