Friday, April 7, 2017

If You Missed Combat PTSD Wounded Times Today, You Missed A Lot

If you follow on Google+ the following would not be "new" news to you!

"Edmund W. Sumner was a veteran of the Air Force during the Vietnam era. He had become homeless in recent years, but on this day, he had a large family who turned out to honor his years of service."


"Largely unrecognized for a century, the names of the women veterans from the U.S. Army and the Navy now are engraved on a bronze plaque on the courthouse lawn, next to the memorial garden and other war memorials."




"Robert Celestial, Pacific Association for Radiation Survivors president, was joined by Vietnam veterans and former military civil service personnel to testify about atomic radiation and Agent Orange exposure on Guam. Frustration at lack of recognition was a common theme for many who testified." #agentorange


"Veterans are invited to attend a funeral this morning for Donald J. Burciaga, an Army veteran who died last month in Hilo with no known survivors in the state...Burciaga was an Army veteran who entered into service in Kailua, Oahu. He died March 4 at age 68 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo."


"She now lives in Florida, but came to Philly for the screening at the National Constitution Center of a documentary she funded, VA: The Human Cost of War.
The film documents “the true cost of war through the enormous sacrifices and subsequent neglect" of veterans, says Lois."
Read the story of this amazing woman and then know the woman behind the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial!


"Duke is a service dog to a Chesapeake veteran...Duke’s owner suffered from an accident in war and suffers from PTSD and seizures, the American Humane website said." #combatptsd


A reminder of the fact that after over a decade of "raising awareness" and making money, no one has been held accountable for the outcomes.

"CharityWatch notes that there are more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the military and veterans and an estimated 400,000 service organizations that in some way touch veterans or service members."

There is a list on this link going back a couple of years and they are still good choices. If you are thinking of giving with Memorial Day coming up, check them out and as always, fully check out any charity you want to donate to.



"The suspect surrendered to law enforcement shortly after 4 p.m. Chief Rich St. John confirmed the man is in custody. St. John said the man did not have a weapon."
"Police are using bullhorn to communicate with suspect who is an Air Force veteran. 'Your wife cares about you, your kids care about you, I care about you,' said the officer pleading with the man over the loudspeaker."

Recommended for you

Veterans Kevin Jamison and Bryan Meyer talk about Kansas City's Veterans Community Project, its tiny house village for Veterans and the value their efforts are bringing to the community.


"For more than half a century, Rickles headlined casinos and nightclubs from Las Vegas to Atlantic City, New Jersey, and livened up late-night talk shows. No one was exempt from Rickles' insults, not fans or presidents or such fellow celebrities as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Johnny Carson."


"
A sheriff's sergeant, two firefighters and an animal conservationist became birds of a feather to help rescue an injured bald eagle that was struggling to fly near a Kansas lake."


"And he still didn’t, right until the morning last month, when he actually moved in to his own studio apartment created from three containers. By then, that dirt lot in Midway City had been transformed into a landscaped village for formerly homeless military veterans like Harrell." #homelessveterans


"Furever Bully Love Rescue says Jess was at OIA on Wednesday with her foster owner when they made her take off her service dog vest and leash for a screening. The dog bolted out of the airport and is believed to have been hit by a car."


"Veterans account for one of every five suicides. Compared to the general population, veterans are less likely to seek care for psychiatric disorders, are more likely to successfully complete suicide, and have a significantly higher suicide risk." #combatptsd and I bet you noticed the part that they are still less likely to seek care...


"A CH-53E Super Stallion experienced a 'hard landing' Wednesday during a training flight at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, but the five Marines aboard were unhurt, Marine Corps officials said today."


