"When you look at the hard numbers a research project on 20 veterans is not even yawn worthy."

MDMA did not work before but let's do it anyway?

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 20, 2020

My emails have been piling up the last couple of days with this type of news.

Pioneering research in its third phase of trials with the FDA evaluates the safety and effectiveness of using MDMA—called molly or ecstasy—to treat post-traumatic stress disorders.

IT IS NOT NEW NEWS and there is a reason for that. It was done, redone and doggonit done again!

The first post on Wounded Times goes back to 2007 Tom Shoder of the Washington Post wanted to hear from readers about MDMA. He followed that up a few days later with Ecstasy Trials: Was it a fluke or the future?

In 2008, there was a "new look" at it, even though the subject of the article, MAPS President Rick Doblin had been aware of it since 1982.

On the post another report that went back to 2005 from The Guardian, also took a look at it. (That link is still active as of today.)

There were more from then to 2013 when I wrote that Euphoria over PTSD drugs needs to over and pointed out past studies along with this sentiment "When you look at the hard numbers a research project on 20 veterans is not even yawn worthy."

Well, full circle up to 2018 with another slam at this sham, there was another trial and this time they had a whopping 26 combat veterans! WOW, we were supposed to be impressed?

Reporters need to use all the extra time on their hands to actually start to do some basic research and folks passing this crapload forward need to go play a game of candy crush so they stop wasting everyone else's time!

UPDATE

FDA Expands Access to Ecstasy Drug for PTSD Therapy

Thunder Bay EMS responders getting more help for PTSD

'We see terrible things': WSIB budgets for Thunder Bay emergency services to increase by $1M

CBC News
Matt Vis
Posted: Jan 20, 2020

"It's really quite a vast array of calls. A lot of it is the unexpected or the unknown. A lot of times a lot of information isn't made available and in some cases it's a shock factor when you get there depending on what you have to deal with. Acting fire chief Greg Hankkio

Thunder Bay police and firefighters respond to a motor vehicle collision. (Heather Kitching/CBC)

Emergency services in Thunder Bay are putting more money aside for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims, particularly related to mental wellness.

The WSIB allocations for the Thunder Bay Police Service, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue and Superior North EMS combine for a $1-million increase in the proposed 2020 city budget.

'We see some terrible things' Leaders of the emergency services leaders identify mental health, and particularly post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as a major reason for the rise.

Superior North EMS chief Wayne Gates said PTSD is having a significant impact.

"We see some terrible things out there," Gates said.
read it here

Disabled veteran thanks neighbor for saving his life after apartment caught on fire

‘Thank God for him’: NC veteran thanks man for saving his life after apartment catches on fire

WSOCTV.com
News Staff
January 19, 2020

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina veteran was able to thank his neighbor for the first time since he saved his life and got him out of his burning apartment last month.

Our news partner WLOS was there as Tony reunited with his neighbor, Douglas Tribble. Tony’s apartment caught fire last month -- the damage was so bad, the walls were charred black.

Tony said he would not have made it out alive if Tribble had not come for him.

“I would have stayed there not realizing the smoke that I was gathering,” Tony said.

Tony does not get around very well -- he has to use a walker. Tribble said that made the rescue even more of a race against time.
read it here

Washington Post did not notice research should be about facts, not just what they see?

Washington Post got military suicide research wrong

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 19, 2020

One would think that an article on something as serious as military suicides would require diligent research, before presenting it as such. So, why did Washington Post not notice research should be about facts, not just what they see?

The Houston Chronicle posted from The Washington Post, Can historical analysis help reduce military deaths by suicide? by Jeffrey Allen Smith, Michael Doidge, Ryan Hanoa and B. Christopher Frueh, January 17, 2020,

"At the dawn of a new decade, it is time to broaden the scope of research and use history to inform our problem-solving and the policies we develop as result. Incorporating historical data can help scientific researchers recognize and separate chronic forces from acute factors affecting suicide rates. Instead of analyzing military suicide over the past 20, 50 or 70 years, what if we examined available records and documents from the past 200? We did just this in a recently published study."

but the problem is, others have been looking at historical facts for a lot longer. While these are great questions,

"Examining historical patterns can assist policymakers and the military in addressing the factors causing it. For example, we must now ask ourselves what is different and unique about the war on terrorism? Why do the best efforts of the Defense Department, modern psychiatry and dramatically expanded mental health programs not result in lower suicide rates, instead of higher ones? What is different about today's force than yesterday's?"

the rest of the article did little to answer them, especially when so much was wrong with the article itself.

"Following World War II, to maintain commitments abroad, the United States drafted a standing army larger than ever before. To enhance retention and keep the U.S. military competitive with the private sector, President Dwight Eisenhower championed expanded access to housing and health care for service members and their families in his 1954 State of the Union address. Improvements to both followed in the years ahead."

