BLACK PEOPLE vs MENTAL ILLNESS (STIGMAS)

MOST BLACK PEOPLE PREFER TO BE CRAZY THEN TO SEEK MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT:

IN 21st CENTURY BLACK AMERICA, TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS REMAINS A STIGMA.

MANY "SECRETS" IN BLACK FAMILIES ARE ACTUALLY CRIMES (INCEST, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE).

Sources:  Psychology Today, Atlanta Black Star, Mental Health America.net, YouTube

~ Highlights:

At least one million BLACK people in the United States suffers from some form of treatable Mental Illness.

However instead of seeking professional Mental Health treatment most BLACK people prefer to remain in a state of Psychological Delusion or Psychosis because BLACK people are supposed to be "Strong".

Thus in many BLACK communities crimes against humanity (Incest, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse) continue all in the name of "hiding family secrets".

Although ill-equipped to do so,  BLACK Churches are often Substituted for a Licensed Mental Health Therapist's couch. 

***** Why African Americans Avoid Psychotherapy

~ Black people shy away from psychology's solutions to mental health problems. 

African Americans share the same mental health issues as the rest of the population, with arguably even greater stressors due to racism, prejudice, and economic disparities. 

Meanwhile, many wonder why African Americans shy away from psychotherapyas a potential solution to challenges such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, marriageproblems, and parenting issues.

 As a Black psychologist, it is troublesome that so many African Americans are reluctant to make use of psychology's solutions to emotional hurdles. 

Here are some of the issues I've encountered in my research and clinical practice, with practical ideas for addressing this disparity.

Stigma and judgment

In places like Los Angeles and New York, everyone and their pet has a therapist, yet even among the wealthy and elite, many African Americans continue to hold stigmatizing beliefs about mental illness. 

For example, a qualitative study by Alvidrez et al., (2008) found that among Blacks who were already mental health consumers, over a third felt that mild depression or anxiety would be considered "crazy" in their social circles. 

Talking about problems with an outsider (i.e., therapist) may be viewed as airing one's "dirty laundry," and even more telling is the fact that over a quarter of those consumers felt that discussions about mental illness would not be appropriate even among family.

In a study I recently completed, one African American gentleman noted, "I was just embarrassed. Getting this type of help has, and continues to be, like a sore thumb in the African American community. 

Unfortunately, I don't have insurance, so my fear was that if I sought help, it would not be good because I couldn't afford it."

Likewise, African Americans may be resistant to seek treatment because they fear it may reflect badly on their families–an outward admission of the family's failure to handle problems internally. 

Something I found in my own studies, is that even among African Americans who suffered greatly from mental disorders, many held negative attitudes about people who obtain mental health care. 

No matter how impaired they were, they didn't want to be one of "those people."

Many African Americans with mental disorders are unaware that they have a diagnosable illness at all, and are even less aware that effective psychological treatments exist for their specific problem. 

Because of the taboo surrounding open discussion about mental illness, African Americans often have little knowledge of mental health problems and their treatments.

Concerns about therapist or treatment process

Many African Americans also have concerns about treatment effectiveness, which may be due to both lack of education and cultural misgivings. 

Apprehension about clashing with the values or worldview of the clinician can cause ambivalence about seeking help, and this may be especially true for the many who believe that mental health treatment was designed by White people for White people. 

African Americans view the typical psychologist as an older, White male, who would be insensitive to the social and economic realities of their lives (Thompson et al., 2004). 

In actuality, however, even though African Americans are underrepresented as psychologists, they are well-represented among mental health providers in general, and can be found among the ranks of master's level clinicians, such as professional counselors and clinical social workers. 

These types of therapists can be very useful for many sorts of difficulties, including family problems and many mental health needs.

Anxiety about therapy may also be related to a lack of knowledge about what to expect from the treatment itself. 

Indeed, many African Americans with mental disorders express fears about being involuntarily hospitalized, and are unwilling to share their symptoms for fear of being "locked up" or "put away."

Yet even those who are willing to brave treatment may not place therapy among their priorities. 

Work, family responsibilities, commitments, and transportation issues all can overshadow the need for therapy, which may be viewed as a luxury endeavor when there are kids to drive to little league and dinner to make at home. 