Overmier said her husband, who attended the ceremony, talks about that horrible time now, especially as “times change” and sharing stories becomes more acceptable. “They (veterans) talk more about that now,” she said. “They tell their stories now. And they need to,” both to process them and to pass along their lessons. #combatptsd





"The ADA says that federally funded institutions - including public universities - must not block individuals the access to accommodations relevant to their disabilities. A service animal is no exception...but the animal must not represent a direct threat to individuals, and the handler must be able to keep the animal under control. UNT appears to have provided plenty of evidence that Tawan’s service dog, Cali, was “uncontrollable.”
#ptsdservicedog


"There are nine new Fisher Houses in the works this year, including two in the Bronx, one in Charleston, South Carolina, one in Connecticut, one in Alaska, and two in Florida, one in Orlando and one in Tampa . The Fisher House Foundation is also building a second facility at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi and its third Fisher House in Houston." 


"Galen has been a bush pilot in Alaska, a labor negotiator, has a Masters’ degree in psychology and wrote a screenplay about his life. But perhaps an even bigger accomplishment -- he and his wife Muriel will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary next week."


“I really love this event,” said Col. Todd Fox, Fort Hood’s garrison commander. “I think this is a great opportunity for a lot of our young soldiers to see how our community sticks together even after you take off the uniform.”

"The event was part of the 2017 United Healthcare Ride to Recovery Texas Challenge, a 500-mile non-competitive, therapeutic bike tour that began Monday in San Antonio."


What if every thing you thought about yourself turned out to be bullshit? All of what you saw within your own body were just lies you convinced yourself were true? What if someone figured out that all you needed was to see the truth and gave you the chance to do it?
That is what happened to Amanda Leverage after she convinced herself that her heroism was directly tied to the suicide of a soldier she adored. It came close to destroying her until she was sent to Fort Christmas to lead a group of soldiers facing less than honorable discharges after they also sacrificed for others.
While this is the work of fiction, it involves much that we talk about everyday on this site and on #combatptsd Wounded Times.
I wrote it hoping the truth within the fiction would set the truth free and more will discover after risking their lives for the of others, they too, will find something worth living for.
Don't give up on yourself when the truth is, you still have more to give others. Live, heal and then spread hope!


"Susan Campbell was responding to an incident where a female soldier in Afghanistan had posted a detailed note online alleging bullying and victimisation before attempting suicide last week. The soldier was evacuated to a military hospital in Germany where she is reported to be in a stable condition."


PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- It is with great sadness we share with you this morning the news that Meteorologist Tom Johnston’s body was found in Auburn Thursday night. He died of an apparent suicide, police said....Tom, 46, was part of the NEWS CENTER family for the past three years. You saw him most frequently on our 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts each weekday. He was reported missing early Monday morning when he didn’t return home to Old Orchard Beach after a weekend at Sunday River Ski Resort.


"In a motion to release Hunt, two Oregon assistant federal public defenders described him as a Vietnam veteran and retired professional surveyor with no prior criminal history and long-term ties to his California community."


"A man who died Sunday at an Alachua County shooting range is believed to have committed suicide, authorities said Wednesday. The incident occurred at Harry Beckwith Guns & Range on U.S. 411 between Gainesville and Micanopy."


"So far, the MIST Program has graduated two groups of participants. "We've seen incredible success," she said. Overall, participants have benefited from increased wellness, but some of the participants' accomplishments were more personal. One service member's medical evaluation board was halted because of how much his behavioral health had improved; another reversed the downward trajectory of his marriage." #tbi


"A communication link between the U.S. and Russia used to protect their pilots flying sorties over Syria was used ahead of an American missile strike on the country."


"Dragon, a military working dog, spent his last day eating steak and playing ball.
The German shepherd served in the Army for nine years and five months before he was diagnosed with nonoperative, aggressive cancer March 31 and euthanized Thursday..."


"It turns out Dr. Chapman gave plots away for free to veterans people who lived in the neighborhood — including one for himself. He’s the only vet in the cemetery who fought in the civil war."


"Specialist Riley Gast was found dead Saturday, Fort Bliss officials confirmed over the weekend. ABC-7 first reported on Gast's disappearance last Thursday. He was last seen in a laundry building on post."


