Date: 11/25/2008
By JIM SUHR
Associated Press Writer
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) _ A widow whose husband died at a Veterans Affairs hospital under fire for substandard care has agreed to settle her lawsuit against the government for $975,000, her attorney said.
Katrina Shank had sought $12 million in her federal wrongful-death lawsuit. Her husband, 50-year-old Robert Shank III of Murray, Ky., bled to death in August 2007, a day after undergoing gallbladder surgery at the VA hospital in Marion, Ill.
Shank’s widow claimed the government failed to sufficiently check the background of her husband’s surgeon, Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez, before hiring him in January 2006.
Veizaga-Mendez resigned three days after Robert Shank’s death, and major surgeries were ordered halted there after inspectors attributed several patient deaths to questionable surgical care.
Terms involving Katrina Shank’s settlement were not disclosed in court documents, though an e-mail to The Associated Press by one of her attorneys, Stan Heller, put the amount at $975,000.
A message seeking comment was left Tuesday with spokesman for the national VA. According to an order by U.S. District Judge J. Phil Gilbert, the settlement becomes final after 90 days unless it hits a snag.
The VA found at least nine deaths between October 2006 and March 2007 were “directly attributable” to substandard care at the hospital. Those deaths did not include Robert Shank, who died months later.
The VA’s findings do not put the sole blame on Veizaga-Mendez, but Shank’s lawsuit said many or all of those who died were his patients.
At least one other lawsuit involving care by Veizaga-Mendez at the hospital is pending. James Marshall, 61, of Benton, Ky., died of a blood infection in July 2007, six days after Veizaga-Mendez performed a lymph node biopsy. His widow, Darla Marshall, is seeking $10 million in damages.
Veizaga-Mendez, who is not listed as a defendant in the lawsuits, has no listed telephone number and has not responded to repeated messages left by the AP at a Massachusetts home listed as an address for his wife.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
To some psychiatric patients, life seems like TV
Date: 11/24/2008
By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ One man showed up at a federal building, asking for release from the reality show he was sure was being made of his life.
Another was convinced his every move was secretly being filmed for a TV contest. A third believed everything — the news, his psychiatrists, the drugs they prescribed — was part of a phony, stage-set world with him as the involuntary star, like the 1998 movie “The Truman Show.”
Researchers have begun documenting what they dub the “Truman syndrome,” a delusion afflicting people who are convinced that their lives are secretly playing out on a reality TV show. Scientists say the disorder underscores the influence pop culture can have on mental conditions.
“The question is really: Is this just a new twist on an old paranoid or grandiose delusion … or is there sort of a perfect storm of the culture we’re in, in which fame holds such high value?” said Dr. Joel Gold, a psychiatrist affiliated with New York’s Bellevue Hospital.
In the last two years, Gold has encountered five patients with delusions related to reality TV. Several of them specifically mentioned “The Truman Show.”
Gold and his brother, a psychologist, started presenting their observations at medical schools in 2006. After word spread beyond medical circles this summer, they learned of about 50 more people with similar symptoms. The brothers are now working on a scholarly paper.
Meanwhile, researchers in London described a “Truman syndrome” patient in the British Journal of Psychiatry in August. The 26-year-old postman “had a sense the world was slightly unreal, as if he was the eponymous hero in the film,” the researchers wrote.
The Oscar-nominated movie stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank. He leads a merrily uneventful life until he realizes his friends and family are actors, his seaside town is a TV soundstage and every moment of his life has been broadcast.
His struggle to sort out reality and illusion is heartwarming, but researchers say it’s often horrifying for “Truman syndrome” patients.
A few take pride in their imagined celebrity, but many are deeply upset at what feels like an Orwellian invasion of privacy. The man profiled in the British journal was diagnosed with schizophrenia and is unable to work. One of Gold’s patients planned to commit suicide if he couldn’t leave his supposed reality show.
Delusions can be a symptom of various psychiatric illnesses, as well as neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Some drugs also can make people delusional.
It’s not unusual for psychiatrists to see delusional patients who believe their relatives have been replaced by impostors or who think figures in their lives are taking on multiple disguises.
But “Truman” delusions are more sweeping, involving not just some associates but society at large, Gold said.
Delusions tend to be classified by broad categories, such as the belief that one is being persecuted, but research has shown culture and technology can also affect them. Several recent studies have chronicled delusions entwined with the Internet such as a patient in Austria who believed she had become a walking webcam.
Reality television may help such patients convince themselves their experiences are plausible, according to the Austrian woman’s psychiatrists, writing in the journal Psychopathology in 2004.
Ian Gold, a philosophy and psychology professor at McGill University in Montreal who has researched the matter with his brother, suggests reality TV and the Web, with their ability to make strangers into intimates, may compound psychological pressure on people who have underlying problems dealing with others.
That’s not to say reality shows make healthy people delusional, “but, at the very least, it seems possible to me that people who would become ill are becoming ill quicker or in a different way,” Ian Gold said.
Other researchers aren’t convinced, but still find the “Truman syndrome” an interesting example of the connection between culture and mental health.
Vaughan Bell, a psychologist who has researched Internet-related delusions, said one of his own former patients believed he was in the virtual-reality universe portrayed in the 1999 blockbuster “The Matrix.”
“I don’t think that popular culture causes delusions,” said Bell, who is affiliated with King’s College London and the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. “But I do think that it is only possible to fully understand delusions and psychosis in light of our wider culture.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ One man showed up at a federal building, asking for release from the reality show he was sure was being made of his life.
Another was convinced his every move was secretly being filmed for a TV contest. A third believed everything — the news, his psychiatrists, the drugs they prescribed — was part of a phony, stage-set world with him as the involuntary star, like the 1998 movie “The Truman Show.”
Researchers have begun documenting what they dub the “Truman syndrome,” a delusion afflicting people who are convinced that their lives are secretly playing out on a reality TV show. Scientists say the disorder underscores the influence pop culture can have on mental conditions.
“The question is really: Is this just a new twist on an old paranoid or grandiose delusion … or is there sort of a perfect storm of the culture we’re in, in which fame holds such high value?” said Dr. Joel Gold, a psychiatrist affiliated with New York’s Bellevue Hospital.
In the last two years, Gold has encountered five patients with delusions related to reality TV. Several of them specifically mentioned “The Truman Show.”
Gold and his brother, a psychologist, started presenting their observations at medical schools in 2006. After word spread beyond medical circles this summer, they learned of about 50 more people with similar symptoms. The brothers are now working on a scholarly paper.
Meanwhile, researchers in London described a “Truman syndrome” patient in the British Journal of Psychiatry in August. The 26-year-old postman “had a sense the world was slightly unreal, as if he was the eponymous hero in the film,” the researchers wrote.
The Oscar-nominated movie stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank. He leads a merrily uneventful life until he realizes his friends and family are actors, his seaside town is a TV soundstage and every moment of his life has been broadcast.
His struggle to sort out reality and illusion is heartwarming, but researchers say it’s often horrifying for “Truman syndrome” patients.
A few take pride in their imagined celebrity, but many are deeply upset at what feels like an Orwellian invasion of privacy. The man profiled in the British journal was diagnosed with schizophrenia and is unable to work. One of Gold’s patients planned to commit suicide if he couldn’t leave his supposed reality show.
Delusions can be a symptom of various psychiatric illnesses, as well as neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Some drugs also can make people delusional.
It’s not unusual for psychiatrists to see delusional patients who believe their relatives have been replaced by impostors or who think figures in their lives are taking on multiple disguises.