This troublesome reality suggests that despite struggling for years with a mental disorder, many are reluctant to take time for themselves to get better. 

Cost of treatment and lack of insurance coverage

The financial burden of mental health treatment is a barrier that affects everyone, but disproportionally affects African Americans due to lower incomes and reduced employment opportunities. 

In my own research, I found that those most concerned about cost are more likely to be uninsured; their incomes are not low enough to qualify for publicly provided services but not high enough to afford a private insurance plan.

Increasing treatment participation

All of the issues described thus far can create a difficult uphill battle when trying to increase treatment participation within the African American community. 

But there are many practical approaches that can reduce this mental health disparity.

Making treatment more affordable

The cost of treatment may be prohibitive for many, especially among those without insurance coverage. 

Many low-income individuals can find help in the community health system, but such systems may suffer from a lack of clinicians able to treat complex and less common conditions. 

It can be especially difficult to find care for those who lack any sort of insurance, have an unstable living situation, or who must contend with the inability to make appointments due to overcrowding.

Individual practices and treatment centers can help by publicizing effective low cost treatment options (i.e. practicum students, sliding scale slots, etc.) Another cost-effective option is stepped-care. 

For example, one model proposed by Tolin, Diefenback, Maltby, and Hannan, (2005) for the treatment of OCD involves bibliotherapy (self-help books), followed by clinician-guided self-treatment as needed, as well as traditional exposure and ritual prevention for non-responders.

 In this way, the most expensive treatment is provided to those who need it most, while others may benefit from a lesser approach. 

Nonetheless, it is important to be aware that the cost of treatment is a larger problem that involves many aspects of our society, including the politics of health care and social inequalities.

Increasing awareness of mental disorders and treatment options

Education about mental disorders and the treatment process is a critical to reducing barriers to treatment among the African American community. 

Suggestions for overcoming this barrier include public education campaigns (e.g., mass media), educational presentations at community venues (e.g., Black churches), and open information sessions at local mental health clinics. 

In fact, many Black churches are taking the treatment to where the people are, and hiring licensed therapists to work with their flock.

For those who do start conventional treatment, the first clinical encounter presents an important opportunity to address skepticism about the usefulness of treatment. 

It's the clinician's responsibility to demystify the process and explain the benefits of staying the course. 

Without this knowledge the participant may only assume what he or she may encounter and base their decision to follow through on incorrect assumptions.

 If the expected outcomes, number of sessions, and potential goals are clearly outlined in advance, there is little chance of feeling misled or not in control. 

The client-patient bond may be strengthened with this extra attempt at transparency.

Making mental health a priority

Treatment has the potential to conflict with many daily activities or commitments for busy people.

 In the current economy, many take second and third jobs to make ends meet. 

Whether the individual feels treatment is a necessary priority despite prior engagements, transportation, or scheduling issues is an important positive step. 

Moreover, incorporating the family is another crucial measure in overcoming barriers to treatment. 

By gaining familial support the client may gain peace of mind as well as lose the fear of being outcast or stigmatized. In addition, with the family's acceptance, making time for treatment becomes easier and priorities may be put into perspective. 

Utilizing the family to emphasize the importance of good mental health creates more allies to emphasize the relationship between improved functioning and greater success at home and work.

Reducing fears about therapy and stigma

Making psychotherapy less intimidating may be one of the most important ways of improving help-seeking. 

Careful use of language can help to reduce some discomfort surrounding mental health care. 

For example, African Americans are more comfortable with the term "counseling" over "psychotherapy" (Thompson et al., 2004), and this should be considered in advertising and conversational exchanges. 

Another practical way to reduce fears is to offer free assessments and phone consultations, which will help familiarize potential patients with the clinic, clinician, and treatment. 

Clinicians might use initial contacts to address fears of being involuntarily hospitalized by explaining the difference between typical mental health challenges and "being crazy," including the role of insight and self-efficacy.

However, it is important to note that reservations against treatment may be rooted in actual experiences of racism and encounters with medical professionals lacking cultural awareness. 

