PTSD in the News: Weekly Roundup

Big news this week: As of September 2009 HEAL MY PTSD’s radio programming will increase with the launch of a monthly radio program on BlogTalk Radio. To kick off our new feature we’ve book Bob Stahn (Counselor at Well Spring Counseling, the man getting media coverage for his PTSD healing technique: Imagery Rescripting and Reprocessing Therapy). Stay tuned for more details….

I’m in the process of adding audio to some of the BRIDGE THE GAP exercises. You can find the first one here about taking off the mask of trauma. The exercise relates to the recent post, What’s Your Post-Trauma Identity?

Good PTSD media coverage this week, including the function of memory in PTSD, the role of the brain in stress, innovative PTSD treatment research, and gender and PTSD. Plus, the usual smattering of military topics including words from a military wife, the VA’s plans for new centers in 2010 and a PTSD documentary. Read on!

Topics for Everyone

Ranch School Uses EMDR To Heal Troubled Teens - Sorenson’s Ranch School, the premier rehabilitation ranch for troubled teens, relies on its extensive experience and multiple therapies when treating patients.

Autobiographical and Nonautobiographical Memory Functioning in PTSD - Results showed that memories of the trauma were more disorganized than memories of an unpleasant control event in subjects with PTSD compared to subjects without PTSD.

Brain is Co-Conspirator in Vicious Stress Loop - The truth is, Dr. Sapolsky said, “we’re lousy at recognizing when our normal coping mechanisms aren’t working. Our response is usually to do it five times more, instead of thinking, maybe it’s time to try something new.”

Rx: XBox - Nichols said she discovered the mental health benefits of video games some years ago during a particularly bad spell of depression.

Innovative Research Featuring Effective Treatment for PTSD - Results of the pilot study found that survey scores for anxiety and somatic complaints of the participants who received the Craniosacral Therapy decreased, while the somatic complaint scores of the participants who did not receive therapy actually increased.  

Gender & PTSD - The basic issue is this: internationally and consistently across studies, men are shown to be exposed to significantly more traumatic events than women. Despite this, women are much more likely to have PTSD.

A Holistic Approach To Addiction: Biofeedback - Addiction is one of the most costly public health problems in the United States. It is a progressive syndrome, which means that it increases in severity over time unless it is treated. Often people don’t even recognize their issues due to it being progressive and have to hit a life crisis before they can see they have a problem.

We Have Two Choices: Love and Fear - When we choose fear, it runs our lives. It influences every choice that we make and how we think. Our perception of reality is distorted by the lens of our fear. This leads us to make judgments and poor choices. It causes us to close ourselves off from other people. It increases the illusion of our separation from others. It encourages us to blame others for our situation, instead of taking responsibility for ourselves. It prevents us from healing.

Preventing Suicide: Advice to Civilians - Just because a combat veteran won’t open up about his experiences to those non-combat veterans or civilians doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel and give up. Our veterans still need to know that we care about them. Just because you can’t necessarily empathize with us, doesn’t mean you can’t assist us.  

Exposure to World Trade Center Attack Linked the New Cases of PTSD -  Of the adults without a diagnosis of PTSD before Sept. 11, 23.8 percent screened positive for PTS symptoms indicative of probable PTSD. At follow-up, the prevalence of PTS symptoms increased in every eligibility group, with the greatest increase occurring among rescue/recovery workers.
 

Topics For Combat PTSD

VA To Establish More Vet Centers in 2010 - The community-based Vet Centers — already in all 50 states — are a key component of VA’s mental health program, providing Veterans with mental health screening and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) counseling.

Military’s Plan For PTSD: Early Diagnosis Good, Prevention Better - The military wants new and better ways to handle PTSD and related illnesses: they’re requesting proposals for projects to improve diagnosis and treatment, and maybe even prevent post-war trauma entirely.

$240K Grant to Help Vets In Florida -  The United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties received a $240,000 grant that is being distributed to Serenity House, the local Mental Health Association, The House Next Door and Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare to provide services until August 2010.

Veteran Gets Help Battling Demons -  Monjarrez credits VA therapy programs with finally giving him the tools to reclaim his life and repair his strained marriage.

Forgiveness Key To Surviving PTSD - Military wife’s story.

PTSD Documentary in the Works - The documentary will be formed around a series of interviews recorded in Iraq last summer with soldiers and Marines who are still actively engaged in the war.

Three Day Program For Injured Vets and Families -  Run as a partnership between the Sports Association of Gaylord Hospital, Disabled Sports USA, the Wounded Warrior Project and Leaps of Faith Disabled Water Skiers, the three-day program - free to the veterans and their families - offers fun, camaraderie and a chance to participate in sports that might otherwise be off-limits. But it has a serious function, too. Participation in sports can help a person’s rehabilitation, according to the organizers, improving a veteran’s chances for recovery and a future.

Soldiers’ Deployments Found to Profoundly Affect Children - Parents who return from deployments and are diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder can often find their children suffering from their same symptoms.

Veterans Helping Veterans - While the Iraq and Vietnam vet are separated by generations, they are now joined by their art and their battle against the demons of homelessness, addiction and combat duty.

Mental Stress Training for U.S. Troops - The Army plans to require that all 1.1 million of its soldiers take intensive training in emotional resiliency, military officials say.

(Photo: Porgunner Porsdottir)

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Tags: counseling, EMDR, heal, healing, imagery rescripting and reprocessing thearpy, news, ptsd, surviving, technique, vet centers 2010