"The names on the memorial begin with U.S. Army Company No. 9 Volunteers in the Nez Perce War of 1877 and continue through the country’s present Gulf War period that officially began August 2, 1990. Since the Eagle Circle dedication, more tribal member and descendent veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones have been identified and will be added to the memorial."


"The service inked a $6.4 million contract March 31 for enough kits to outfit 24 infantry battalions with the technology. The contract came just 51 days after Marine leaders identified the technology, invented in a Camp Lejeune barracks room, as a valuable capability for the service, said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command..."

"A woman somehow got her head wedged in the subway doors at the last stop in the Bronx earlier this week -- and once the video was posted on Instagram, it went viral as outraged New Yorkers blasted people who didn't stop to help."....including the person shooting the video!
And just think, there are even more!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Edmund Sumner, Homeless Veteran Laid to Rest by Church Family

Large crowd attends homeless Knoxville veteran’s funeral
WKEN News
Lori Tucker
Published: April 6, 2017

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – A crowd turned out Wednesday at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery to say goodbye to a man most of them had never met.
He was an Air Force veteran who died homeless with no remaining family members to plan his services, but the community stepped up.

Edmund W. Sumner was a veteran of the Air Force during the Vietnam era. He had become homeless in recent years, but on this day, he had a large family who turned out to honor his years of service.

The 61-year-old’s funeral Wednesday had full military honors. A United States flag draped his casket to honor the memory of his service to America. Sumner’s pastor was presented with the tri-folded flag as a keepsake.

While most of Sumner’s biological family is gone, he found a new spiritual family through his church.
read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Fayetteville VA cut more than half of its caregivers

Some VAs Are Dropping Veteran Caregivers From Their Rolls
NPR
Quil Lawrence
April 5, 2017
Heard on Morning Edition
Fayetteville cut more than half of its caregivers, dropping 314 families from the rolls between May 2014 and February 2017. And while data from the VA in Washington showed seven staff at Fayetteville were coordinating caregivers (a ratio of 37/1), the Fayetteville VA shows only two staff are doing that job, meaning that each coordinator is actually overseeing more than 125 veterans.
Alishia Graham had been part of a Veterans Affairs program as a caregiver for her husband, Jim. The couple lives in Jacksonville, N.C. Jim's tattoo commemorates his best friend, who was killed in 2006 by the mortar blast that also left Jim with a brain injury. Quil Lawrence /NPR
By the time they cut her from the program, Alishia Graham was angry, but not surprised. Her postman delivered the news in February.

"The letter was sitting at the top — and my stomach dropped because I knew what it was," she says.

The letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs informed Graham that her husband Jim, who sustained a brain injury on his third deployment to Iraq, no longer qualified for a caregiver to help with his daily life.

"It's not even like ... 'We think he doesn't need as much help.' No — 'We think he's totally fine and he doesn't need any help,' " says Graham. "I'm insulted for him. Because I know what he struggles with."
"The program is not cutting back in any way," says Meg Kabat, director of the VA Caregiver Support Program. "We've been able to expand the number of caregiver support coordinators and really continue to monitor that. We also train our staff on a regular basis."

But the VA is infamous for lacking consistency from station to station. And while the program has added 6,300 caregivers since 2014, according to VA data, NPR discovered that 32 out of 140 VA medical centers were cutting their programs during the same period — some drastically.
read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

"Friend to all, protector of the weak" lost his life to suicide

‘Hidden wounds’ claim USCB student, warrior — and a friend
Island Packet
BY BRIAN VOSICKY
Special to the Packet/Gazette
April 4, 2016
He was a friend to all and a protector of the weak.

 Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/beaufort-news/bg-military/article142544299.html#storylink=cpy
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a column for this newspaper about my experiences with PTSD and how the University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks Veterans club helped unite fellow service members who may be struggling to cope with civilian life.