But “Truman” delusions are more sweeping, involving not just some associates but society at large, Gold said.
Delusions tend to be classified by broad categories, such as the belief that one is being persecuted, but research has shown culture and technology can also affect them. Several recent studies have chronicled delusions entwined with the Internet such as a patient in Austria who believed she had become a walking webcam.
Reality television may help such patients convince themselves their experiences are plausible, according to the Austrian woman’s psychiatrists, writing in the journal Psychopathology in 2004.
Ian Gold, a philosophy and psychology professor at McGill University in Montreal who has researched the matter with his brother, suggests reality TV and the Web, with their ability to make strangers into intimates, may compound psychological pressure on people who have underlying problems dealing with others.
That’s not to say reality shows make healthy people delusional, “but, at the very least, it seems possible to me that people who would become ill are becoming ill quicker or in a different way,” Ian Gold said.
Other researchers aren’t convinced, but still find the “Truman syndrome” an interesting example of the connection between culture and mental health.
Vaughan Bell, a psychologist who has researched Internet-related delusions, said one of his own former patients believed he was in the virtual-reality universe portrayed in the 1999 blockbuster “The Matrix.”
“I don’t think that popular culture causes delusions,” said Bell, who is affiliated with King’s College London and the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. “But I do think that it is only possible to fully understand delusions and psychosis in light of our wider culture.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Fla. teen commits suicide with live Web audience
In this blog we have followed many of the aspects of suicide, as it is a heightened risk for those suffering from a brain injury. Many people who have suicidal ideation can have actual physical problems present in their brains which affect their ability to function “normally” or to exert good judgment when monitoring their own mental state.
In the past there have been movies depicting characters who live their lives in front of a movie camera, knowingly or unknowingly. The increased presence of the internet in our lives and the increased ability to share our lives with the public has fulfilled the plot writers’ prophetic views of our morbid desire to search ever deeper into the human condition. It becomes a dark union when the ability to probe into each other’s private lives and suicide overlap. A cry for help? Or a desire for public attention? Either way, this news story is a disturbing look into today’s culture in which teens are already at high risk.
Date: 11/21/2008
By RASHA MADKOUR
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) _ The message OMG popped up next to the live webcam broadcast of Abraham Biggs laying motionless on his bed, followed by LOL and “hahahah.”
But Biggs wasn’t joking.
The 19-year-old Broward College student really did commit suicide by taking a drug overdose in front of a live Internet audience, as some computer users egged him on and others tried to talk him out of it.
Some watchers ultimately contacted the Web site to notify police, but by the time officers entered Abraham Biggs’ home, it was too late. The reality of what happened came to a head for these viewers after police entered the video frame and were seen hovering over Biggs’ body.
Biggs, who suffered from what his family said was bipolar disorder, or manic depression, lay dead on his bed in his father’s Pembroke Pines house Wednesday afternoon, the camera still running 12 hours after Biggs announced his intentions online around 3 a.m.
It was unclear how many people watched it unfold.
Biggs was not the first person to commit suicide with a webcam rolling. But the drawn-out drama — and the reaction of those watching — was seen as an extreme example of young people’s penchant for sharing intimate details about themselves over the Internet.
Biggs’ family was infuriated that no one acted sooner to save him, neither the viewers nor the Web site that hosted the live video, Justin.tv. The Web site shows a video image, with a space alongside where computer users can instantly post comments.
Only when police arrived did the Web feed stop, “so that’s 12 hours of watching,” said the victim’s sister, Rosalind Bigg. “They got hits, they got viewers, nothing happened for hours.”
She added: “It didn’t have to be.”
An autopsy concluded Biggs died from a combination of opiates and benzodiazepine, which his family said was prescribed for his bipolar disorder.
Biggs announced his plans to kill himself over a Web site for bodybuilders, authorities said. But some users told investigators they did not take him seriously because he had threatened suicide on the site before.
Some members of his virtual audience encouraged him to do it, others tried to talk him out of it, and some discussed whether he was taking a dose big enough to kill himself, said Wendy Crane, an investigator with the Broward County medical examiner’s office.
A computer user who claimed to have watched said that after swallowing some pills, Biggs went to sleep and appeared to be breathing for a few hours while others cracked jokes.
Someone notified the moderator of the bodybuilding site, who traced Biggs’ location and called police, Crane said.
An online video purportedly from Biggs’ webcam shows a gun-wielding officer entering a bedroom, where a man is lying on a bed, his face turned away from the camera. The officer begins to examine him, as the camera lens is covered. Authorities could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video, though it matched their description of what occurred.
Montana Miller, an assistant professor of popular culture at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, said Biggs’ very public suicide was not shocking, given the way teenagers chronicle every facet of their lives on sites like Facebook and MySpace.
“If it’s not recorded or documented then it doesn’t even seem worthwhile,” she said. “For today’s generation it might seem, ‘What’s the point of doing it if everyone isn’t going to see it?'”
She likened Biggs’ death to other public ways of committing suicide, like jumping off a bridge.
Crane said she knows of a case in which a Florida man shot himself in the head in front of an online audience, though she didn’t know how much viewers saw. In Britain last year, a man hanged himself while chatting online.
In a statement, Justin.tv CEO Michael Seibel said: “We regret that this has occurred and want to respect the privacy of the broadcaster and his family during this time.”
The Web site would not say how many people were watching the broadcast. The site as a whole had 672,000 unique visitors in October, according to Nielsen.
Miami lawyer William Hill said there is probably nothing that could be done legally to those who watched and did not act. As for whether the Web site could be held liable, Hill said there doesn’t seem to be much of a case for negligence.
“There could conceivably be some liability if they knew this was happening and they had some ability to intervene and didn’t take action,” said Hill, who does business litigation and has represented a number of Internet-based clients. But “I think it would be a stretch.”
Condolences poured into Biggs’ MySpace page, where the mostly unsmiling teen is seen posing in a series of pictures with various young women. On the bodybuilding Web site, Biggs used the screen name CandyJunkie. His Justin.tv alias was “feels_like_ecstacy.”
Rosalind Bigg described her brother as an outgoing person who struck up conversations with Starbucks baristas and enjoyed taking his young nieces to Chuck E. Cheese. He was health-conscious and exercised but was not a bodybuilder, she said.
“This is very, very sudden and unexpected for us,” the sister said. “It boggles the mind. We don’t understand.”
___
Associated Press Writers Jessica Gresko and Lisa Orkin Emmanuel and researcher Lynn Dombek contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
In the past there have been movies depicting characters who live their lives in front of a movie camera, knowingly or unknowingly. The increased presence of the internet in our lives and the increased ability to share our lives with the public has fulfilled the plot writers’ prophetic views of our morbid desire to search ever deeper into the human condition. It becomes a dark union when the ability to probe into each other’s private lives and suicide overlap. A cry for help? Or a desire for public attention? Either way, this news story is a disturbing look into today’s culture in which teens are already at high risk.
Date: 11/21/2008
By RASHA MADKOUR
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) _ The message OMG popped up next to the live webcam broadcast of Abraham Biggs laying motionless on his bed, followed by LOL and “hahahah.”
But Biggs wasn’t joking.
The 19-year-old Broward College student really did commit suicide by taking a drug overdose in front of a live Internet audience, as some computer users egged him on and others tried to talk him out of it.
Some watchers ultimately contacted the Web site to notify police, but by the time officers entered Abraham Biggs’ home, it was too late. The reality of what happened came to a head for these viewers after police entered the video frame and were seen hovering over Biggs’ body.
