PTSD News

Study asks, does outdoor exercise help PTSD?

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

Does getting outside help reduce the symptoms of PTSD? A new study will examine the potential link between outdoor trips and veterans' mental health.

A press release from the Sierra Club appears below:

U-M, Sierra Club to study links between outdoor experience, veterans’ mental health

SAN FRANCISCO – For six years, the Sierra Club has organized outdoor trips for American military service members, veterans and their families. Now, the national environmental group is working with the University of Michigan on a research project to measure how those trips affect veterans’ individual mental health.

U-M researchers at the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) will analyze the results of surveys given to about 120 veterans before and after upcoming six-day excursions. While scientific research increasingly shows a strong link between mental and health benefits and the natural environment, the Sierra Club wanted to know if its programs, which are offered at no or reduced costs, were producing the same results.

“The Sierra Club has been organizing outings with military families and veterans for years, and we know anecdotally from participants that outdoor experiences have been vital to their reintegration,” said Stacy Bare, National Military Families and Veterans Representative for Sierra Club. “Securing quantitative data that reinforces these beliefs will support our efforts to make these types of experiences available on a larger scale.”

Coordinating the research work at U-M are SNRE Professor Rachel Kaplan and research scientist Jason Duvall.

“The overall objective of this research is to explore whether contact with the natural environment is associated with improvements to mental health and psychological functioning of veterans,” Kaplan said.

The project will take about 18 months to complete, but started last fall when the surveys were written and tested. The veteran’s excursions begin in March.

Through a selective process, Sierra Club chose four partner organizations to execute quality outdoor experiences: Higher Ground (Sun Valley, Idaho); Wasatch Adaptive Sports (Snowbird, Utah); Wilderness Inquiry (Minneapolis, Minn.); and Women’s Wilderness Institute (Boulder, Colo.). Each outing will provide at least four days of an outside experience. Some programs are free, while others require the participant to cover transportation and up to $100 for tuition.

The excursions vary from fly fishing, kayaking and whitewater rafting to backpacking and paddling. There are two courses specifically for female veterans, and one for military spouses, partners or caregivers. For dates and contact information, visit http://sierraclub.org/military/outings.aspx.

“By now the empirical literature is substantial with numerous studies documenting the diversity of health and well-being benefits related to the nearby natural environment,” Kaplan said. “Studies examining the impact of wilderness experiences have suggested that more extended nature experiences can also offer important benefits. Given these potential benefits, exposure to natural environments and outdoor recreation may be particularly helpful to military veterans and active duty personnel since studies indicate that these individuals are more likely to experience serious mental health issues, such as depression and PTSD.”

The Sierra Club and its partner organizations will collect and maintain the data and administer the surveys. This process is designed to assure that U-M researchers cannot identify the participants. Participants will be asked to complete a survey about one-week prior to the recreation experience. Short-term changes in psychological health, social health and coping/problem-solving abilities will be assessed by asking participants to complete a survey a week after the experience.

To assess whether changes were sustained, a second post-test will be given three to four weeks after the excursion. The pre-test, initial post-test and second post-test will be administered using an online survey tool.

“How durable are any changes? Does the kind of program matter? Is the composition of the group important? Does the benefit of an outdoor program relate to the veterans’ military experiences?” Kaplan asked. “We expect this research to be a useful step in exploring such questions.”

About Military Family and Veterans Initiative:
Sierra Club's Military Family and Veterans Initiative (MFVI), formerly Military Families Outdoors (MFO) is part of Mission Outdoors, the Sierra Club’s campaign to provide access to outdoor experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds. MFVI makes available a variety of opportunities for American Military Service Members, Veterans, and their families to experience the freedom of the land they defend. http://www.sierraclub.org/military/

About the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment:
The School of Natural Resources and Environment's overarching objective is to contribute to the protection of the Earth's resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. Through research, teaching, and outreach, faculty, staff and students are devoted to generating knowledge and developing policies, techniques and skills to help practitioners manage and conserve natural and environmental resources to meet the full range of human needs on a sustainable basis. http://www.snre.umich.edu

Must-read: Being a Smart Consumer When Seeking Treatment for PTSD

2012-01-25T12:06:00.000-05:00

The latest post on the Fearless Nation discussion blog.

Time: "The Army Venn Diagram from Hell"

2012-01-24T17:11:00.000-05:00

Yikes.