Treatment is a partnership that can only be successful with mutual respect, and for this to occur it remains the duty of the therapist to become culturally competent and sensitive to disparities, and in turn, communicate support and understanding to the patient. 

African Americans look for subtle cues to determine if a therapist holds racist attitudes, as many are afraid of being mistreated due to their race or ethnicity. 

These concerns are not unfounded, as a lower social status makes African Americans more vulnerable to abuse, particularly in a medical setting, where the clinician is considered the authority figure. 

A recent study by Snowden et al. (2009), found that after controlling for severity of mental illness and other variables, 

African Americans are more than twice as likely to experience a psychiatrichospitalization than Whites, an indication of continued bias among clinicians when faced with Black patients in need of mental health services.

To completely eliminate mental health disparities, clinicians must be willing to undertake an honest self-examination of their own conscious and unconscious attitudes about race, including preconceived notions about who would be a good client. 

By increasing the cultural competence and social awareness of all clinicians, the mental health system can begin to shed its bias against ethnic minorities. 

This would result in greater understanding and empathy for the patient's experience, improved treatment outcomes, and more African Americans willing to take a chance with mental health care.

Alvidrez, J., Snowden, L. R., and Kaiser, D. M. (2008). The Experience of Stigma among Black Mental Health Consumers. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 19, 874-893.

Suite, D.H., La Bril, R., Primm, A., et al. (2007). Beyond misdiagnosis, misunderstanding and mistrust: relevance of the historical perspective in the medical and mental health treatment of people of color. Journal of the National Medical Association, 99(8), 879-8.

Thompson, V.L., Bazile, A., & Akbar, M. (2004). African Americans' perceptions of psychotherapy and psychotherapists. Professional Psychological Research and Practice, 35(1), 19-26.

Tolin, D.F., Diefenbach, G.J., Maltby, N., Hannan, S., (2005). Stepped care for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A pilot study. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 12, 4, 403-414.

SUICIDE IS DESTROYING BLACK FAMILIES IN AMERICA

#Suicide

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Why are so many BLACK Men in America giving up and completing Suicide?

More BLACK Men are dying from Suicide than from Police Brutality.

Suicide destroys BLACK Families in America.

The Federal Govt does not seem to care about the Mental Health of BLACK Men.

America's Corrupt Child Support system has contributed to the high rate of Suicide among BLACK Men.

Why are LIFE INSURANCE Companies releasing Checks to Survivors and Girlfriends for Suicide, especially in the state of NORTH CAROLINA??


Sources: The Root, YouTube

Franklin D. Roosevelt & Obama On JOBS, Taxes & Social Security: "The New Deal" (Videos)

New Deal

The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. That is, Relief for the unemployed and poor; Recovery of the economy to normal levels; and Reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. The New Deal produced a political realignment, making the Democratic Party the majority (as well as the party which held the White House for seven out of nine Presidential terms from 1933 to 1969), with its base in liberal ideas, big city machines, and newly empowered labor unions, ethnic minorities, and the white South. The Republicans were split, either opposing the entire New Deal as an enemy of business and growth, or accepting some of it and promising to make it more efficient. The realignment crystallized into the New Deal Coalition that dominated most American elections into the 1960s, while the opposition Conservative Coalition largely controlled Congress from 1938 to 1964.

Historians distinguish a "First New Deal" (1933) and a "Second New Deal" (1934–36). Some programs were declared unconstitutional, and others were repealed during World War II. The "First New Deal" (1933) dealt with diverse groups, from banking and railroads to industry and farming, all of which demanded help for economic recovery. A "Second New Deal" in 1934–36 included the Wagner Act to promote labor unions, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief program, the Social Security Act, and new programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers. The final major items of New Deal legislation were the creation of the United States Housing Authority and Farm Security Administration, both in 1937, then the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which set maximum hours and minimum wages for most categories of workers[1] and the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938.

Despite Roosevelt campaigning heavily against anti-New Deal Republicans and anti-New Deal Democrats, Republicans gained many seats in Congress in the 1938 midterm elections and the Democrats opponents of the New Deal retained their seats, resulting in the WPA, CCC and other relief programs being shut down during World War II by the Conservative Coalition (i.e., the opponents of the New Deal in Congress); they argued the return of full employment made them superfluous. As a Republican President in the 1950s, Dwight D. Eisenhower left the New Deal largely intact.