Biggs, who suffered from what his family said was bipolar disorder, or manic depression, lay dead on his bed in his father’s Pembroke Pines house Wednesday afternoon, the camera still running 12 hours after Biggs announced his intentions online around 3 a.m.
It was unclear how many people watched it unfold.
Biggs was not the first person to commit suicide with a webcam rolling. But the drawn-out drama — and the reaction of those watching — was seen as an extreme example of young people’s penchant for sharing intimate details about themselves over the Internet.
Biggs’ family was infuriated that no one acted sooner to save him, neither the viewers nor the Web site that hosted the live video, Justin.tv. The Web site shows a video image, with a space alongside where computer users can instantly post comments.
Only when police arrived did the Web feed stop, “so that’s 12 hours of watching,” said the victim’s sister, Rosalind Bigg. “They got hits, they got viewers, nothing happened for hours.”
She added: “It didn’t have to be.”
An autopsy concluded Biggs died from a combination of opiates and benzodiazepine, which his family said was prescribed for his bipolar disorder.
Biggs announced his plans to kill himself over a Web site for bodybuilders, authorities said. But some users told investigators they did not take him seriously because he had threatened suicide on the site before.
Some members of his virtual audience encouraged him to do it, others tried to talk him out of it, and some discussed whether he was taking a dose big enough to kill himself, said Wendy Crane, an investigator with the Broward County medical examiner’s office.
A computer user who claimed to have watched said that after swallowing some pills, Biggs went to sleep and appeared to be breathing for a few hours while others cracked jokes.
Someone notified the moderator of the bodybuilding site, who traced Biggs’ location and called police, Crane said.
An online video purportedly from Biggs’ webcam shows a gun-wielding officer entering a bedroom, where a man is lying on a bed, his face turned away from the camera. The officer begins to examine him, as the camera lens is covered. Authorities could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video, though it matched their description of what occurred.
Montana Miller, an assistant professor of popular culture at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, said Biggs’ very public suicide was not shocking, given the way teenagers chronicle every facet of their lives on sites like Facebook and MySpace.
“If it’s not recorded or documented then it doesn’t even seem worthwhile,” she said. “For today’s generation it might seem, ‘What’s the point of doing it if everyone isn’t going to see it?'”
She likened Biggs’ death to other public ways of committing suicide, like jumping off a bridge.
Crane said she knows of a case in which a Florida man shot himself in the head in front of an online audience, though she didn’t know how much viewers saw. In Britain last year, a man hanged himself while chatting online.
In a statement, Justin.tv CEO Michael Seibel said: “We regret that this has occurred and want to respect the privacy of the broadcaster and his family during this time.”
The Web site would not say how many people were watching the broadcast. The site as a whole had 672,000 unique visitors in October, according to Nielsen.
Miami lawyer William Hill said there is probably nothing that could be done legally to those who watched and did not act. As for whether the Web site could be held liable, Hill said there doesn’t seem to be much of a case for negligence.
“There could conceivably be some liability if they knew this was happening and they had some ability to intervene and didn’t take action,” said Hill, who does business litigation and has represented a number of Internet-based clients. But “I think it would be a stretch.”
Condolences poured into Biggs’ MySpace page, where the mostly unsmiling teen is seen posing in a series of pictures with various young women. On the bodybuilding Web site, Biggs used the screen name CandyJunkie. His Justin.tv alias was “feels_like_ecstacy.”
Rosalind Bigg described her brother as an outgoing person who struck up conversations with Starbucks baristas and enjoyed taking his young nieces to Chuck E. Cheese. He was health-conscious and exercised but was not a bodybuilder, she said.
“This is very, very sudden and unexpected for us,” the sister said. “It boggles the mind. We don’t understand.”
___
Associated Press Writers Jessica Gresko and Lisa Orkin Emmanuel and researcher Lynn Dombek contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Human drama fills case called landmark on Internet
Date: 11/17/2008
By LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The case of U.S. vs. Lori Drew is viewed in legal circles as landmark Internet law, but as outlined in government documents with its neighborhood feuds and a teen’s suicide, it reads more like a plotline for a made-for-TV drama.
In fact, as the judge has noted, the case of the 49-year-old Missouri woman accused of taunting a 13-year-old girl on the Internet to the point where she committed suicide has already inspired an episode of “Law & Order.”
U.S. District Judge George Wu said he considered a defense motion to exclude evidence of the suicide from the trial that begins Tuesday. But he finally decided it would be futile since people being called for jury duty most likely know about it.
Instead, he said he would instruct the jurors that the case is about whether Drew violated the terms of service of the MySpace social networking site, not about whether she caused the suicide of Megan Meier.
Drew has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing computers without authorization. Each count carries a potential sentence of five years in prison.
Drew’s lawyer, Dean Steward, argued that no matter what the judge tells the jury, once they hear the story, they will not see it as a case about violating rules in cyberspace.
“They will conclude it’s about the tragic death of a young girl,” he said. “The jury is going to end up thinking that Lori Drew is being tried for the death of Megan Meier.”
Not so, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Krause, but his memorandum presents a compelling narrative of discord and death in the town of Dardenne Prairie, Mo.
The saga began years ago when the Drew and Meier families were friends in the St. Louis suburb. Their daughters were the same age, attended school together and were friends.
Megan, who is referred to in court documents as M.T.M. because she was a minor, spent time with the Drews and traveled with them, the prosecutor said.
“However, their relationship was, at times, rocky,” the document notes. “On … occasions, M.T.M. feuded with defendant’s daughter.”
Megan’s mother, Christina Meier, confided in Drew that she was concerned for her daughter’s mental health and felt she was “particularly vulnerable,” Krause said.
Eventually, the girls drifted apart and in 2005, Megan transferred to a new school.
In the summer of 2006, Drew became concerned that Megan was spreading malicious rumors on MySpace about her daughter. The mother discussed the matter with her daughter and her 18-year-old assistant, Ashley Grills, the document said.
The three plotted to invent “an attractive male teenager” on MySpace and approach Megan using the false identity. They allegedly planned to find out what she was saying about Drew’s daughter.
Grills, who is expected to testify as the government’s star witness, has said she warned they would get in trouble if unmasked. But she said Drew assured her that “many people created fake identities on the Internet.”
Prosecutors declined to comment on whether Grills has been given immunity in exchange for her testimony.
“Josh Evans” was born on MySpace on Sept. 20, 2006, and was introduced as a new boy in town who was homeschooled and lonely.
The document said “he” contacted Megan, who quickly became smitten. After some innocent messages, Drew encouraged her co-conspirators to have him “flirt” with Megan.
Complications arose when another neighborhood girl obtained the password for the “Josh Evans” account and sent messages to Megan saying Josh no longer wanted to be friends with her. A dispute erupted and on Oct. 16, 2006, Grills typed a message telling Megan “that the world would be a better place without (her) in it.”
Megan ran upstairs and her mother found her about 20 minutes later hanging in her closet. She died the next day in the hospital.
Steward said outside court that part of Drew’s defense would be that she was not at home when the message was sent.
Grills said during an interview with the ABC’s “Good Morning America” last spring that she wrote the message to Megan in an effort to end the online relationship with “Josh” because Grills felt the joke had gone too far.
When she learned of the suicide, Drew told her “co-schemers” to delete the MySpace account, Krause wrote. She called the other girl who had become part of the MySpace conversation and told her to “keep her mouth shut” and to “stay off the MySpace.”
