I wonder how accurate this really is. The researchers interviewed only 5092 employees, and 7 years ago. I don't know how many men and women work directly for railroad companies, but I would guess it's well over 200,000. So 5092 would be less than 2% of the total population, which is well within the 3% error rate claimed by all political polls. Besides, years ago I read about the young PHd candidate who wrote a thesis containing conclusions that were "New and True". Unfortunately, that which was "New" was not very True, that which was "True" was not very New......! Three in five railroad employees have personality disorder, study says Published by Trains Newswire: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 CHICAGO - Nearly three in five Class I railroad employees has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol, researchers reported yesterday in the most extensive study of its kind, the Associated Press reported. The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 15 percent of these employees with mental problems get treatment. Counting substance abuse, the study found that over half of the people surveyed, including management and non-management, have some sort of psychiatric condition. Study co-author Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute called the widespread lack of treatment particularly worrisome. He said it should alert not only "employees and their families, but also railroad management and people who run mental health services about the need to extend access to treatment." The study was released in the Archives of General Psychiatry. It was based on interviews with 5,092 railroaders in 2001 and 2002, but the authors said the results likely hold true today.
Hank, if the same survey was conducted 60 years ago, it would be "use" of alcohol, not "abuse" as times have changed things. Many crewmembers carried flasks. :tb-sad:
3 out of 5 railroaders surveyed have a personality disorder? I keep telling people that you don't have to be crazy to go into this line of work...but it sure helps.
'Normal' is measured by having a Masters degree or Doctorate and making over 100K/year Everybody who fails those qualifications must surely have mental problems Or so they would have us believe
Railroaders with mental problems? Hellllllooooooooo!!! Golly, that writer has such a flair for the obvious!!! Charlie
If the writer had to see half the things we see he would have mental problems as well. It isn't a pretty sight when someone decides to use your train as a means to end their life. I really feel sorry for police officers that have to extract what is left of a human being and seeing this kind of thing more often than any of us.
I can only imagine what it'd be like telling the Medical Dept. that you feel you need some kind of psychiatric help. :eh-wacko: Can you say 'Dismissed?' I knew you could.
I don't have a Masters Degree but I make over 100K/year driving trains, I guess that makes me only half crazy.:tb-biggrin: Of course psychiatrists are going to tell you that studies show a large percentage of any group have mental problems, that's how they make a living.
Soon they're gonna tell us we All have metnal issues and we all need to get professional help to alleivieate theose issues and medical treatment to numb thsm out of our heads. I would LOVE for these pretty white clean people to actually experience a little strife in life. Maybe then they'd have a better handle on what "mental issues" are. It would help if they stopped with the diagnosing and simply told people "You think things suck? Thus is life; get over it!"
Dudes ... this story is a hoax. The original research was related to college students and wasn't even close to 3 in 5. Here is a link to REAL Associated Press story. Check it out. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_11116299?source=rss
Marcus, welcome to the Trainboard, we're happy to have you aboard. I believe you may have confused and cross-correlated two different studies. There are numerous studies performed every year by college students, research companies, news companies, professional polling organizations, and politicians, none of which are related one with another. The railroad study was performed in 2001-2002 by one professor at Columbia University in New York City. Whereas the study reported by the Denver Post was performed by a different professor, also at Columbia University, and appears to have been performed more recently.
Study or no...I don't need a professor to tell me railroaders in general have got to be pretty whacked just to put up with the insanity in the first place. baffled: Oh the things we do for beer money...:beer:
==================================================================== I can tell a story about that, but I cant tell it on "Storytime with Charlie" since it is too sensitive and could lead to some serious repercussions if if falls into the wrong hands. It's not a big story but if you want to hear it, b/c me! Charlie
Crazy huh how many millions in grant money did some idiot get to do that study? screw 'em a "normal person" couldnt do my job. besides there WAY off in there results. like its a easy life. ya gotta love it. thats nutts all in itself. the last time I had (well you know....sex) with my wife. It consisted of her throwing my old greasy bibs out of her new washing machine and screaming "F**K You, dont you have to go to arizona or somthing!!!". ~~ hey ~~~~ whats this key do? <<see easily distracted.... thank God I fell into a phsyco friendly occupation
“There is little satisfaction in participating in civic affairs in a community from which you may be removed at any time. Participation in church, recreation, or other local activities is seldom practical for young railroaders while they are so insecure in job location.” wrote Era Standefer in her 1949 Thesis "The Romance of Railroading". Era was married to C. W. "Red" Standefer a Cotton Belt Engineer who railroaded from 1917-1967. She wrote quite a bit about what it was like to live in a railroad town for her thesis and describes the disassociation of the railroader with his community because he was often gone from it.
I still love this thread.... ****"THE..... blue pills keep me from.......SCREAMING"***** that is why I dont take em...