Well, they had the draft in other wars all the way up to Vietnam. It omitted why the rate went down, and that is because during WWII, when a service member showed signs of mental health stress, they were sent back home. During the Korean War, they were treated by clinicians embedded with the troops. If they could return to duty after therapy, they did, otherwise, they were sent back home.

As for Vietnam, the DEROS deployments took care of that because when their year was up, they were on their way back home, before they could understand something was clearly wrong. When asked about any problems before discharge, they denied they had any problems so they could go home.

They also did not notice this article from U.S. Army Medial Department

Incidence of Mental Disorders
Rates of hospitalization for mental disorders in Army personnel during the postwar period (1920-30) ranged from 11 to 12 per 1,000 men per year.19 These rates included admissions for "mental alienation" (dementia praecox, manic depressive psychosis, general paresis, alcoholic and other organic psychoses, mental deficiency, constitutional psychopathic states, hypochondriasis) and various neurotic disorders (hysteria, neurasthenia, psychasthenia, psychoneurosis, neurocirculatory asthenia). The incidence of psychotic disorders during this period was from 2 to 3 per 1,000 per annum. Excluded from the preceding mental disease categories were admissions for neurological diseases, drug addiction, and acute and chronic alcoholism. Admissions for alcoholism alone during this 10-year period were from 7 to 8 per 1,000 per annum, a marked decrease from rates of approximately 16 per 1,000 per annum for alcohol admissions in the decade prior to World War I (1907-16) before the establishment of the National Prohibition Act. That mental disorders constituted a major medical problem in the postwar era is indicated by the following data:

1. Suicide was the leading cause of death in military personnel in this decade (over 0.5 per 1,000 strength per annum).

2. Mental disorders as a class were the largest cause for medical discharge with a rate of 6 to 7 per 1,000 strength per annum, which indicated that more than one-half of the admissions eventuated in discharge.

3. Dementia praecox was the leading single disease cause for medical discharge (2 to 3 per 1,000 strength per annum).

4. In general, mental disorders, excluding alcoholism and drug addiction, were first as a cause for discharge, fifth or sixth as a cause for hospital admissions, and third or fourth in producing loss of duty time for medical reasons.

5. Mental disorders were the leading cause for medical evacuation from oversea stations.

As for OEF and OIF, the increase in suicides was predicted by Wounded Times back in 2009, following the release of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness.

If you promote this program the way Battlemind was promoted, count on the numbers of suicides and attempted suicides to go up instead of down. It's just one more deadly mistake after another and just as dangerous as sending them into Iraq without the armor needed to protect them.

And this was part of that article on Wounded Times

Ever notice the vast majority of the men and women you command end up carrying out the mission they are given, fighting fiercely and showing great courage even though they are already carrying the wound inside of them? They fulfill their duty despite flashbacks and nightmares draining them because their duty comes first to them. Do you understand how much that takes for them to do that? Yet you think telling them their minds are not tough enough will solve the problem? What kind of a tough mind do you think they needed to have to fight on despite this killing pain inside of them?

As with everything else, facts are still facts, no matter if they are acknowledged or not.

"This relatively stable paradigm lasted until the beginning the 21st century and the dawn of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, when the suicide rate increased once more, eventually spiking at 29.7 per 100,000 in 2012. By February 2007, medical cost-cutting and rising numbers of traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses had overwhelmed the military."

They left out how Vietnam veterans came home and fought for all the research and funding going toward understanding PTSD. They left out how many "efforts" produced billions in increased funding, along with "awareness" at the same time suicides did in fact increase. Not just within the military, but among those in the veteran community.

And they got this wrong too!

While the Army's active duty suicide rate has dropped from the 2012 peak, it has remained around 20 to 30 per 100,000. While in the past, periods of war seem to have lowered suicide rates, that correlation became inverted first during the decades-long conflict in Vietnam and the almost-two-decade wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Correlation is not causation, but the current elevated rates appear to be indicative of a bedeviling new paradigm.

Naturally they omitted that in 2012 there were less serving because the size of the military was cut due to sequestration and the end of the War in Iraq. This is from PolitiFact in 2015.

In 2012, the Army had about 570,000 soldiers. Reductions over several years have taken it down to its current size of about 490,000. Rubio was referring to the Army’s announcement in July that it plans to cut the regular Army from 490,000 to 450,000 by fiscal year 2018, or a total of 40,000 positions.‎

They keep getting Vietnam wrong too, considering it was claiming lives of US service members since the 50's and the last to be killed came in 1975.

This is from the DOD yearly report on military suicides.