I spoke about how the deepest wounds can be the ones that are unseen, and that many aren’t fully aware of the severity of the problem until it is too late to act.

On March 31, Benjamin “Nick” Becker, 36, a U.S. Army combat veteran, a USCB student, SSV member, and my friend, succumbed to his hidden wounds and took his own life.

Nick was loved tremendously by all who knew him. Known best for his witty sense of humor and Cheshire-cat grin, he was always a bright light in the room. People naturally gravitated toward his magnetic charm. He was incredibly intelligent, compassionate, fearless and had a true warrior spirit.

Nick was one of the first friends I made at USCB.
read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Suicide Awareness, I'm Glad They're Gone

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
April 5, 2017

 This is something I struggled with all day. Every time I put one of these articles up, I lose readers. Frankly, if this article hurts someone's feelings, that makes me feel as if all this anguish was well spent. Considering the folks seeking instant gratification using a slogan and bending the ear of any reporter looking for an easy feel good story are posting selfies all over Facebook, I just don't have time for their pain. I'd rather spend my time on veterans getting out of pain.

 Gee, I wonder how many people just read the headline and got offended? After all, it is always about them. Isn't it? It sure as hell isn't about the veterans they talk about while guessing at how many commit suicide everyday.

 The most stunning thing of all is when in 2012 when the famous suicide number of "22 a day" was plastered on every website, these aware folks didn't notice the other number of "21" referring to the limited data from just 21 states and not the rest of the country. They didn't read the report or they would have seen the fact that it was 20 a day back in 1999.

 But in 2016 when the VA did a larger report with yet again "20 a day" these yahoos didn't read that one either or change the slogan they had grown so fond of using. WTF! Yes, dear reader we know the difference and frankly, I'll be glad to see even more of them go off on their merry way. After all, there are walks to take and pushups to do along with interviews to get their pictures in the paper instead of having to take selfies for Facebook!

 Ok, that's out of my system. Well, kind of. The Big Lie is that too many facts keep getting buried, so I made sure this was not covered over and put it all out there.

 Today I read three articles that set me off. I know, usually there are many more of them and if you follow on Google+ you're used to it. Don't worry, I promise at the end of this, you'll feel better knowing how you actually can make a difference in helping a veteran stay alive. After all, they already know how to die. It's time to help them figure out how to stay alive after surviving combat.

 Secondary PTSD is one thing they probably cannot even pronounce and wouldn't recognize it if it dropped and gave them 20...excuse me...22.
West Hants family struggles with father’s PTSD
Derek Miller left the military in late 2015 after serving as an air and naval flight steward, having begun his career in the army.

While he wasn’t in combat, his unit assisted people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haitian earthquake, which left at least 100,000 people dead.

He witnessed people and animals starving to death and also had to transport the bodies of dead service members home, which caused his PTSD.

His wife, Sheri, described Derek’s experiences as “a lot of suffering.”

Back home in West Hants, Derek’s PTSD manifests itself with irritability and repeated angry outbursts directed at both Myra and Sheri, but he has never been physically violent.

For years, Myra did not understand why her father was so often angry, and only learned a month ago that he was struggling with PTSD stemming from his military service.

As a result of her father’s outbursts, she too has also developed anxiety and recently attempted suicide by making a noose to hang herself. Luckily, Myra’s friend managed to stop her from killing herself by calling 911. (please click the link and read the rest of this)
If you live with PTSD in your house, you know all this first hand. You know how it destroys someone you love as much as it eats you away in tiny little bites. If you know what it is enough, you know as much as they need help, you do too. That we, families, are also left behind and forgotten about leaves a bitter taste of betrayal to read our pain being turned into a slogan masquerading as care when they didn't even care enough to read the damn report in the first place.

