Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Herman's Final Thoughts on Murder-Suicide--Back to Vietnam

My brother-in-law Herman Langner served  as a medical officer (head of the ship's sanctuary)  in the military with the Marines in Vietnam, where he witnessed up close cases of post-traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD).

"What I heard happening on the 9-1-1 tapes in my hometown in St. Charles, Illinois, a few blocks from where I live and practice psychiatry was far more traumatic than anything  witnessed in Vietnam.

"Trauma in combat is impersonal.  Soldiers in combat are trained to kill one another.  That's their job.  Sometimes they even feel compassion for the enemy.  What happened here in St. Charles was not impersonal.  Killing his wife was too easy for her.  He wanted to inflict pain on her, not just pain in her body but more importantly pain in her soul.  My thoughts and profound sympathy have been with her."

But I know his thoughts and profound sympathy have also been with those whose suicides and murder-suicides  are brought about by what he describes in Attachment and Suicides.

http://tinamartinsanfranciscovistas.blogspot.com/2017/05/hermans-final-thoughts-on-murder.html

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