Crochet as PTSD therapy?

2012-01-23T16:02:00.000-05:00

Knit one, heal two?

Crochet is hardly the most macho hobby in the world, but maybe that's why it can actually be a good activity for people with PTSD. An article on Crochet Concupiscence calls crochet "a form of self-kindness," saying its slow pace can help put you into a meditative state that will in turn reduce anxiety and the severity of flashbacks.

Read on:

Crochet Is Healing … Even for People With PTSD

Free online PTSD empowerment & addiction recovery meetings start this week

2012-01-17T08:50:00.001-05:00

Fearless Nation PTSD Support starts a weekly schedule of online PTSD empowerment and addiction recovery meetings this week.

THE EMPOWER GROUP MEETINGS
TUESDAYS at 1 PM MVT (PST, -8 GMT)
WEDNESDAYS at 5 PM MVT (PST, -8 GMT)
Weekly meetings that start with a brief introduction to a PTSD topic, followed by peer-led discussion, Q & A, demonstrations, proven strategies and techniques for controlling PTS symptoms and challenges. Recover from post trauma and become stress-resistant! control and manage daily stress, learn flexibility & resiliency. Education and discussion. Voice and text.

ADDICTION RECOVERY GROUP MEETINGS
TUESDAYS at 5 PM MVT (PST, -8 GMT)
WEDNESDAYS at 1 PM MVT (PST, -8 GMT)
Weekly meetings to address substance abuse and addiction, including peer support and education on coping with addiction issues. Not a 12-Step Program. No "public confessions" and no coins. Simply education and proven methods for beating addictions. Voice and text.

DETAILS: A SPECIAL INVITATION

Fearless Nation open house today

2012-01-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

The nonprofit Fearless Nation PTSD Support (which this blog supports) will have an orientation open house and tour of its new online retreat today, January 6, at 1pm and 5pm PST.

Fearless Nation operates in Spot On 3D, which is a combination of social networking and 3D graphics to create a virtual reality environment that is conducive to meetings, education, and PTSD recovery.

The online retreat contains an expansive library about PTSD and will be the location for weekly peer-discussion meetings. Several new online tools will be rolled out over the coming weeks.

Spot On 3D is free, but it will take you a little while to create your account. Check out this page for instructions.

Full information on the open house and other meetings can be found here.

You can also find Fearless Nation on Facebook.

Two free online PTSD presentations today

2012-01-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

Fearless Nation PTSD Support will hold two free online presentations and discussions on "What is PTSD?" today at 1pm and 5pm PST.

The lectures, by Fearless Nation founder Colleen Crary, will focus on the basics of PTSD as well as the latest research in recovery. The presentations will be followed by a discussion and Q and A session.

Later this week, Fearless Nation will also host peer-led discussions on empowerment and addiction recovery, as well as an open house of the Fearless Nation PTSD Support virtual retreat.

Full information on the presentations and discussion groups is available here.

Pre-registration is required for the events, which gives you time to join SpotOn 3D, the new social networking home of Fearless Nation.

Surviving Hanukkah for Survivors of Child Abuse

2011-12-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

Hanukkah starts on Tuesday, and for some adults who may have experienced sexual abuse as children, it could be a time for painful and traumatic memories.

Examiner.com offers several tips for abuse survivors to get through the holidays, and also offers advice for people who know abuse survivors:

Surviving Hanukkah: Jewish Survivors of Child Abus

On a similar note, Fearless Nation PTSD Support offers a great list of holiday coping tips for people with PTSD.

PTSD Infographic

2011-12-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, the School of Social Work put together this great infographic: "What Is PTSD?"

Check it out:

Brought to you by: Masters in Social Work | MSW@USC

PTSD & The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

2011-12-09T11:01:00.001-05:00

I keep meaning to read the "Dragon Tattoo" books, especially with the first US movie looming on the horizon. But psychologists who have read it say lead character Lisbeth Salander obviously has PTSD from a traumatic childhood.

Everyday Health has the story about "diagnosing" this fictional character, along psychologists' thoughts on how she should be treated:

Asperger's? PTSD? What's Wrong With the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo?

[Edited 1/18/2002 -- I've now read all three books, and yup, that's one traumatized main character. Wow.]

