PTSD in the news: Monthly Roundup for June

For up to the minute PTSD news for the month of June, check back often. New PTSD news items for the military are after the general items.

GENERAL PTSD in the NEWS:

NEW! A Terrorism Expert Turns Her Gaze Inward: When the jihadis plied her with a bowl of fruit, Jessica Stern briefly considered: Were they being hospitable, or were they trying to do her harm?

PTSD recovery may be linked to serotonin: Researchers in Australia say people may inherit a factor related to serotonin that may affect recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder.

An Unexpected Love Story: Leaning over her, in blue scrubs, his red crew-cut and beard shining in the afternoon sun, they were an unlikely dance pair, certainly not candidates on ‘”Idol.”

Post Traumatic Stress Can Alter Immune System, Study Finds: While most closely identified with military service, post-traumatic stress disorder does not just affect soldiers say researchers. It is a condition also seen in people who have suffered some other horrible event.

Horsen Around: It may seem like a silly premise but equine assisted therapy works. It is not better than traditional therapy but it works when others may not. Equine assisted therapy uses horses as therapeutic tools to reach children and adolescents who cannot or will not talk about their problems.

EMT Sounds Alarm on PTSD: Lights and sirens are a sure sign that tragedy has struck. In many cases it’s the first responders that get the worst shock.

Train Trauma: Kid Believes He is Dead: Nearly a fortnight has passed since the Jnaneswari Express disaster and family members of many victims seem to have reconciled to their loss. The trauma for many who survived and witnessed the gruesome scenes of the aftermath, may just be beginning though.

Research May Help Traumatized: In what could have major implications for treatment, research led by a London Health Sciences Centre psychiatrist has discovered there are two types of post-traumatic stress disorder, a form of anxiety that can hit people – often combat soldiers – after they witness traumatic events.

Old drugs get new uses in fighting critical-incident trauma, researchers say: In recent years, much of the focus for treating post-traumatic stress disorder has centered on traditional “talk therapy” and newer abatement techniques like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Now the latest research seems to be expanding an emerging frontier that involves unexpected mind-impacting drugs.

Trauma, PTSD and OCD: PTSD and OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as other anxiety disorders, often co-occur. PTSD has been found to commonly co-occur with other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Psychologist Warns of Horror’s Aftermath:  A leading psychologist has warned that the distress caused by Derrick Bird’s killing spree could affect the communities involved for years.

6 Natural Ways to Feel Happier: If you had horrible back or stomach pain, you’d get yourself to a doctor (or emergency room!), immediately, right? Yet, when the pain is emotional-for instance, feeling persistently worried, sad or hopeless-people are likely to resist seeking help for months or even years.

The Pill That Can Wipe Out Those Painful Memories: Forgetting an unhappy love affair or a traumatic accident could soon be as easy as popping a pill.

Cumbria Killings and Post Traumatic Stress: When Barrie Moss tries to sleep tonight at his home in Cumbria, he will likely find himself assailed with terrible nightmares, if visions of the dying woman in his arms re-play themselves let him sleep at all.

Crenshaw High Kids Struggle and Suceed, Despite Post-Traumatic Stress: During a mid-morning break between classes at Crenshaw High School, a senior named Patricia was showing Sybel Stanley pictures of a prom dress on her phone.

MILITARY PTSD in the NEWS:

NEW! USC deploys military social work program: USC has opened an academic center in San Diego that is offering a military social-work program – the first of its kind in the nation.

NEW!  Cutting-Edge Virtual Reality Systems to Fight PTSD Being Rolled Out at New Maryland Facility: Nearly half the soldiers returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are diagnosed with some kind of psychological condition, like post-traumatic stress disorder, brought on by specific battlefield experiences or traumatic brain injuries sustained during combat. To treat these mental battle scars, the new National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) will introduce state-of-the-art virtual reality technology that will help gently reintroduce soldiers to their experiences.

Veteran’s Court Seeking Mentors: When the Hennepin County veteran’s court opens its doors next month, it will need a group of mentors to walk its first offenders through the process.

Bright Light Therapy May Help Avoid Sleep Disturbances in Soldiers with Combat PTSD: Sleep disturbances often include difficulty falling asleep when you first go to sleep at night, and waking up too early in the morning and often waking up during the night.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment U-Turn: A government plan to provide more help for mentally ill soldiers has been thrown into doubt weeks after it was announced by the Ministry of Defence.

UCONN Seeks Participants for Study of PTSD,  Anger Problems: Men who served in the military in Afghanistan or Iraq are being sought for a University of Connecticut study comparing two treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and anger problems.

PTSD Hits National Guard Soldiers Harder — Study: After combat duty in Iraq or Afghanistan , members of the National Guard appear to have higher rates of mental health problems than those in the Active Component, researchers have found.

Army Wives Speak Out for Husbands with PTSD: Three Army wives are speaking out and going public protesting their husbands’ pending deployment to Iraq later this year.

PTSD in Returning Veterans to be Addressed by Healthcare Experts and Military Leaders at Boston Conference: July Conference Focuses on PTSD and Family Impact, as well as Violence Prevention and Suicide Risk Assessment in Boston from July 16-17 at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.

With possibility of no funding, Defense still moves on PTSD online project: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency plans to hold a conference on Friday to inform industry about a project that would create virtual worlds, social media sites and telehealth services to help treat troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries — even though Congress killed funding for it earlier this year.

PTSD May Almost Double the Risk of Dementia in Vets: A new study suggests older veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could be almost twice as likely to develop dementia.

Veteran’s Goal — Get Guide Dogs to Those with PTSD: To Kathryn Champion, dogs were just pets. They didn’t change lives. They couldn’t talk to you or cry with you or laugh at the absurdity of life with you.

Light Therapy May Help Fight Post Traumatic Stress: Troops may be able to counter post-traumatic stress disorder with bright lights, a study claims.

His story: Ex-soldier Curtis Butler III wages war on post-traumatic stress disorder:  The rage was rising, clouding Curtis Butler III’s thinking and taking him back to a state of mind where he had been violent and suicidal.

PTSD Soldier Punished by Army: Iraq war veteran Eric Jasinski, after seeking treatment for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is being punished by the Army.

Conrad bill would make June 27 National PTSD Day: Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., announced Wednesday that he has introduced federal legislation that will make June 27 National PTSD Day. The senator made his announcement at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Fargo, flanked by some of Staff Sgt. Joe Biel’s friends, who organized a memorial motorcycle ride to call attention to post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Vets to Join Ride 2 Recovery Challenge to Virginia Beach: About 200 cyclists lined Grant Avenue on Monday next to Whipple Field in Fort Myer, overlooking the District. A police cruiser with flashing lights and American Legion Riders on motorcycles rolled down Marshall Drive.

Study Shows 1 in 5 U.S. Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan has PTSD, Depression: This past Memorial Day honored those Americans who have died in military service including over 4,000 in Iraq and 1,000 fallen soldiers in Afghanistan.

Photo acknowledgement

Tags: ptsd, PTSD in the News