Add Active Duty with Reserve Components. It has averaged 500 a year since 2012. Nothing will ever change until reporters get serious about what they put out as facts!

We do not achieve that thing we want to do without hope

Understand that hope is what keeps all of us going

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 18, 2020

There comes a time when you begin to understand that hope is what keeps all of us going, not just in our time, but since time began.

You cannot read the Bible and not see what it was like for people of faith to struggle in their lives. The thing that all of us need to remember, is that faith means we do not struggle alone. We do not fight our battles all by ourselves.

We do not achieve that thing we want to do without hope, or even try without it.

Corinthians 13:13 GOD’S WORD

So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

Think about if what you wanted to do, was because you loved. If it was based on love, like the type of love Jesus had, then you may wonder why you are suffering. You missed the part where Jesus suffered too for not just those He loved, but for all generations to come into this world.
John 11:35-36

 Jesus wept.

 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Faith does not mean we will have a great life with no problems at all. It means we are not alone and can hope for better days. If we love, it does not mean that we will not suffer for love, but it does mean that Jesus does understand what we go through and is always by our side.

All of the following came from a time that began with pain, but they clung onto hope.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

If you are suffering because of the job you did, willing to lay down your life, not just for your friends, but for the sake of total strangers, then know, you are understood, you are loved and you can heal. What you needed to do your job, was already inside of you and what you need to heal, because of your job, is already in there too.

You did not fight those battles alone then...and you do not have to fight alone now.

This is from the new President of Point Man International Ministries.

When I came home from Iraq in November of 2003 I did not know anything about PTSD. I definitely did not think I was affected by it, but others around me could see that something was very different about me. After I was referred to the clinic that diagnosed me with it, I struggled and things didn’t feel quite real. My wife is actually the one that searched and reached out to Point Man and while I was going through the process of getting out of the Army, one of the outpost leaders here in Oklahoma rode down on his motorcycle to visit with us. He was a Vietnam veteran and I was out training when he made the trip, but his visit planted a seed that would grow. After I got out I became friends with several more leaders through Point Man that were also veterans of other conflicts but they had all been down the path that I was winding my way through, and I realized that we had a common bond that transcended my time in Iraq. They were my friends, brothers, mentors, and they helped me to forge my way through the chaos that was all around me that I was not able to comprehend on my own.

Most veterans are used to working with a team, squad, or platoon; Yet for some reason when we separate from that life we try to take on the struggle on our own. We are not meant to take it on by ourselves, the men and women of Point Man Ministries are here to “walk point” with you whether it’s a veteran with a phone or one of our groups around the country. Point Man outposts and homefronts are here for you and have the desire to help veterans and families dealing with PTSD to find the peace they are looking for.

If you are dealing with PTSD and would like to know more about PMIM, reach out and join us in our journey. We weren’t meant to carry this load alone, and with Christ's help we don't have to. Our nation is grateful for your service and sacrifices. Whenever and wherever you served, welcome home! We look forward to hearing from you!
Marcus King (President of PMIM)

Contact Point Man to find the way toward hope of a happier life. 1-800-877-8387
UPDATE
Benefits of Faith Based Counseling - Enlighten Yourself
By Featured Articles January 18, 2020

(Newswire.net -- January 17, 2020) -- Have you ever heard about the great benefits of faith based counseling? It is a therapy approach, which improves your relationships and mental status, and helps you cope with all kinds of life challenges. Christian counseling combines psychology principles and faith. It encourages Christians to accept God's will, even if it is not their will. Faith based counseling can be quite beneficial, because it aids you go through devastating events like the death of a loved person, health problems, financial troubles or relationship issues. A resilient faith is going to help you get back on your feet, and move on with your life.

Benefits of Faith Based Counseling
Christian counseling provides support for different problems such as mental illnesses, parental challenges, grief and loss. We all know deaths are always heartbreaking, but faith is what makes the grieving period less painful. Christian counseling is also beneficial for various marital problems and addictions. Sometimes people just need a little courage to admit they have a problem. Fortunately, faith counseling can make you take the first step to recovery, and change your life for the better. Now, let's take a more profound look at these enormous Christian counseling benefits.

Accepting Loss and Recovering From Grief
When you lose someone, the grief is excruciating, but this is the right time to lean on your faith. Many people think it is impossible to move on afterwards, but Christian counseling can be the salvation. It teaches people to accept reality and loss, honor and remember their loved one, and eventually heal from the pain.

Dealing With Mental Health Problems
People, who suffer from mental conditions like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. usually have low self-esteem and self-love. Christian counseling helps them learn they are children of God just like everybody else. The greatest thing about faith is that it provides you with support, comfort, and solace when you need them most. (click link for more)