Northern Ireland has highest levels of PTSD worldwide

2011-12-06T09:35:00.000-05:00

Decades of violence and strife have led the citizens of Northern Ireland to have the highest levels of PTSD in the world, according to a newly released study carried out by psychologists from University of Ulster and trauma treatment experts from Omagh. (Both the University of Ulster and the city of Omagh are in Northern Ireland.)

The study actually examines the economic cost of PTSD -- it's called "The Economic Impact of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Northern Ireland" -- and it says that PTSD costs the country close to £175 million (about $275 million ) a year. That includes both direct costs (e.g., medical costs) and indirect costs such as productivity loss.

According to the research, 8.8% of the adults in Northern Ireland have met the criteria for PTSD at some point in their lifetimes. (Worldwide rates, in at least one previous study, have been cited at 7.8%.)

Read more:
University of Ulster press release, BBC, Belfast Telegraph

PTSD passed on from one generation to the next

2011-11-10T12:50:00.001-05:00

Writing for Indian Country Today Media Network, Beverly Cook (Wolf Clan Mohawk) discusses how acts of genocide perpetrated upon Native Americans has passed "toxic stress" down the line from one generation to the next and how the evils of the past continue to hurt the people of today:

Toxic stress experienced by children can alter their brain, their genes and organ development if they do not have the caring support of an adult. So a young girl’s childhood experiences, her health and her diet will not only effect the outcome of her future pregnancies but also can effect her future grandchildren. She is not alone in this as the genes that come from the father have also been imprinted by his childhood and his environment in his mother’s womb. Combined, the mother and father lay the groundwork for their baby to grow and still the actual outcome can change depending on the environment in the womb. Imagine no worries or concerns, having nutritious food, adequate exercise, a loving partner, happiness and peace. The baby would form itself based on that particular environment as opposed to an environment laced with anger, fear, frustration or grief.

Read more here:

The Toxic Effects of Stress on American Indians

Poster Girl documentary on HBO2 tonight

2011-11-09T09:41:00.003-05:00

The Oscar-nominated short documentary "Poster Girl" airs on HBO2 tonight. Here's the trailer:

The story of Robynn Murray, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girl” for women in combat, distinguished by Army Magazine’s cover shot. Now home from Iraq, her tough-as-nails exterior begins to crack, leaving Robynn struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Shot and directed by first-time filmmaker, Sara Nesson, POSTER GIRL is an emotionally raw documentary that follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, using art and poetry to redefine her life.

Check your local listings for times, and visit the movie's official site for more information:
Poster Girl

PTSD? PTS? PTSI?

2011-11-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

Words have power. Is "post traumatic stress disorder" the right name? Does the word "disorder" lead to misconceptions and stigma? Instead, should it just be called "post traumatic stress" or maybe, as Gen. Peter Chiarelli suggests, "post traumatic stress injury"? Trauma causes an actual physical change to your brain. The term "injury" makes sense.

What do you think?

Read more:
Army General Calls for Changing Name of PTSD | PBS NewsHour

On a similar note, here's an image often used by Fearless Nation PTSD Support:

Lisa Ling PTSD documentary airs Sunday night

2011-11-04T14:22:00.001-04:00

Lisa Ling's excellent OWN documentary series "Our America" will look at veterans and PTSD this Sunday at 9pm (EST). She talks about it here:

Lisa Ling Talks 'Our America

...and you can watch the first five minutes of the episode here.

Third annual Be Fearless event starts tomorrow

2011-11-03T13:30:00.001-04:00

The third annual "Be Fearless" online PTSD awareness event starts tomorrow, November 4. Hosted by Fearless Nation PTSD Support, the event will include informational resources about PTSD as well as live musicians, global DJs, art exhibits, interactive art, and other activities.

The event -- which will be held at Fearless Nation's virtual reality retreat in Second Life -- is already getting some great write-ups (here's one, and here's another), and you can see a preview of the amazing PTSD-themed art exhibits here.

The announcement about Be Fearless 2011 can be read at Hypergrid Business.

Full information on Be Fearless can be found here: Fearless Nation PTSD Support - Be Fearless 2011

U.S. veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes

2011-11-02T08:38:00.000-04:00

We previously commented on the staggering level of suicide among U.S. veterans -- 18 people a day. That number hasn't changed, but here's a new way of looking at it: that's one person every 80 minutes. Juliette Kayyem, former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, writes about it for CNN:

Kayyem: U.S. veteran dies by suicide every 80 minutes – Global Public Square

Sleep disorders and PTSD

2011-11-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

In a new study, nine in ten vets with PTSD or TBI were "hypersomniacs," meaning they were tired during the day. That's because more than half had sleep apnea and almost half had insomnia. (It's not clear if those numbers overlap.)