 Here is another story about the wife of a Vietnam veteran left behind...
Bernetta Hutchinson woke up in the Forest Springs neighborhood home she shared with her husband Terry. Wandering sleepily out to the living room, she found a note on the table. It began, “Bernetta, I am sorry. Call the VA.”As she finished the short note, she went to their grown daughter’s bedroom, fell to her knees and prayed she was misinterpreting the suicide note; that somehow her husband was still alive.And then, Hutchinson said, God guided her out the door and 50 yards into the redwood forest behind their home where she found her husband of 29 years, 7 months seated against a tree with his head bowed.The 67-year-old Vietnam Veteran had shot and killed himself with a Glock handgun, becoming another casualty of the United States’ ongoing inability to heal its warriors after they return from the battlefield.
The paragraph after this has my name on it and that was because I contacted the reporter on another story he did about firefighters doing 22 pushups. You know, like I always do when I suspect the reporter actually gave a damn but didn't have the facts. He listened and it mattered. A rare thing these days.

Here is another article I read earlier today and yes, another great job of telling a story that actually does matter.

 From shell-shock to PTSD, a century of invisible war trauma
KSDK
MaryCatherine McDonald (Old Dominion U), Marisa Brandt and Robyn Bluhm (Michigan State)

April 04, 2017

Electric treatments were prescribed in psychoneurotic cases post-WWI. Otis Historical Archives National Museum of Health and Medicine
(Photo: Custom)
In the wake of World War I, some veterans returned wounded, but not with obvious physical injuries. Instead, their symptoms were similar to those that had previously been associated with hysterical women – most commonly amnesia, or some kind of paralysis or inability to communicate with no clear physical cause. The Conversation

English physician Charles Myers, who wrote the first paper on “shell-shock” in 1915, theorized that these symptoms actually did stem from a physical injury. He posited that repetitive exposure to concussive blasts caused brain trauma that resulted in this strange grouping of symptoms. But once put to the test, his hypothesis didn’t hold up. There were plenty of veterans who had not been exposed to the concussive blasts of trench warfare, for example, who were still experiencing the symptoms of shell-shock. (And certainly not all veterans who had seen this kind of battle returned with symptoms.)

We now know that what these combat veterans were facing was likely what today we call post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. We are now better able to recognize it, and treatments have certainly advanced, but we still don’t have a full understanding of just what PTSD is.

The medical community and society at large are accustomed to looking for the most simple cause and cure for any given ailment. This results in a system where symptoms are discovered and cataloged and then matched with therapies that will alleviate them. Though this method works in many cases, for the past 100 years, PTSD has been resisting.

We are three scholars in the humanities who have individually studied PTSD – the framework through which people conceptualize it, the ways researchers investigate it, the therapies the medical community devises for it. Through our research, each of us has seen how the medical model alone fails to adequately account for the ever-changing nature of PTSD.

What’s been missing is a cohesive explanation of trauma that allows us to explain the various ways its symptoms have manifested over time and can differ in different people.
read more here

Yes, you read that right too. A hundred years ago. But then again, that isn't the end of this story. See, there are too many talking about what is wrong instead of what is right. This article may make you feel better knowing what a difference you can make. After all, I know doing this type of work, quietly, that you never read about, makes my day. Can't think of a better thing to do than help a veteran heal.

Veteran deaths account for 18% of U.S. suicides

Let’s Promote Hope members are trying to bring awareness to the enormity of the problem with suicide to small communities around Kansas. They believe part of the solution lies within the communities and neighborhoods where the veterans are living.“America won’t fix itself, and you can’t fix it from the top down,” he said. “You have to fix the small things first.”Simple acts like a smile to a neighbor, a conversation over the fence, even the old two-finger farmer’s wave can promote an environment of friendliness and caring, which in turn helps people not feel isolated and alone and give them hope. Lynch said he and his group definitely do not have all the answers and a lot is simply his opinion.“But we are trying,” he said. “Let’s make each other laugh, let’s make sure when they do something right they understand what they did right. Let’s get together as communities again, let’s start celebrating what we have.”Neighbor looking after neighbor is the crux of building strong communities. Lynch thinks back to his time in the military where the mantra was “if you want to survive, you have to take care of the person to you left and your right. It is never about you.”While many of the philosophies about suicide carry over from the civilian to the military populations, Lynch said there could be additional factors affecting veterans.“When someone takes their own life, they have lost hope. Ultimately, the pressures of the world have gotten the better of them and they lose hope; that is why we dedicate this to Let’s Promote Hope,” he said. 
Please read the rest of that article too. That is what Point Man International has been doing since 1984! Pretty sure that stuff works since I invested my life in doing it.

