By Eric King--
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is being sensationalized by military charities to receive funding, according to the head of a charity- ‘Walking with the wounded’- has said. Some veterans want the mental trauma diagnosis because it lends them kudos, the charity head added.
Ed Parker, head of Walking with the Wounded, told the Times on Friday he believes “the PTSD label has become one that is very engaging.”“We have all got to raise money. We have all got to maintain a front to the public and as the conflict disappears into the past our ability to talk about the physical injuries actually declines.”
He said the increase in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD charities among the estimated 300 organizations working with veterans in the UK is due to the decline in injured soldiers coming home since combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan officially ended in 2014. Parker also suggested that an increase in funding applications by charities has led to exaggerations of post traumatic stress. If his claims are true, then it raises issues of fraud by charity organizations, which is quite a serious allegation.
“PTSD has become the headline of veteran mental health but actually it is a very small part of the problem,” he said.
“You are always going to slightly sensationalize how you fund raise. You do that with a Mars advert or buying a McDonald’s. You are always going to make it look better than it actually is, or more enticing.”
“We have got to be more interesting than [the charity] Combat Stress, which has got to be more interesting than Help for Heroes because we are all fishing in the same pot. Maybe you could say I am being a bit naive as to how we market ourselves. But I worry that … the bare facts are beginning to be lost.”
Parker also insisted he had met veterans who actively looked for a PTSD diagnosis “because it sits alongside being an amputee.”
“It could bring you alongside these amazing people who have survived off the battlefield.
“The heroes. It is a terribly uncomfortable conversation to have and it is one I have had with people. But to be blunt, it’s reality and it’s a problem that we [the charity sector] are making,” he said.
Post Traumatic Stress disorder is caused by the witnessing of a terrifying or life threatening event, often prompting anxiety, flash backs and uncontrollable thoughts. In the military, PTSD is generally caused by the witnessing of brutal killings in war, amputations of limbs, screams, and sometimes even more minor but still serious occurrences like rape, mental abuse, or torture.
Parker’s charity, Walking with the Wounded, was endorsed by Prince Harry, who recently called for a new UK equivalent of the US Purple Heart for those wounded during service,. The distinguished Royal also opened the Invictus Games – a veteran’s equivalent of the Olympics – together with the former US President and ‘War on Terror’ leader George W. Bush. In light of his notable position and experience in the field, his claims must not be taken lightly, though it requires thorough investigation to ensure there is no ulterior motive for this far reaching allegation.
Exaggeration of post traumatic stress aimed at attaining higher funding is nothing short of fraudulent activity and should me addressed with the full force of the law if proven to be true. Post traumatic stress disorder is a serious condition, and anybody who exploits it for self gain should most certainly be punished since any extra financial resources they get can be used in other sectors of society that need those resources and are likely to put them to good use. Ed Parker has been contacted by the eye of media.com to provide examples of cases where such exaggeration has taken place. We patiently await his response.