Interestingly, the vets with no physical injuries suffered from greater levels of sleep apnea. TBI caused by blast injuries caused higher levels of insomnia.

Read more:

Sleep disorders plague vets with head trauma or PTSD | Reuters

Study: Marijuana Use Causes Chaos in the Brain

2011-10-27T12:34:00.000-04:00

We see a lot of articles that suggest one of the reasons why marijuana should be legalized is because it would supposedly benefit people with PTSD. This new study is a perfect example of why we never link to them:

Study: Marijuana Use Causes Chaos in the Brain

Israeli to automatically recognize POWs as having PTSD

2011-10-17T11:45:00.000-04:00

Members of the Israeli Defense Force who have been held as prisoners of war will now automatically be recognized as having PTSD, without an exam to officially certify it. This follows criticism from former POWs who have had trouble getting benefits related to treating their post-traumatic stress.

More:

Israeli POWs to automatically be recognized as PTSD sufferers

40% of cancer survivors have PTSD symptoms

2011-10-13T09:40:00.001-04:00

I was talking with a cancer survivor just the other night and he told me that he is frequently kept awake by terrible anxiety and fear. That's typical of cancer survivors, according to a new study which found that nearly 4 in 10 suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The symptoms, according to an article from Reuters, include "being extra jumpy, having disturbing thoughts about the cancer and its treatment, or feeling emotionally numb toward friends and family."

The study examined 566 patients who had been treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for signs of PTSD. Only 12 patients were found to be suffering from what Reuters calls "full-blown PTSD" but at least 37% had symptoms of trauma even years after their initial cancer diagnosis.

Why does this happen? Cancer can be a life-altering occurrence, leaving a patient in never-ending worry and anxiety. It's worse, the study found, for lower-income patients, who may not have the same resources to improve their health.

A good note in this: the study found that many oncologists ask not just about cancer symptoms but a patient's mental health, helping to lessen the potential for PTSD before it can set in and cause more long-term suffering.

Read more:

Many cancer survivors struggle with PTSD symptoms | Reuters

Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Long-Term Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivors: Does Time Heal? | The Journal of Clinical Oncology

Study: VA clinicians not conforming to PTSD best practices

2011-10-11T11:41:00.001-04:00

A paper in the current issue of Journal of Traumatic Stress looks at, as the title puts it, "Variation in practices and attitudes of clinicians assessing PTSD-related disability among veterans" -- and the results aren't pleasing.

According to the paper's abstract: "One hundred thirty-eight Veterans Affairs mental health professionals completed a 128-item Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Practice Inventory that asked about their practices and attitudes related to disability assessment of PTSD. Results indicate strikingly wide variation in the attitudes and practices of clinicians conducting disability assessments for PTSD. In a high percentage of cases, these attitudes and practices conflict with best-practice guidelines. Specifically, 59% of clinicians reported rarely or never using testing, and only 17% indicated routinely using standardized clinical interviews. Less than 1% of respondents reported using functional assessment scales."

The paper is behind a pay firewall, but Time discusses it here.

Spouses and PTSD

2011-10-10T12:02:00.000-04:00

As the partner of a woman with complex PTSD, I understand how important it is for couples to work together to heal the effects of trauma. Sometimes, that means a spouse needs to be the person to say "You need to get help," as we see in this article from the Florida Times-Union:

Spouses are often the first to notice effects of PTSD | jacksonville.com

Vice Cop's PTSD Diagnosis Leads to New Career as Youth Advocate

2011-09-29T14:43:00.001-04:00

Insight Magazine has a great profile of Ralph Barrera, a member of the board at Fearless Nation PTSD Support:

Ralph Barrera was a sergeant in the Los Angeles Police Department when a bullet changed his life.

Fired in the line of duty in accordance with his training and police department regulations, the bullet took the life of an offender—but it also took a toll on Barrera, who embarked on a decade-long battle with post-traumatic stress disorder and eventually confronted the reality that it was time for a career change.