Megan’s death was investigated by Missouri authorities, but no state charges were filed because no laws appeared to apply to the case. But in California, U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien, noting that MySpace was headquartered in Los Angeles, found a statute that seemed to apply.
O’Brien said this was the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case. It had been used in the past to address computer hacking.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The case of U.S. vs. Lori Drew is viewed in legal circles as landmark Internet law, but as outlined in government documents with its neighborhood feuds and a teen’s suicide, it reads more like a plotline for a made-for-TV drama.
In fact, as the judge has noted, the case of the 49-year-old Missouri woman accused of taunting a 13-year-old girl on the Internet to the point where she committed suicide has already inspired an episode of “Law & Order.”
U.S. District Judge George Wu said he considered a defense motion to exclude evidence of the suicide from the trial that begins Tuesday. But he finally decided it would be futile since people being called for jury duty most likely know about it.
Instead, he said he would instruct the jurors that the case is about whether Drew violated the terms of service of the MySpace social networking site, not about whether she caused the suicide of Megan Meier.
Drew has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing computers without authorization. Each count carries a potential sentence of five years in prison.
Drew’s lawyer, Dean Steward, argued that no matter what the judge tells the jury, once they hear the story, they will not see it as a case about violating rules in cyberspace.
“They will conclude it’s about the tragic death of a young girl,” he said. “The jury is going to end up thinking that Lori Drew is being tried for the death of Megan Meier.”
Not so, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Krause, but his memorandum presents a compelling narrative of discord and death in the town of Dardenne Prairie, Mo.
The saga began years ago when the Drew and Meier families were friends in the St. Louis suburb. Their daughters were the same age, attended school together and were friends.
Megan, who is referred to in court documents as M.T.M. because she was a minor, spent time with the Drews and traveled with them, the prosecutor said.
“However, their relationship was, at times, rocky,” the document notes. “On … occasions, M.T.M. feuded with defendant’s daughter.”
Megan’s mother, Christina Meier, confided in Drew that she was concerned for her daughter’s mental health and felt she was “particularly vulnerable,” Krause said.
Eventually, the girls drifted apart and in 2005, Megan transferred to a new school.
In the summer of 2006, Drew became concerned that Megan was spreading malicious rumors on MySpace about her daughter. The mother discussed the matter with her daughter and her 18-year-old assistant, Ashley Grills, the document said.
The three plotted to invent “an attractive male teenager” on MySpace and approach Megan using the false identity. They allegedly planned to find out what she was saying about Drew’s daughter.
Grills, who is expected to testify as the government’s star witness, has said she warned they would get in trouble if unmasked. But she said Drew assured her that “many people created fake identities on the Internet.”
Prosecutors declined to comment on whether Grills has been given immunity in exchange for her testimony.
“Josh Evans” was born on MySpace on Sept. 20, 2006, and was introduced as a new boy in town who was homeschooled and lonely.
The document said “he” contacted Megan, who quickly became smitten. After some innocent messages, Drew encouraged her co-conspirators to have him “flirt” with Megan.
Complications arose when another neighborhood girl obtained the password for the “Josh Evans” account and sent messages to Megan saying Josh no longer wanted to be friends with her. A dispute erupted and on Oct. 16, 2006, Grills typed a message telling Megan “that the world would be a better place without (her) in it.”
Megan ran upstairs and her mother found her about 20 minutes later hanging in her closet. She died the next day in the hospital.
Steward said outside court that part of Drew’s defense would be that she was not at home when the message was sent.
Grills said during an interview with the ABC’s “Good Morning America” last spring that she wrote the message to Megan in an effort to end the online relationship with “Josh” because Grills felt the joke had gone too far.
When she learned of the suicide, Drew told her “co-schemers” to delete the MySpace account, Krause wrote. She called the other girl who had become part of the MySpace conversation and told her to “keep her mouth shut” and to “stay off the MySpace.”
Megan’s death was investigated by Missouri authorities, but no state charges were filed because no laws appeared to apply to the case. But in California, U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien, noting that MySpace was headquartered in Los Angeles, found a statute that seemed to apply.
O’Brien said this was the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case. It had been used in the past to address computer hacking.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Veterans groups seek help for Mo. soldier
Date: 11/17/2008
By BETSY TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Spc. Glenn Barker is trying to recover after suffering a traumatic brain injury while serving in Iraq, the death of his 15-year-old son earlier this year, and flood damage that left his home uninhabitable.
On Monday, the American Legion Heroes to Hometowns program and the Missouri Veterans Commission asked for the public’s help to raise $63,000 to help Barker. The money would be spent on home repairs not covered by insurance and the purchase of a used trailer he can live in temporarily and later use as a work space.
Barker, 41, lives outside the east-central Missouri town of Potosi. He deployed with the Arkansas National Guard to hunt down improvised explosive devices in Iraq, and said he lived through nine detonations while driving an armored vehicle looking for roadside bombs.
The worst explosion came in August of last year, he recalled, when he ran over homemade explosives buried in a road. He suffered back injuries, a perforated ear drum and a traumatic brain injury that wreaked havoc on his short-term memory.
“The left ear is pretty much done,” he said, gesturing to that side of his head.
He writes himself notes and uses information stored on his cell phone to help him remember.
In May, his 15-year-old son, Zachary, was a passenger on an all-terrain vehicle in rural eastern Missouri that crossed onto a roadway and into the path of an oncoming car, killing the boy.
Barker, who is divorced, was out of state receiving treatment for his injuries when Zachary was killed.
“I have one other son. I guess you could say he’s my crutch; he keeps me going,” he said. “We miss his brother dearly.”
Barker is also trying to restore the log home that he had built himself. The house was destroyed by mold when it flooded after pipes burst following a multi-day power outage in 2006.
Barker is now in a program at Fort Leonard Wood working to improve his memory, his balance, his back and his right hand, which he said sometimes shakes.
The one-time auto body shop owner didn’t know what his future occupation might be, saying it’s hard to finish any task with his memory problems.
Family members mention that many of his tools were stolen while the Purple Heart recipient was gone, and that he sometimes has slept in his truck in recent months. They offer him a place to stay, but say right now, he’s having a hard time settling in one place.
“I don’t have in my mind what I want to do. I’m just lost,” he said.
The Department of Defense tells injured soldiers what help is available to them, and they must give their permission for their information to be shared.
For the first half of 2008, the American Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program has assisted 380 soldiers nationwide. Since June of last year, the Missouri effort has helped more than 20 soldiers.
Shirley Janes, who chairs the Missouri American Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program, notes that there are multiple efforts to help soldiers in need as they return home — whether it’s trying to make sure they keep medical appointments, providing them gas cards or helping with housing.
“The bottom line is we will do whatever it takes, as long as it takes, to help these heroes transition back home,” she said.
Barker, who explained during the interview that he wouldn’t be able to retain the conversation for more than a few minutes, thought for a moment when asked if he has regrets.
“For what it cost me, yes. But regret for my country? No,” he said. “I don’t feel the Army owes me. I’m just asking for a little help.”
____
On the Net:
Home for Wounded Warrior: http://aidforourwoundedsoldiers.org/woundedmissourian.htm
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By BETSY TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Spc. Glenn Barker is trying to recover after suffering a traumatic brain injury while serving in Iraq, the death of his 15-year-old son earlier this year, and flood damage that left his home uninhabitable.
