Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Vets from Vietnam still haunted by (undiagnosed) PTSD

PTSD wasn't a term 40, 50 or 60 years ago. That doesn't mean it didn't exist.



"There was no awareness of PTSD and there was not a specific diagnosis
for it," Ruohomaki says. "Now, the older veterans are reaching out for
help."


Read more:

Undiagnosed a generation ago, PTSD still haunts older vets -- DailyHerald.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Yoga can help reduce PTSD symptoms

We've discussed this several times before: yoga can be a great way to help reduce PTSD symptoms. Now a new study (specifically of women) once again proves this. Reuters reports:

"Simply stated, yoga may regulate aspects of the
endocrine system and the nervous system that are out of balance in
PTSD," Staples said. "Yoga also reduces the stress response which plays a
role in PTSD symptoms."

Read more:

Yoga may help women ease PTSD symptoms | Reuters

Did media coverage of the Fort Hood shooting worsen the stigma of combat PTSD?

Did media coverage of the Fort Hood shooting worsen the stigma of combat PTSD?



Yes, says psychiatrist and former Army doctor Harry Croft, writing for the Huffington Post:



"But what is extremely clear to those of us who actually work with
veterans and others with PTSD is this type of violence is an extreme
abnormality and does not portray what the average person with PTSD
experiences. While anger is associated with PTSD for some, even in the
worst cases it certainly doesn't tend to manifest in the murdering on
innocent people."


Read more:



Combat PTSD Stigma Made Worse by Fort Hood Shooting Media Coverage | Harry Croft, M.D

Can a service dog save someone with PTSD?

Here's the story of one veteran who couldn't leave the house and could barely even sleep. His service dog changed all of that. Check it out:



Veteran says service dog saved him from himself | News - Home

Friday, April 18, 2014

Can parents pass their trauma on to their kids?

Trauma has a lasting effect, not just on our minds but on our DNA. A new study (conducted in mice) finds that trauma creates a chemical change in a father's sperm and that trauma-related depression persists from parents to children. Read more:

Sperm RNA carries marks of trauma – Utne Altwire