In the 1960s, Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society took New Deal policies further. After 1974, laissez faire views grew in support, calling for deregulation of the economy and ending New Deal regulation of transportation, banking and communications in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[3] Several New Deal programs remain active, with some still operating under the original names, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The largest programs still in existence today are the Social Security System and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Sources: White House, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Dooce Blogger, Heather Armstrong Joins Forces With Michelle Obama

Blogger Joins Forces With Michelle Obama On Family/ Work Balance



Heather Armstrong, the woman behind the popular blog Dooce, understands how important flexible working policies can be for employees and their families.

Armstrong suffered severe postpartum depression after giving birth to her first daughter.

"For the first six months, I often thought of suicide every day," Armstrong remembered.

She said her husband, Jon's, company was in the middle of a software project, and he was reprimanded if he called in sick.

"So, here he is going to work, working on this project and knowing that his wife is at home thinking about killing herself. And he can't even take a sick day," she said.

She eventually checked herself into a hospital, and her husband stayed home using the Family Medical Leave Act.



Armstrong and her husband now work at home, running Dooce.com

She was invited to a White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility on Wednesday by a Department of Labor staffer who told her that many people in his office read her blog.

Armstrong said she brought a small-business owner's perspective to the conference.

"It was mostly about flex policy, telecommuting and determining your own hours," she said of the small group discussions. "The emphasis was definitely on technology and infrastructure to make it possible for people to work at home -- make up hours at home -- because of family emergencies."

Some workers afraid to use flex time

Armstrong had a seat in the front row as both President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama spoke to the group. And although she had voted for the president, it was his wife who made the greatest impression.

"I was not prepared to be that stunned," Armstrong said, adding, "It was her presence."

"She comes out, and it feels like you were sitting down with her over a Diet Coke or a cup of tea or a cocktail, and she's telling you -- straight up -- 'this is what's going on, and this is what I've done, and this is what we're trying to do, and I can't make any promises, but this is what we're working on.' "

The first lady shared her own struggles with balancing work with children and a busy husband. She told how she was on maternity leave with daughter Sasha when she was called in for a job interview but couldn't find a babysitter.

"I packed up that little infant, and I put her in the stroller, and I brought her with me. And I prayed that her presence wouldn't be an automatic disqualifier," Michelle Obama recalled. "And it was fortunate for me that, number one, she slept through the entire interview."

The first lady got the job and felt lucky her interviewer had just had a new child and was understanding. But she said she realizes that most workers struggle to balance families with work, with no flexible working arrangements and often without sick leave.

The White House said it is trying out a pilot program to help government workers "meet the demands of the job without sacrificing their families."

Armstrong says the majority of her readers are supportive of such efforts.

"All of us want to see better laws enacted, especially when it comes to families. And especially when we in the 21st century have lost our village, and if a kid gets sick, you can't expect the person sitting next to you in the hut to take of the kid."

Armstrong says some people in the online community think she makes a "big exorbitant amount of money" and believe that her success has made her unable to understand the plight of average families.

She says that is wrong and that she "owns every perspective at this table."

"I started [her blog] in my mom's basement, completely broke," she said.

Now that she and her husband can support themselves with their own Web site, they try to "make it so that our employees feel valued and have a flexible working environment."


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Sources: CNN, Dooce.com, MSNBC, Today Show, Youtube, Google Maps

Michael Blosil, Marie Osmond's Son Commits Suicide

Marie Osmond's Son Michael Blosil Commits Suicide In L.A.


Michael Blosil, the 18-year-old son of Marie Osmond, jumped to his death Friday night from his downtown Los Angeles apartment building, leaving behind a note, ETOnline reports, referring to a lifelong battle with Depression.

"My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time," his mother said through her publicist Saturday.

Donny Osmond, his uncle, said on Saturday morning: "Please pray for my sister and her family."

Tonight's "Donny & Marie" show at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas has been canceled.