On Monday, the American Legion Heroes to Hometowns program and the Missouri Veterans Commission asked for the public’s help to raise $63,000 to help Barker. The money would be spent on home repairs not covered by insurance and the purchase of a used trailer he can live in temporarily and later use as a work space.
Barker, 41, lives outside the east-central Missouri town of Potosi. He deployed with the Arkansas National Guard to hunt down improvised explosive devices in Iraq, and said he lived through nine detonations while driving an armored vehicle looking for roadside bombs.
The worst explosion came in August of last year, he recalled, when he ran over homemade explosives buried in a road. He suffered back injuries, a perforated ear drum and a traumatic brain injury that wreaked havoc on his short-term memory.
“The left ear is pretty much done,” he said, gesturing to that side of his head.
He writes himself notes and uses information stored on his cell phone to help him remember.
In May, his 15-year-old son, Zachary, was a passenger on an all-terrain vehicle in rural eastern Missouri that crossed onto a roadway and into the path of an oncoming car, killing the boy.
Barker, who is divorced, was out of state receiving treatment for his injuries when Zachary was killed.
“I have one other son. I guess you could say he’s my crutch; he keeps me going,” he said. “We miss his brother dearly.”
Barker is also trying to restore the log home that he had built himself. The house was destroyed by mold when it flooded after pipes burst following a multi-day power outage in 2006.
Barker is now in a program at Fort Leonard Wood working to improve his memory, his balance, his back and his right hand, which he said sometimes shakes.
The one-time auto body shop owner didn’t know what his future occupation might be, saying it’s hard to finish any task with his memory problems.
Family members mention that many of his tools were stolen while the Purple Heart recipient was gone, and that he sometimes has slept in his truck in recent months. They offer him a place to stay, but say right now, he’s having a hard time settling in one place.
“I don’t have in my mind what I want to do. I’m just lost,” he said.
The Department of Defense tells injured soldiers what help is available to them, and they must give their permission for their information to be shared.
For the first half of 2008, the American Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program has assisted 380 soldiers nationwide. Since June of last year, the Missouri effort has helped more than 20 soldiers.
Shirley Janes, who chairs the Missouri American Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program, notes that there are multiple efforts to help soldiers in need as they return home — whether it’s trying to make sure they keep medical appointments, providing them gas cards or helping with housing.
“The bottom line is we will do whatever it takes, as long as it takes, to help these heroes transition back home,” she said.
Barker, who explained during the interview that he wouldn’t be able to retain the conversation for more than a few minutes, thought for a moment when asked if he has regrets.
“For what it cost me, yes. But regret for my country? No,” he said. “I don’t feel the Army owes me. I’m just asking for a little help.”
____
On the Net:
Home for Wounded Warrior: http://aidforourwoundedsoldiers.org/woundedmissourian.htm
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Fed complaint filed over dog for NYC autistic boy
Date: 11/13/2008
By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ Federal prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against a co-op board over its rules for an autistic boy who needs a dog.
The lawsuit charges that the co-op board at the Townsend House, a 20-story building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where 11-year-old Aaron Schein lives, violated the federal Fair Housing Act.
The sixth-grader told the New York Post he’s been “wanting a dog for a while.”
“The board is pretty strict,” he said. “They said I could have a dog, but then they put down billions of rules.”
According to the lawsuit, filed Wednesday by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, Aaron has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism characterized by difficulty interacting socially, and has been prescribed a service dog.
The boy’s parents, Mark Schein and Maria Mostajo, wrote to Townsend House in January 2007 asking for an exception to the building’s strict no-pets rule.
Townsend House said the service dog could weigh 10 pounds at most, would have to be carried through common areas of the building and could not be left alone in their apartment for more than two hours.
The co-op board also said the family would have to get $1 million in liability insurance for the dog.
After Mark Schein, a managing director of the York Capital Management hedge fund, met with the board, it revised the weight limit to 25 pounds but refused to budge on the other restrictions.
Prosecutors say those restrictions don’t constitute reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction against the co-op board’s conduct.
The building’s management company, Goodstein Management, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Schein and Mostajo, a Bronx prosecutor, did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ Federal prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against a co-op board over its rules for an autistic boy who needs a dog.
The lawsuit charges that the co-op board at the Townsend House, a 20-story building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where 11-year-old Aaron Schein lives, violated the federal Fair Housing Act.
The sixth-grader told the New York Post he’s been “wanting a dog for a while.”
“The board is pretty strict,” he said. “They said I could have a dog, but then they put down billions of rules.”
According to the lawsuit, filed Wednesday by the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, Aaron has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism characterized by difficulty interacting socially, and has been prescribed a service dog.
The boy’s parents, Mark Schein and Maria Mostajo, wrote to Townsend House in January 2007 asking for an exception to the building’s strict no-pets rule.
Townsend House said the service dog could weigh 10 pounds at most, would have to be carried through common areas of the building and could not be left alone in their apartment for more than two hours.
The co-op board also said the family would have to get $1 million in liability insurance for the dog.
After Mark Schein, a managing director of the York Capital Management hedge fund, met with the board, it revised the weight limit to 25 pounds but refused to budge on the other restrictions.
Prosecutors say those restrictions don’t constitute reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction against the co-op board’s conduct.
The building’s management company, Goodstein Management, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Schein and Mostajo, a Bronx prosecutor, did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
AstraZeneca receives approval for bipolar drug
Date: 11/13/2008
LONDON (AP) _ Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC said Thursday European regulators have approved a new version of its bipolar disorder drug Seroquel.
The drug company said a once-daily formulation, Seroquel XR, has been approved by the European Mutual Recognition Procedure for new indications in bipolar disorder and moderate to severe manic episodes in bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings, from deep depression to manic highs. AstraZeneca shares rose 1.7 percent to close at 2,837 pence ($41.55) in London.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
LONDON (AP) _ Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC said Thursday European regulators have approved a new version of its bipolar disorder drug Seroquel.
The drug company said a once-daily formulation, Seroquel XR, has been approved by the European Mutual Recognition Procedure for new indications in bipolar disorder and moderate to severe manic episodes in bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings, from deep depression to manic highs. AstraZeneca shares rose 1.7 percent to close at 2,837 pence ($41.55) in London.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Paranoia on the rise, experts say
Attorney’s Comment: The below story about the increase in paranoia is highly significant, especially as we consider those findings within the subset of brain damaged individuals. While the research out there is in its infancy, we have found that those with preexisting anxiety disorders, have far worse results from concussion and mild brain injury than anticipated. Those with anxiety disorders are extremely vulnerable to long term problems with post concussion syndrome.
While extensive research establishing this correlation is needed, the neuropathological principles pointing towards a connection between anxiety disorders and the development of panic and paranoia post-injury are clear. Both type disorders originate in the lower brain structures of the limbic system (particularly the amygdala). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_system While the best of the current thinking about poor outcomes in the mild head injury group looks at the cerebral cortex in the lower frontal lobes, it may be that the area of the injury is correct, but the nature of the neuropathology quite different. The anosmic correlative theories (loss of smell correlates with disability in the brain injured population) focused on the contusion on the surface of the orbital frontal portion of the brain. It may be that it is the white matter injury in these adjacent areas on the underside of the brain that triggers so many subtle frontal lobe problems, and its attendant radical emotional responses.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
http://subtlebraininjury.com
http://thelegaltimes.net
http://tbilaw.com
https://waiting.com
http://vestibulardisorder.com
http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
g@gordonjohnson.com
800-992-9447
©Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr. 2008
Date: 11/12/2008
By MARIA CHENG
AP Medical Writer
LONDON (AP) _ If you think they’re out to get you, you’re not alone.