Read the rest here: Vice Cop Turned Youth Advocate

New brain imaging research could improve PTSD treatments [Video]

2011-09-28T13:14:00.000-04:00

Full story: New brain imaging research in Palo Alto could improve PTSD treatments

New Fearless Nation newsletter

2011-09-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

Well worth a read:

Fearless Nation PTSD Support: Fearless News September 2011

War can give military working dogs PTSD

2011-09-14T09:41:00.001-04:00

A USA Today article about military working dogs and their vital role in the current military conflicts also talks about how the trauma of war can give these canines PTSD:

"...incidents of canine post-traumatic stress disorder are on the rise, said Lt. Col. Richard A. Vargus, chief of the law enforcement branch at CENTCOM.

"Our biggest issue that we have with canines is canine PTSD," he said. "We've seen a significant issue with that because when you're standing 10 feet away from an explosion, the dog has emotions and the dog is affected as well."

If the dog is fearful, it may bite the handler, run and hide, or cower behind the handler if it thinks the team is preparing to go on patrol, Vargus said.

PTSD recovery thickens your brain (and that's a good thing)

2011-08-23T08:06:00.000-04:00

According to a study conducted by Kyoon Lyoo, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry at Seoul National University in South Korea, patients with PTSD who improved their mental health also experienced a thickening of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a portion of the brain that, according to our friend Wikipedia, "plays an important role in the integration of sensory and mnemonic information and the regulation of intellectual function and action."

The study followed 30 survivors of a subway fire for five years. The patients not only received psychiatric care, they were also periodically examined through neuroimaging to get a picture of what was going on inside their brains.

A control group was also followed over the course of the five years. The study found that "During the first year and a half of the study, the trauma subjects also acquired a thicker dorsolateral prefrontal cortex than controls did," according to a report at Psychiatric News.

The researchers concluded that boosting the thickening of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, possibly through "transcranial magnetic stimulation before and early after trauma," could be a way to help people recover from trauma.

Read more about this study here:

Why Does Brain Thickening Occur During PTSD Recovery?

The study itself can be found here. (The full article is only available to subscribers. The abstract is available to all.)

Employers' Misconceptions About PTSD

2011-08-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

According to a survey cited by Lisa Stern of the Department of Labor’s project America’s Heroes at Work program, 46 percent of HR managers believe PTSD poses a "hiring challenge" -- namely that people with PTSD or TBI are not efficient or create a potential problem for violence in the workplace. But Stern said these assumptions are myths, and no evidence backs them up.

In His VA blog Vantage Point, Alex Horton summarizes some of the advice Stern had for hiring vets and other people with PTSD:

Consider flexible work hours
Put instructions in writing instead of just relying on verbal communication

Stern also said that the act of working can by itself help reduce PTSD symptoms.

Read more:

Debunking Employers’ Misconceptions About PTSD and TB

What other myths about PTSD have you encountered in the workplace? Discuss them in the comments.

9/11 anniversary could trigger PTSD symptoms

2011-08-11T10:46:00.000-04:00

UPI reports: "The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center left 10,000 firefighters, police officers and civilians with post-traumatic stress disorder." PTSD symptoms for these people are expected to increase as we near the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

Read more:

9/11-related PTSD haunts thousands

How to talk to someone with PTSD

2011-08-04T14:04:00.002-04:00

From the Huffington Post:

Study: Risperdal Does Not Help PTSD

2011-08-03T09:49:00.000-04:00

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that anti-psychotic drugs like Risperdal do not help alleviate PTSD symptoms, despite their common use with veterans.

According to the study, 20% of veterans being treated by the VA for PTSD took an anti-psychotic in 2009. More than 90% of those veterans took second-generation anti-psychotics, which include Risperdal.

The FDA has not approved the use of anti-psychotics for treatment of PTSD.

You can read more about the study here, and find the actual study here. (The paper is free right now, but may be behind a pay firewall later.)

Women with PTSD have lower birthweight babies

2011-07-28T10:59:00.001-04:00

Mothers with PTSD give birth to babies that weigh, on average, one-half pound less than mothers who have not experienced trauma.

Read more here:

PTSD linked to lower weight in premature babies

Hot weather & PTSD

2011-07-22T10:04:00.000-04:00

We're hearing from a number of people that hot weather like we're experiencing this week can be a PTSD trigger for some folks, especially vets who may have served in the recent desert-based wars.