In November 2007, Michael, then 16, entered rehab, though what he was being treated for was not disclosed.

Osmond and Michael's father, Brian Blosil, announced in March 2007 that they were divorcing after nearly 21 years of marriage. Osmond and Blosil had two biological children together and adopted five others, including Michael. Brian Blosil also adopted Osmond's child from her first marriage.


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Sources: LA Times, ETOnline, Lasvegasun.com, MSNBC, People.com, Radar Online, Google Maps

Fort Hood Heroes! Army Strong! Fort Hood Will Recover

Fort Hood: "Recovery going to take a while". Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey discuss the ongoing investigation into the shootings at Fort Hood.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Pres. Obama addresses the recent Fort Hood tragedy.

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What factors turn a Psychiatrist into a Killer?

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Woman who stopped Fort Hood rampage is Hoggard grad, former Wrightsville Beach officer


Those who know Kimberly Barbour Munley said they aren’t surprised the Carolina Beach native is the female civilian police officer credited for stopping the deadly shooting at Fort Hood, where 13 people were killed and several others injured.

Munley herself was injured, but she managed to shoot the gunman four times within three minutes of reported gunfire Thursday afternoon, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said Friday morning.

“She was not afraid of anything,” said Wrightsville Beach Police Chief John Carey, who knew Munley when she worked for the department from 2000 to 2002.

“She is very small, but she had no fear,” he said.

Cone lauded Munley for encountering suspected gunman Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who is hospitalized on a ventilator. “In an exchange of gunfire, she was wounded but managed to wound him four times,” Cone said. “It was an amazing and aggressive performance by this police officer.”

Munley, 34, is the daughter of former Carolina Beach mayor Dennis Barbour. She grew up in Carolina Beach and graduated in 1993 from Hoggard High School.

Her father and stepmother, Wanda Barbour, were busy Friday afternoon trying to get a flight to Fort Hood so they could visit Munley in the hospital, where she remained in stable condition. They were also fielding calls from local and national media, including CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Inside Edition, according to workers at Island Tackle and Hardware in Carolina Beach, which is owned by the Barbours.

“We’re just so grateful and thankful to the Lord that she’s safe,” Wanda Barbour said. “Our hearts just ache for the loss of others, too, and hers, too. She’s still upset about that.”

Barbour said she and her husband found out Thursday afternoon Munley was involved in the attack, but they didn’t find out until later she was the one the top commander at Fort Hood credited with stopping the shooting.

Like others, Barbour wasn’t surprised it was Munley who helped stop the shooter. “When they said a female officer, a little part of me just knew,” she said.

“She is a very great person with a great spirit,” she said.

Ron Strickland, a retired teacher from Hoggard High School, coached Munley’s volleyball team and remembered her as a fearless athlete who was interested in law enforcement.

“This doesn’t surprise me at all,” Strickland said of Munley’s heroism. “She was always very matter of fact.”

Munley graduated in 1999 from Cape Fear Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement program, said David Hardin, public information officer for the college.

Carey said the Wrightsville Beach Police Department was Munley’s first law enforcement job. She was first employed March 1, 2000 as a reserve officer and later worked as a beach patrol officer and as an officer in the Uniform Patrol Division. She left the department in February 2002.

Munley received three letters of commendation and recognition for her performance as a Wrightsville Beach police officer.

“The Town of Wrightsville Beach expresses our most sincere condolences to the families of the soldiers that were killed and wounded in the shooting that occurred yesterday at Fort Hood Texas,” a news release from the police department states. “The Town of Wrightsville Beach and the Wrightsville Beach Police Department are proud of Officer Munley’s quick action and her dedication to the highest ideals of police service and wish her a speedy and full recovery.”

On Friday afternoon, many people sent messages to Munley’s Twitter account, expressing gratitude and wishes for a speedy recovery.

In the biography section of Munley’s Twitter account, she summed up her life with the following message: “I live a good life … a hard one, but I go to sleep peacefully @ night knowing that I may have made a difference in someone’s life.”