Paranoia, once assumed to afflict only schizophrenics, may be a lot more common than previously thought.
According to British psychologist Daniel Freeman, nearly one in four Londoners regularly have paranoid thoughts. Freeman is a paranoia expert at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College and the author of a book on the subject.
Experts say there is a wide spectrum of paranoia, from the dangerous delusions that drive schizophrenics to violence to the irrational fears many people have daily.
“We are now starting to discover that madness is human and that we need to look at normal people to understand it,” said Dr. Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Van Os was not connected to Freeman’s studies.
Paranoia is defined as the exaggerated or unfounded fear that others are trying to hurt you. That includes thoughts that other people are trying to upset or annoy you, for example, by staring, laughing, or making unfriendly gestures.
Surveys of several thousands of people in Britain, the United States and elsewhere have found that rates of paranoia are slowly rising, although researchers’ estimates of how many of us have paranoid thoughts varies widely, from 5 percent to 50 percent.
A British survey of more than 8,500 adults found that 21 percent of people thought there had been times when others were acting against them. Another survey of about 1,0000 adults in New York found that nearly 11 percent thought other people were following or spying on them.
Dennis Combs, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler, has been studying paranoia for about a decade. When he first started conducting paranoia studies, mostly in college students, he found that about 5 percent of them had paranoid thoughts. In recent years, that has tripled to about 15 percent, he said.
In a small experiment in London, Freeman concluded that a quarter of people riding the subway in the capital probably have regular thoughts that qualify as paranoia. In the study, 200 randomly selected people (those with a history of mental problems were excluded) took a virtual reality train ride. They recorded their reactions to computerized passengers programmed to be neutral.
More than 40 percent of study participants had at least some paranoid thoughts. Some felt intimidated by the computer passengers, claiming they were aggressive, had made obscene gestures, or tried to start a fight.
Freeman said that in big cities, many ambiguous events can lead to paranoid thoughts. Because we constantly make snap judgments based on limited information, like which street to take or whether or not strangers are dangerous, the decision-making process is prone to error.
Van Os said Freeman’s virtual reality experiment was solid and confirmed previous research. Experts say not everyone with paranoid thoughts needs professional help. It all depends on how disturbing the thoughts are and if they disrupt your life.
“People walk around with odd thoughts all the time,” said David Penn, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina. “The question is if that translates into real behavior.”
Van Os recalled a delusional patient who was convinced that the French singer Charles Aznavour was in love with her, and had been whispering to her before she went to sleep every night for more than two decades.
“You could call it a psychotic experience, but she was very happy about it,” van Os said. “There isn’t always a need for care when there’s an instance of psychosis.”
He hoped that being able to identify milder delusional symptoms in people could help doctors intervene earlier to prevent more serious cases.
The post-Sept. 11 atmosphere and the war on terror have also increased levels of paranoia in the West, some experts said.
“We are bombarded with information about our alert status and we’re told to report suspicious-looking characters,” Penn said. “That primes people to be more paranoid.”
Traumatic events can make people more vulnerable to having paranoid thoughts. Since the attacks, Penn said Americans have been conditioned to be more vigilant of anything out of the ordinary.
While heightened awareness may be good thing, Penn said it can also lead to false accusations and an atmosphere where strangers are negatively viewed.
That can result in more social isolation, hostility, and possibly even crime. And it can take a toll on physical health. More paranoia means more stress, a known risk factor for heart disease and strokes.
Still, some experts said that a little bit of paranoia could be helpful.
“In a world full of threat, it may be kind of beneficial for people to be on guard. It’s good to be looking around and see who’s following you and what’s happening,” Combs said. “Not everybody is trying to get you, but some people may be.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
While extensive research establishing this correlation is needed, the neuropathological principles pointing towards a connection between anxiety disorders and the development of panic and paranoia post-injury are clear. Both type disorders originate in the lower brain structures of the limbic system (particularly the amygdala). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_system While the best of the current thinking about poor outcomes in the mild head injury group looks at the cerebral cortex in the lower frontal lobes, it may be that the area of the injury is correct, but the nature of the neuropathology quite different. The anosmic correlative theories (loss of smell correlates with disability in the brain injured population) focused on the contusion on the surface of the orbital frontal portion of the brain. It may be that it is the white matter injury in these adjacent areas on the underside of the brain that triggers so many subtle frontal lobe problems, and its attendant radical emotional responses.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
http://subtlebraininjury.com
http://thelegaltimes.net
http://tbilaw.com
https://waiting.com
http://vestibulardisorder.com
http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
g@gordonjohnson.com
800-992-9447
©Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr. 2008
Date: 11/12/2008
By MARIA CHENG
AP Medical Writer
LONDON (AP) _ If you think they’re out to get you, you’re not alone.
Paranoia, once assumed to afflict only schizophrenics, may be a lot more common than previously thought.
According to British psychologist Daniel Freeman, nearly one in four Londoners regularly have paranoid thoughts. Freeman is a paranoia expert at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College and the author of a book on the subject.
Experts say there is a wide spectrum of paranoia, from the dangerous delusions that drive schizophrenics to violence to the irrational fears many people have daily.
“We are now starting to discover that madness is human and that we need to look at normal people to understand it,” said Dr. Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Van Os was not connected to Freeman’s studies.
Paranoia is defined as the exaggerated or unfounded fear that others are trying to hurt you. That includes thoughts that other people are trying to upset or annoy you, for example, by staring, laughing, or making unfriendly gestures.
Surveys of several thousands of people in Britain, the United States and elsewhere have found that rates of paranoia are slowly rising, although researchers’ estimates of how many of us have paranoid thoughts varies widely, from 5 percent to 50 percent.
A British survey of more than 8,500 adults found that 21 percent of people thought there had been times when others were acting against them. Another survey of about 1,0000 adults in New York found that nearly 11 percent thought other people were following or spying on them.
Dennis Combs, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler, has been studying paranoia for about a decade. When he first started conducting paranoia studies, mostly in college students, he found that about 5 percent of them had paranoid thoughts. In recent years, that has tripled to about 15 percent, he said.
In a small experiment in London, Freeman concluded that a quarter of people riding the subway in the capital probably have regular thoughts that qualify as paranoia. In the study, 200 randomly selected people (those with a history of mental problems were excluded) took a virtual reality train ride. They recorded their reactions to computerized passengers programmed to be neutral.
More than 40 percent of study participants had at least some paranoid thoughts. Some felt intimidated by the computer passengers, claiming they were aggressive, had made obscene gestures, or tried to start a fight.
Freeman said that in big cities, many ambiguous events can lead to paranoid thoughts. Because we constantly make snap judgments based on limited information, like which street to take or whether or not strangers are dangerous, the decision-making process is prone to error.
Van Os said Freeman’s virtual reality experiment was solid and confirmed previous research. Experts say not everyone with paranoid thoughts needs professional help. It all depends on how disturbing the thoughts are and if they disrupt your life.
“People walk around with odd thoughts all the time,” said David Penn, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina. “The question is if that translates into real behavior.”
Van Os recalled a delusional patient who was convinced that the French singer Charles Aznavour was in love with her, and had been whispering to her before she went to sleep every night for more than two decades.
“You could call it a psychotic experience, but she was very happy about it,” van Os said. “There isn’t always a need for care when there’s an instance of psychosis.”
He hoped that being able to identify milder delusional symptoms in people could help doctors intervene earlier to prevent more serious cases.