 This video shows one of the most powerful stunts of all...and it is called giving hope their life doesn't have to suck.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Fatal Motorcycle Crash Claimed Life of Marine From Florida

Marine from Eustis dies in motorcycle crash in North Carolina 
Orlando Sentinel 
Jerry Fallstrom 
Apri 4, 2017
A 22-year-old Marine from Eustis was killed last week in motorcycle accident in North Carolina, according to media reports.
Lance Cpl. Spencer Timothy Draper, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, ran off the right side of the road March 27 while going around a slight bend near Richlands, The Daily News of Jacksonville, N.C., reported. He struck a mailbox, lost control of the motorcycle, overturned several times and was ejected, the newspaper reported. read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Cincinnati Reds Honor Vietnam "Hometown Hero"

Local Veteran Honored As Reds’ Opening Day Hometown Hero
Eagle Country
By Travis Thayer
April 04, 2017
Ron Spurlock was honored as the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Hometown Hero on Monday, April 3. Photo by P.G. Gentrup.
The Cincinnati Reds came up on the short end of the scoreboard, but Opening Day was still memorable for one southeastern Indiana hero.

Rising Sun resident Ron Spurlock was honored as the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Hometown Hero on Monday, April 3.

Spurlock was introduced to the largest crowd in Great American Ball Park history at the end of the second inning, and was presented with a Reds cap, certificate and Cincinnati Reds challenge coin.

After graduating from Vevay High School, Corporal Spurlock entered the United States Marines in 1969 and served until 1971 when he was honorable discharged.
read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Fort Drum Sergeant Admitted Filing False Tax Returns

Former Fort Drum sergeant sentenced for filing false tax returns for fellow soldiers

By GORDON BLOCK
GBLOCK@WDT.NET
PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017

A former Fort Drum sergeant was sentenced to 12 months in prison after he admitted to filing false tax returns for his fellow soldiers to defraud the government of more than $100,000 and line his own pockets.
Bobby Lemon, 36, of McRae, Ga., admitted to inputting false information on soldiers’ tax paperwork, changing their filing status and adding dependents to generate larger refunds. In many cases, the listed dependents were members of his own family.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Three Tour PTSD Veteran's Service Dog Not Welcomed at University North Texas?

Disabled veteran’s service dog kicked off UNT campus
CW33 News
BY JAKE YOUNG
APRIL 1, 2017
"I will risk my education, career to make sure this will not happen to another disabled veteran or disabled person." Tawan Throngkumpola
DENTON -- "This is probably the least disabled veteran friendly school in the nation right now," Tawan Throngkumpola told NewsFix.

Throngkumpola thought his toughest battles were behind him: three tours of duty, IED explosions, and even homelessness. Now, he's being told his service dog isn't allowed on campus at the University of North Texas, where he's a student.

"I kept reading, 'We're upholding these actions.' But no reason why," Throngkumpola said.

The letter came Friday at 5:01 p.m., closing the door on an appeal of a ruling from November. The original ban for his service dog, Cali, listed five incidents of her being aggressive but not actually harming other people.

Throngkumpola says it was out of nowhere, "We got blindsided that day."
read more here
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, April 3, 2017

Vietnam Veterans PTSD Research Everything Old is "New" Again

OMG....Yet another "new" study on the link between PTSD and the whole veteran!