Military hails 2 heroes in Fort Hood rampage

The top commander at Fort Hood is crediting a civilian police officer for stopping the shooting rampage that killed 13 people at the Texas post. Lt. Gen. Bob Cone also hailed a young Army nutritionist who helped wounded victims.

Both women heroically intervened despite being shot.

Cone said Friday that Fort Hood police Sgt. Kimberly Munley and her partner responded within three minutes of reported gunfire Thursday afternoon. Cone said Munley shot the gunman four times despite being shot herself.

Officials said Munley was in stable condition.

Cone said, "It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer."

On Munley's Twitter page, Munley is pictured with country music star Dierks Bentley at the Fort Hood "Freedom Fest." Her Twitter bio read: 'I live a good life. ... a hard one, but I go to sleep peacefully @ night knowing that I may have made a difference in someone's life."

Munley's father, Dennis Barbour, was making plans to travel to Fort Hood to see his 34-year-old daughter on Friday, Starnewsonline.com in Wilmington, N.C., reported. Barbour is a former mayor of Carolina Beach, a barrier island town near Wilmington.

“We're just so grateful and thankful to the Lord that she's safe,” Munley's stepmother, Wanda Barbour told the newspaper Web site. “Our hearts just ache for the loss of others, too, and hers, too. She's still upset about that.”

Munley is a native of Carolina Beach and served as a police officer in Wrightsville Beach, Starnewsonline.com reported.

Cone also hailed Amber Bahr, 19, as an "amazing young lady."

The commander told NBC's TODAY show that the nutritionist put a tourniquet on a wounded soldier and carried him out to medical care. And only after she had taken care of others did she realize she had been shot, he said.

In and out of pain

On Thursday, her mother, Lisa Pfund, told the Sheboygan Press that she spoke briefly to Bahr after she was taken to a community hospital.

"I actually got to talk to Amber and I talked to her for about 30 seconds and she was in a lot of pain," Pfund said. "She couldn't tell me nothing, either."

Later that night, she was able to speak with her recovering daughter, she told the Sheboygan Press. She was "in and out of pain" and on medication but in good spirits, adding that she tried to help others during the rampage, the Sheboygan Press reported.

The suspected gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, is hospitalized on a ventilator.




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Sources: Star News Online, MSNBC, US Army, Google Maps

"Allahu Akbar!" What Was Major Hasan's Motive? Jihad Or Despair?

Did the suspected Fort Hood gunman US Army Major, Dr. Hasan yell "Allahu Akbar!" prior to his rampage?

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President Barack Obama warns against "jumping to conclusions."

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Were red flags about Dr. Hasan's state of mind or motive for this rampage ignored by the US Army or FBI?

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What was Dr. Hasan's motive for the shooting?

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Dr. Hasan's Grandma: Shooter a good doctor but troubled


The grandmother of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the man authorities say is responsible for the worst mass killing on a U.S. military base, wept Friday as she discussed her grandson at her house in a wealthy suburb of this West Bank city.

Hasan’s maternal grandmother, Salha Hamad, 84, said her grandson was a “good boy” and a “good doctor with a good heart” with whom she would speak frequently on the phone.

She told NBC News that he was extremely unhappy in Fort Hood. Hamad said Hasan told her he was ver troubled by his upcoming deployment.

She said Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was particularly upset by seeing soldiers who were suffering as a result of being injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Col. Steve Braverman, the Fort Hood hospital commander, said early Friday that Hasan was on deployment orders to Afghanistan. A military official later told The Associated Press that Hasan was to be deployed to Iraq. It was not immediately possible to verify the discrepancy.

The military official, who did not have authorization to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, said Hasan had indicated he didn’t want to go to Iraq but was willing to serve in Afghanistan.

In the United States, his family on Friday described Hasan's actions as “despicable and deplorable.”

A day after the attack, there remained many unknowns about the suspect, and President Barack Obama, in remarks in the Rose Garden, cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

Six years at Walter Reed

Yet details of his life and mindset, emerging from his family, personal acquaintances and official sources, were troubling.

For six years before reporting for duty at Fort Hood in July, the 39-year-old Army major — who is seen as a balding, heavy-set man in photos — worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center pursuing his career in psychiatry, as an intern, a resident and, last year, a fellow in disaster and preventive psychiatry.