The post-Sept. 11 atmosphere and the war on terror have also increased levels of paranoia in the West, some experts said.
“We are bombarded with information about our alert status and we’re told to report suspicious-looking characters,” Penn said. “That primes people to be more paranoid.”
Traumatic events can make people more vulnerable to having paranoid thoughts. Since the attacks, Penn said Americans have been conditioned to be more vigilant of anything out of the ordinary.
While heightened awareness may be good thing, Penn said it can also lead to false accusations and an atmosphere where strangers are negatively viewed.
That can result in more social isolation, hostility, and possibly even crime. And it can take a toll on physical health. More paranoia means more stress, a known risk factor for heart disease and strokes.
Still, some experts said that a little bit of paranoia could be helpful.
“In a world full of threat, it may be kind of beneficial for people to be on guard. It’s good to be looking around and see who’s following you and what’s happening,” Combs said. “Not everybody is trying to get you, but some people may be.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Today’s veterans hall a mouse click away
Date: 11/11/2008
By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Veterans of past wars have long found companionship over beer and conversation at their local veterans hall. But many of those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan seek that companionship elsewhere — online.
Hoping to tap into that virtual community, a public service campaign starting Tuesday — Veterans Day — encourages Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to log onto a new social networking site called http://communityofveterans.org/. The site was developed by the nonprofit organizations Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Ad Council.
“You don’t need bricks and mortar to have an American Legion post,” said John Raughter, spokesman for the Indianapolis-based American Legion.
The veterans organization isn’t the only one expanding in cyberspace. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, for example, is starting its own social networking site this week at http://www.myvetworks.com/. Also, the American Legion has created several cyber posts where veterans can communicate online no matter their ZIP code.
The online efforts reflect a change in not only how today’s young adults connect with each other, but also how many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans live in communities without peers who relate to their experience.
The American Legion and VFW have seen a decline in membership since a peak after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, as World War II veterans and Korean War veterans have died. The American Legion currently has 2.6 million members, down from 3.1 million. VFW has 1.6 million, down from 2.2 million.
Some younger veterans are too busy to join the groups or don’t identify with the older veterans, despite outreach efforts.
But that doesn’t mean the younger veterans couldn’t use help. The advertising associated with the Community of Veterans site taps into the loneliness some veterans feel and encourages them to communicate with others.
“Ninety-nine percent of Americans have seen combat on TV. One percent have seen combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. We know where you’re coming from,” says one ad.
The Iraq-Afghanistan support group is based in New York and has more than 125,000 members and civilian supporters. The Ad Council solicits volunteers in communications industries to promote social causes.
Organizers of the site say it’s unique because the veterans must be from the current wars and verify their military service to participate, so a veteran can feel comfortable talking about mental health and other personal issues. It also includes government and private resources where veterans can obtain information about mental health issues and rate programs or services they’ve used.
“It allows us to reach the service members on a medium that they are very accustomed to,” said Todd Bowers, director of government affairs for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, who spent two tours in Iraq with the Marine Reserves. Bowers said troops in the war zone frequently were online.
Lisette Mondello, an assistant secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, said in a statement that the VA supports the effort because it offers an innovative way to reach veterans.
About 1.7 million veterans have fought in Iraq or Afghanistan and as many as one-fifth are estimated to have problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety.
The military has taken strides to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health help. Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge, a two-star Army Reserve general, is one of the highest ranking officers who has been talking openly about getting mental health help, The Associated Press recently reported.
Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Kansas City, Mo.-based VFW, which has 7,900 posts, said about 70,000 of its members are veterans from the current wars. As the young veterans age, he said, the hope is that more will join and become active. But, he said, there is a realization that the way young veterans communicate today is different.
“Being able to blog, to go online, and to have instant information to ask questions and get an instant answer is a tremendous asset,” Davis said. “If the younger generation, if that’s what they want, absolutely we’re going to provide.”
_____
On the Net:
Community of Veterans: http://communityofveterans.org/
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://www.iava.org/
Ad Council: http://www.adcouncil.org/
Veterans of Foreign Wars: http://www.vfw.org/
American Legion: http://www.legion.org
The Brain Injury Information Page: http://tbilaw.com
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Veterans of past wars have long found companionship over beer and conversation at their local veterans hall. But many of those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan seek that companionship elsewhere — online.
Hoping to tap into that virtual community, a public service campaign starting Tuesday — Veterans Day — encourages Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to log onto a new social networking site called http://communityofveterans.org/. The site was developed by the nonprofit organizations Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Ad Council.
“You don’t need bricks and mortar to have an American Legion post,” said John Raughter, spokesman for the Indianapolis-based American Legion.
The veterans organization isn’t the only one expanding in cyberspace. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, for example, is starting its own social networking site this week at http://www.myvetworks.com/. Also, the American Legion has created several cyber posts where veterans can communicate online no matter their ZIP code.
The online efforts reflect a change in not only how today’s young adults connect with each other, but also how many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans live in communities without peers who relate to their experience.
The American Legion and VFW have seen a decline in membership since a peak after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, as World War II veterans and Korean War veterans have died. The American Legion currently has 2.6 million members, down from 3.1 million. VFW has 1.6 million, down from 2.2 million.
Some younger veterans are too busy to join the groups or don’t identify with the older veterans, despite outreach efforts.
But that doesn’t mean the younger veterans couldn’t use help. The advertising associated with the Community of Veterans site taps into the loneliness some veterans feel and encourages them to communicate with others.
“Ninety-nine percent of Americans have seen combat on TV. One percent have seen combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. We know where you’re coming from,” says one ad.
The Iraq-Afghanistan support group is based in New York and has more than 125,000 members and civilian supporters. The Ad Council solicits volunteers in communications industries to promote social causes.
Organizers of the site say it’s unique because the veterans must be from the current wars and verify their military service to participate, so a veteran can feel comfortable talking about mental health and other personal issues. It also includes government and private resources where veterans can obtain information about mental health issues and rate programs or services they’ve used.
“It allows us to reach the service members on a medium that they are very accustomed to,” said Todd Bowers, director of government affairs for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, who spent two tours in Iraq with the Marine Reserves. Bowers said troops in the war zone frequently were online.
Lisette Mondello, an assistant secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, said in a statement that the VA supports the effort because it offers an innovative way to reach veterans.
About 1.7 million veterans have fought in Iraq or Afghanistan and as many as one-fifth are estimated to have problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety.
The military has taken strides to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health help. Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge, a two-star Army Reserve general, is one of the highest ranking officers who has been talking openly about getting mental health help, The Associated Press recently reported.
Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Kansas City, Mo.-based VFW, which has 7,900 posts, said about 70,000 of its members are veterans from the current wars. As the young veterans age, he said, the hope is that more will join and become active. But, he said, there is a realization that the way young veterans communicate today is different.
“Being able to blog, to go online, and to have instant information to ask questions and get an instant answer is a tremendous asset,” Davis said. “If the younger generation, if that’s what they want, absolutely we’re going to provide.”
_____
On the Net:
Community of Veterans: http://communityofveterans.org/
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://www.iava.org/
Ad Council: http://www.adcouncil.org/
Veterans of Foreign Wars: http://www.vfw.org/
American Legion: http://www.legion.org
The Brain Injury Information Page: http://tbilaw.com
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
General bucks culture of silence on mental health
Date: 11/8/2008
By PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) _ It takes a brave soldier to do what Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge did in Iraq.
It takes as much bravery to do what he did when he got home.
