Brothers, the starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman, is a powerful film about the mental scars of war and the difficult transitions faced by military families. Maguire’s character, Captain Sam Cahill, is captured in Afghanistan and returns home with a story he cannot tell anyone, including his family. His secret eats at him throughout the movie, reaching an emotional climax that displays the best of what Maguire has to offer as an actor.
There are many reasons why soldiers may be reluctant to disclose details of their war-time experiences. In this NY Times article, James Dao and Dan Frosch explain how limited patient-therapist confidentiality in the military is a significant barrier to treatment among returning veterans.
Pfc. Jeffery Meier, who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and drug addiction after two deployments to Iraq, got an appointment in August to see a psychiatrist at Fort Carson, Colo. But when he arrived for his first session, he was asked to sign a waiver explaining that under certain circumstances, including if he admitted violating military laws, his conversations with his therapist might not be kept confidential. He refused to sign. Private Meier, who is seeking a medical discharge from the Army, was given counseling anyway. But he says he never opened up to his therapist, fearing that actions taken in the heat of battle might be disclosed to prosecutors. “How can you go and talk about wartime problems when you feel that if you mention anything wrong, you’re going to be prosecuted?” he said in an interview.
Photo Source: IMDb
