PTSD in the News: August

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

GENERAL PTSD NEWS:

NEW! GA Cops Get Tips for Contacts with Persons Suffering PTSD: Classes give officers insight on how to keep an interaction safe with a person having a PTSD flashback

Wadena Community May Be Suffering From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Clean up and rebuilding efforts have been underway in Wadena ever since the tornado touched down in June-but it’s the psychological effects on the community that have not been getting enough attention.

PTSD Greatest Where War Trauma is Worst: The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder remains high in Liberia nearly 20 years after the principal conflict, U.S. researchers say.

“Inception in Real Life? Researchers Rewrite Nightmares of PTSD Patients: Two years ago, self-defense fight instructor Laurie Gotcher suffered a concussion during training and since has developed nightmares so extreme that they seem to continue long after waking up.

Stress: Yes, It Really Can Kill You: Acute stress is triggered by some immediate source of perceived danger, and activates the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system.

MILITARY NEWS:

NEW! Ex-servicemen Walking 600 Miles for a Cause: A group of ex-servicemen are walking 600 miles in 10 days to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

President Draws Mixed Reaction During Visit: “As President Barack Obama swept through Atlanta on Monday – speaking before 2,000 disabled vets and raising a half-million dollars from party faithful – he drew warm praise as well as chilly skepticism.”

Obama Affirms Drawdown in Iraq: Not fast enough, but I’ll give President Obama credit where it’s due for the drawdown in Iraq. Still, it’s a tragedy when even Obama, during a major speech on US policy in Iraq, won’t apologize for the criminal destruction of that country by the United States.

PTSD in Animals? Military Dog Comes Home from Iraq Traumatized: Gina was a playful 2-year-old German shepherd when she went to Iraq as a highly trained bomb-sniffing dog with the military, conducting door-to-door searches and witnessing all sorts of noisy explosions.

Separate, Unequal, and Unrecognized: In the weeks following the release of regulations designed to simplify the process by which veterans with PTSD can access benefits, advocates of every stripe have clamored to declare victory in a long-waged battle against a system notorious for resisting change.

Stepping Up for Veterans: Recent media reports have detailed the need for timely, dignified care to be provided to returning servicemen and women. At the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, we completely agree.

Photo acknowledgement

Tags: Dream, Inception, ptsd, PTSD in the News, veterans