Blackledge got psychiatric counseling to deal with wartime trauma, and now he is defying the military’s culture of silence on the subject of mental health problems and treatment.
“It’s part of our profession … nobody wants to admit that they’ve got a weakness in this area,” Blackledge said of mental health problems among troops returning from America’s two wars.
“I have dealt with it. I’m dealing with it now,” said Blackledge, who came home with post-traumatic stress. “We need to be able to talk about it.”
As the nation marks another Veterans Day, thousands of troops are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with anxiety, depression and other emotional problems.
Up to 20 percent of the more than 1.7 million who’ve served in the wars are estimated to have symptoms. In a sign of how tough it may be to change attitudes, roughly half of those who need help aren’t seeking it, studies have found.
Despite efforts to reduce the stigma of getting treatment, officials say they fear generals and other senior leaders remain unwilling to go for help, much less talk about it, partly because they fear it will hurt chances for promotion.
That reluctance is also worrisome because it sends the wrong signal to younger officers and perpetuates the problem leaders are working to reverse.
“Stigma is a challenge,” Army Secretary Pete Geren said Friday at a Pentagon news conference on troop health care. “It’s a challenge in society in general. It’s certainly a challenge in the culture of the Army, where we have a premium on strength, physically, mentally, emotionally.”
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asked leaders earlier this year to set an example for all soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines: “You can’t expect a private or a specialist to be willing to seek counseling when his or her captain or colonel or general won’t do it.”
Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, an Army psychiatrist heading the defense center for psychological health and traumatic brain injury, is developing a campaign in which people will tell their personal stories. Troops, their families and others also will share concerns and ideas through Web links and other programs. Blackledge volunteered to help, and next week he and his wife, Iwona, an Air Force nurse, will speak on the subject at a medical conference.
A two-star Army Reserve general, 54-year-old Blackledge commanded a civil affairs unit on two tours to Iraq, and now works in the Pentagon as Army assistant deputy chief of staff for mobilization and reserve issues.
His convoy was ambushed in February 2004, during his first deployment. In the event that he’s since relived in flashbacks and recurring nightmares, Blackledge’s interpreter was shot through the head, his vehicle rolled over several times and Blackledge crawled out of it with a crushed vertebrae and broken ribs. He found himself in the middle of a firefight, and he and other survivors took cover in a ditch.
He said he was visited by a psychiatrist within days after arriving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. He had several sessions with the doctor over his 11 months of recovery and physical therapy for his injuries.
“He really helped me,” Blackledge said. And that’s his message to troops.
“I tell them that I’ve learned to deal with it,” he said. “It’s become part of who I am.”
He still has bad dreams about once a week but no longer wakes from them in a sweat, and they are no longer as unsettling.
On his second tour to Iraq, Blackledge traveled to neighboring Jordan to work with local officials on Iraq border issues, and he was in an Amman hotel in November 2005 when suicide bombers attacked, killing some 60 and wounding hundreds.
Blackledge got a whiplash injury that took months to heal. The experience, including a harrowing escape from the chaotic scene, rekindled his post-traumatic stress symptoms, though they weren’t as strong as those he’d suffered after the 2004 ambush.
Officials across the service branches have taken steps over the last year to make getting help easier and more discreet, such as embedding mental health teams into units.
They see signs that stigma has been slowly easing. But it’s likely a change that will take generations.
Last year, 29 percent of troops with symptoms said they feared seeking help would hurt their careers, down from 34 percent the previous year, according to an Army survey. Nearly half feared they’d be seen as weak, down from 53 percent.
The majority of troops who get help are able to get better and to remain on the job.
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Associated Press writer Lolita Baldor contributed to this report.
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On the Net:
Information on veterans health care: www.warriorcare.mil
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) _ It takes a brave soldier to do what Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge did in Iraq.
It takes as much bravery to do what he did when he got home.
Blackledge got psychiatric counseling to deal with wartime trauma, and now he is defying the military’s culture of silence on the subject of mental health problems and treatment.
“It’s part of our profession … nobody wants to admit that they’ve got a weakness in this area,” Blackledge said of mental health problems among troops returning from America’s two wars.
“I have dealt with it. I’m dealing with it now,” said Blackledge, who came home with post-traumatic stress. “We need to be able to talk about it.”
As the nation marks another Veterans Day, thousands of troops are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with anxiety, depression and other emotional problems.
Up to 20 percent of the more than 1.7 million who’ve served in the wars are estimated to have symptoms. In a sign of how tough it may be to change attitudes, roughly half of those who need help aren’t seeking it, studies have found.
Despite efforts to reduce the stigma of getting treatment, officials say they fear generals and other senior leaders remain unwilling to go for help, much less talk about it, partly because they fear it will hurt chances for promotion.
That reluctance is also worrisome because it sends the wrong signal to younger officers and perpetuates the problem leaders are working to reverse.
“Stigma is a challenge,” Army Secretary Pete Geren said Friday at a Pentagon news conference on troop health care. “It’s a challenge in society in general. It’s certainly a challenge in the culture of the Army, where we have a premium on strength, physically, mentally, emotionally.”
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asked leaders earlier this year to set an example for all soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines: “You can’t expect a private or a specialist to be willing to seek counseling when his or her captain or colonel or general won’t do it.”
Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, an Army psychiatrist heading the defense center for psychological health and traumatic brain injury, is developing a campaign in which people will tell their personal stories. Troops, their families and others also will share concerns and ideas through Web links and other programs. Blackledge volunteered to help, and next week he and his wife, Iwona, an Air Force nurse, will speak on the subject at a medical conference.
A two-star Army Reserve general, 54-year-old Blackledge commanded a civil affairs unit on two tours to Iraq, and now works in the Pentagon as Army assistant deputy chief of staff for mobilization and reserve issues.
His convoy was ambushed in February 2004, during his first deployment. In the event that he’s since relived in flashbacks and recurring nightmares, Blackledge’s interpreter was shot through the head, his vehicle rolled over several times and Blackledge crawled out of it with a crushed vertebrae and broken ribs. He found himself in the middle of a firefight, and he and other survivors took cover in a ditch.
He said he was visited by a psychiatrist within days after arriving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. He had several sessions with the doctor over his 11 months of recovery and physical therapy for his injuries.
“He really helped me,” Blackledge said. And that’s his message to troops.
“I tell them that I’ve learned to deal with it,” he said. “It’s become part of who I am.”
He still has bad dreams about once a week but no longer wakes from them in a sweat, and they are no longer as unsettling.
On his second tour to Iraq, Blackledge traveled to neighboring Jordan to work with local officials on Iraq border issues, and he was in an Amman hotel in November 2005 when suicide bombers attacked, killing some 60 and wounding hundreds.
Blackledge got a whiplash injury that took months to heal. The experience, including a harrowing escape from the chaotic scene, rekindled his post-traumatic stress symptoms, though they weren’t as strong as those he’d suffered after the 2004 ambush.
Officials across the service branches have taken steps over the last year to make getting help easier and more discreet, such as embedding mental health teams into units.
They see signs that stigma has been slowly easing. But it’s likely a change that will take generations.
Last year, 29 percent of troops with symptoms said they feared seeking help would hurt their careers, down from 34 percent the previous year, according to an Army survey. Nearly half feared they’d be seen as weak, down from 53 percent.
The majority of troops who get help are able to get better and to remain on the job.
___
Associated Press writer Lolita Baldor contributed to this report.
___
On the Net:
Information on veterans health care: www.warriorcare.mil
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.