He received his medical degree from the military's Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001. He was in the preparation stage of deployment to Afghanistan.

While an intern at Walter Reed, Hasan had some "difficulties" that required counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time.

Grieger said privacy laws prevented him from going into details but noted that the problems had to do with Hasan's interactions with patients. He recalled Hasan as a "mostly very quiet" person who never spoke ill of the military or his country.

"He swore an oath of loyalty to the military," Grieger said. "I didn't hear anything contrary to those oaths."

But, more recently, federal agents grew suspicious. At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.

They had not determined for certain whether Hasan was the author of the postings, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.

Harassed for religious beliefs?

Reports have emerged that Hasan, a devout Muslim, felt he was discriminated against for his beliefs.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Hasan's aunt, Noel Hasan of Falls Church, Va., said he had been harassed about being a Muslim in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and he wanted out of the Army.

"Some people can take it, and some people cannot," she said. "He had listened to all of that, and he wanted out of the military."

She said he had sought a discharge from the military for several years, and even offered to repay the cost of his medical training.

Noel Hasan said her nephew "did not make many friends" and would say "the military was his life."

Born in Virginia

Hasan was born and raised in Virginia, the son of Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States from Albireh, a West Bank suburb of Ramallah. His grandmother told NBC News that many members of his extended family have American citizenship and she has a U.S. green card.

In a statement Friday, Kim Fuller, a spokeswoman for Hasan's family, said relatives in Virginia were reaching out to law enforcement to offer any help they can into the investigation.

The family said his actions don't reflect how they were raised in the U.S. Still, while there have been reports that he was harassed for his Muslim religion, there is no indication Hasan filed a complaint within the military about that.

During an interview on NBC’s Today Show, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base commander, said soldiers reported that the gunman shouted “Allahu akbar!” — an Arabic phrase for “God is great!” — before opening fire. He said officials had not yet confirmed that Hasan made the comment.

"He was mortified by the idea of having to deploy," Nader Hasan said. "He had people telling him on a daily basis the horrors they saw over there."

Federal law-enforcement agents ordered an evacuation of the apartment complex where Hasan lived in Killeen, Texas, Thursday night and conducted a search of his home, said Hilary Shine, director of public information for the city. She didn't say what was found during the search.

Officials said earlier that federal search warrants were being drawn up to authorize the seizure of his computer.

Retired Army Col. Terry Lee, who said he worked with Hasan, told Fox News that Hasan had hoped Obama would pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Lee said Hasan got into frequent arguments with others in the military who supported the wars, and had tried hard to prevent his pending deployment.

But a neighbor of Hasan's said he appeared to be OK with his pending deployment.

"I asked him how he felt about going over there, with their religion and everything, and he said, 'It’s going to be interesting,'" said Edgar Booker, a 58-year-old retired soldier who now works in a cafeteria on the post.

‘Committed soldier’ looking for a wife
Hasan attended prayers regularly when he lived outside Washington, often in his Army uniform, said Faizul Khan, a former imam at a mosque Hasan attended in Silver Spring, Md.

"I got the impression that he was a committed soldier," Khan said. Hasan was single, but Khan said he spoke often with Hasan about his desire for a wife.

His grandmother also told NBC that she frequently spoke with him about getting married, but he said he was so stressed by his work, that he never had time to meet anyone.

On a form filled out by those seeking spouses through a program at the mosque, Hasan listed his birthplace as Arlington, Va., but his nationality as Palestinian, Khan said.

"I don't know why he listed Palestinian," Khan said, "He was not born in Palestine."

Nothing stood out about Hasan as radical or extremist, Khan said.

"We hardly ever got to discussing politics," Khan said. "Mostly we were discussing religious matters, nothing too controversial, nothing like an extremist."

Hasan earned his rank of major in April 2008, according to a July 2008 Army Times article.

He served eight years as an enlisted soldier. He was an undergraduate at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. He received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and graduated with honors in 1995. Contrary to earlier reports, a statement released by Virginia Tech said that he was not a member of any ROTC program at the school.



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Sources: MSNBC, McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, Google Maps