"The mind and body are intimately linked, which is why there needs to be a change in the way post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is treated, say Australian researchers."

The date this came out was today, April 3, 2017.

A world-first study of 300 Vietnam veterans, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, has shown PTSD – a condition that affects an estimated one million Australians – is not just psychological.
It wrecks havoc on the body too, impacting the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as a sufferers’ sleep.
Based on the findings PTSD should be considered a “full systemic disorder” rather than just a mental health problem, says Miriam Dwyer, CEO of the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation.
Yes, it really did say that. It seems as if it has shown up all over the Internet as if no one bothered to even check to see if it was something new or not.


This was done in 1999 and is just one of many...

Combat Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Health Behaviors as Predictors of Self-Reported Physical Health in Older Veterans

SCHNURR, PAULA P. Ph.D.1; SPIRO, AVRON III Ph.D.2

We used path analysis to model the effects of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and health behaviors on physical health. Participants were 921 male military veterans from the Normative Aging Study. Their mean age at time of study was 65. Measures of combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, smoking, and alcohol problems were used to predict subsequent self-reported physical health status. Both combat exposure and PTSD were correlated with poorer health. In path analysis, combat exposure had only an indirect effect on health status, through PTSD, whereas PTSD had a direct effect. Smoking had a small effect on health status but did not mediate the effects of PTSD, and alcohol was unrelated to health status. We conclude that PTSD is an important predictor of physical health and encourage further investigation of health behaviors and other possible mediators of this relationship.

This is on the spiritual connection from National Institute of Health 2008 and check the dates referenced.

Little attention has been given to spiritually based approaches for managing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in combat veterans. With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a growing need for more complementary and holistic therapies to assist combat veterans returning from deployment. Surveyed veterans report that they would use complementary approaches to health care if such programs were available (; ).We developed a spiritually based group intervention that teaches a series of focusing strategies using mantram repetition, slowing down, and one-pointed attention (, ). A mantram is a Sanskrit word meaning “to cross the mind” and is sometimes referred to in the West as “holy name repetition” () or in the East as “mantra repetition.” Repeating so-called sacred words such as “Om Mani Padme Hum” from Buddhism or holy names such as “Rama Rama,” “Jesus Jesus,” or “Ave Maria,” have been associated with reduced arousal, respirations, enhanced cardiovascular rhythms (), and decreased stress and depression (). Unlike other meditative practices, mantram repetition does not require any specific posture, quiet surroundings, eyes closed or any religious/spiritual beliefs. Mantram repetition is easily learned, personal, portable, invisible, and can be readily practiced without changing one’s activities or environment. 


The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, effect sizes, and patient satisfaction of this spiritually based group intervention on mantram repetition in a sample of combat veterans with PSTD. The specific aims were to evaluate (a) recruitment and retention of veterans in the program, (b) effect sizes for PSTD symptom severity, psychological and quality of life outcomes, and (c) level of patient satisfaction of the program. These preliminary findings will be used to conduct a larger randomized controlled trial.
Background and Significance
PSTD is highly prevalent in military veterans (). With the War in Iraq, an estimated 12% to 13% of service personnel have met PTSD criteria following combat (; ). Standard treatments for PTSD include medication, cognitive-behavioral and exposure-based therapies, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), relaxation or combinations of these (; ; ; ; ; ). Very little attention, however, has been devoted to the spiritual aspects of managing PTSD or studying complementary therapies to mitigate symptoms. We consider the mantram program as spiritual, not religious, because it does not require an institution, congregation, or some formalized group to be practiced.
The mantram intervention program has been studied in veterans with chronic illness (), health care employees (; ), and HIV-infected adults (). Veterans and employees have reported significant reductions in stress, anxiety, anger and improvements in spiritual well-being and quality of life (; ; ; ). HIV-infected adults have reported significant reductions in anger and increased spiritual faith/assurance (). 

There are actually older studies, but you get the point. None of the so called "new" studies on PTSD are new at all!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)