PTSD in the News: Monthly Roundup

Lots of exciting news in 2010, including the expanded opportunities on the Heal My PTSD, LLC, site, (a new FREE download, FREE monthly telecall starting in January and other self-empowered healing goodies). Plus….

Ever wonder what my post-traumatic stress story is? Ever wish you could just hear me chat about trauma, survival, PTSD and healing? Well, now you can!  The good folks at www.Notalone.com interviewed me and have edited and posted the interview in — get this, CHAPTERS! What an easy way to hear how my PTSD began, grew and what I did to kick the PTSD habit.

Kicking off the new year, a smattering of articles covering PTSD research findings about brain chemistry, a technique to block memory, Stanford’s program to help veterans, plus one veteran’s self-empowered action of founding an organization to help other vets. Now that’s starting the new year right!

General PTSD Topics

Non-Invasive Technique Blocks a Conditioned Fear in Humans – Scientists have for the first time selectively blocked a conditioned fear memory in humans with a behavioral manipulation. Participants remained free of the fear memory for at least a year.  

Tobacco-free life an important part of recovery from mental illness -  ”The statistics about the health of people with mental illnesses are daunting and show that on average, these individuals die 25 years earlier than the general population,” said Carol Coussons de Reyes, administrator of the DHHS Office of Consumer Affairs. “Many of the years lost are due to smoking-related diseases and other preventable causes of illness and death.”

2 Studies: PTSD is chemical change in the brain -  Two new studies seem to provide more evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder is a chemical change in the brain caused by trauma – and that it might be possible to diagnose, treat and predict susceptibility to it based on brain scans or blood tests.

Post-Traumatic Stress May Harm Kid’s Brain -  A new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress had poor function of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores and retrieves memories.

“This Emotional Life” — PBS special January 4th -  Our brains are designed for survival, and the negative emotions they create are vital to that mission. But those negative emotions can spiral out of control with debilitating effects.

SARS Survivors Suffer Mental Health Issues – Over 40 per cent of respondents had active psychiatric illnesses – mostly post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, chronic pain due to psychological factors, and obsessive-compulsive disorder 

Positive Psychology & The Military — Effective or Not? -  There are a lot of effective, portable, user-friendly, self-administered, uncomplicated, inexpensive protocols going on, thanks to those clinical pioneers at the V.A., as well as at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital. They’re using biofeedback, guided imagery, Healing Touch, meditation, hypnosis and several EMDR-like acupoint tapping protocols.

PTSD and Chemical Imbalance – Research into PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) has found that symptoms are related to changes in brain chemistry.

Combat PTSD Topics

Clinical Conversation on PTSD Related to Military Combat – Two renowned doctors talk about healing options for combat stress.

Former Colonel Backs New PTSD Treatment – A retired local colonel with more than 30 years of experience in helping soldiers with family and psychological problems is championing a new technique he says can be more than 85 percent effective in the treatment of combat-related stress.

Veteran Strives to Help Other Vets Heal – After the explosion, Mills blamed himself for his injuries. He hated himself. Yet he quickly got over those negative feelings with his family’s support and help from his psychiatrist. To help other soldiers do the same, he has started For the Veteran, By A Veteran, one of three nonprofit organizations that aims to help returning soldiers and their families.

U.S. Troops Admit to Abusing Prescription Drugs – The percentage of troops showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder increased during the war years. In a 2005 survey, 7% of the servicemembers described symptoms suggesting PTSD. That increased to 11% in the 2008 study.

Program to Aid Children of Deployed Soldiers – A new collaborative effort in the Rochester area will reach out to an often-overlooked group affected by war: the children of military service members.

Troops Return Can Be Challenge for Whole Family -  ”There are many, many challenges,” Bobrow said. “The first is that the service member may be home physically, but they’re not home emotionally, spiritually, mentally. They haven’t begun to process all that they’ve been through. Getting home takes quite a bit of time.”

Stanford Program Helps Veterans Who Have “Fallen Through the Cracks” - Vets Connect, which is funded by a $250,000 grant from the nonprofit McCormick Foundation, offers veterans an alternative to the VA for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or other problems with readjusting to civilian life.

(Photo acknowledgement on Flickr.)

Tags: brain, brain chemistry, chemical change, military, Notalone.com, Positive Psychology, post-traumatic stress, ptsd, PTSD in the News, PTSD in the News: Weekly Roundup, research, trauma, veteran