What are your thoughts/feelings on this? Are hot days a trigger for you? What do you do to stay cool, physically and emotionally? Let us know in the comments!

Surf Therapy

2011-07-20T16:20:00.000-04:00

I live on the coast of Maine, which isn't exactly ideal surf country, but when I want to relax, I like to go down and stare at the water.

But getting back to surfing, Miller-McCune has a great story about how some people with PTSD are benefiting from surfing, what is being called Ocean or Surf Therapy. It's been used the U.S. and UK military, as well as other groups.

Why does it work? It's exercise, it's fun, it's a whole-body-whole-mind experience, and... well, the rest is still being researched.

But don't let that stop you. Read more about it here:

Addressing PTSD With Surf Therapy - Miller-McCune

Art & Book Auction to Support PTSD Awareness

2011-07-18T16:18:00.002-04:00

Cartoonists, fine artists and authors from around the country have donated items for an auction to bring awareness to the public about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The auction will benefit Fearless Nation PTSD Support, a 501c3 Non-Profit Public Charity dedicated to raising awareness and education about PTSD and to banishing the stigma associated with it.

"Art is such an important way to explore our thoughts and reflect on our society," said writer, cartoonist and Fearless Nation board member John Platt, who has organized the auction and donated three of his own drawings. "The artists we contacted were extremely excited to support this cause, and we are very proud to have their backing."

Artists and authors whose work appears in the auction include:

Matt Aucoin, creator of the webcomic Percy & Grimm, http://www.mischiefcomics.com
Cartoonist and art teacher Cara Bean, http://beandoodling.blogspot.com/
Cartoonist, writer and zine creator Breanne Boland, http://breanneboland.com/
Shikhar Dixit, whose artwork and short stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies over the last 15 years
Artist, photographer and educator Nancy Husari
Cartoonist and illustrator Meredith Randazzo, http://www.meredithrandazzo.com/
Janice Shaprio, author of the acclaimed new short story collection Bummer and Other Stories, http://www.janiceshapiro.com

The auction began today, July 18 and will run through Sunday, July 24. It can be found at http://shop.ebay.com/jplatt/m.html.

This will be the first of several art and book actions to benefit Fearless Nation. "Quite a few authors have already promised signed books for our second auction, which we hope to hold in late August," said Platt.

"We are thrilled to have so many great artists step up and offer their work to support our efforts," said Colleen Crary, M.A., founder and Executive Director of Fearless Nation PTSD Support. "Donations like this are what make it possible for us to continue to help trauma victims worldwide and to break down the stigmas that people with PTSD face in their daily lives."

About Fearless Nation PTSD Support:

Fearless Nation PTSD Support is a 501c3 Non Profit Public Charity that provides free community support for all post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sufferers, their family, friends and therapists through raising awareness and education about PTSD based in proven science in order to banish the stigma and misinformation associated with the condition. The Fearless Nation motto is "Be Fearless!" All are welcome. All are included. Visit http://www.fearless-nation.org.

Study links PTSD and compromised immune systems

2011-07-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

A new study, which does not appear to be online anywhere that I can find, find a preliminary link between PTSD and compromised immune systems, possibly caused by inflammation. According to a report from The Times and Democrat:

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and Arnold School of Public Health, and the Dorn VA Medical Center, shows that PTSD patients have increased levels of inflammation, caused by an increase in certain types of cells that regulate the immune functions.

The results are significant because they could lead to novel methods for diagnosis and treatment of PTSD, said Dr. Prakash Nagarkatti, associate dean and Carolina Distinguished Professor at the USC medical school, who is the lead researcher in this study.

The findings also are the basis for a new $1.72 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to Nagarkatti and his team of researchers, who will intensify their research on the pathological basis of immune dysfunction in war veterans with PTSD.

Cyber-stalking can cause PTSD

2011-07-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

A new study entitled "Cyberstalking in the United Kingdom" finds that the trauma of being victimized online can lead to PTSD:

"The results indicate that the prevalence of PTSD following cyber-stalking exceeds the occurrence in a general population following trauma and is comparable to other extreme specific traumatic events such as sexual assault and combat ... the victims' reactions are of a negative nature and include fear, stress, anxiety, as well as an erosion of trust in the self and other people."

The Register has a brief article about the report here: 'Being cyber-stalked is as bad as being raped, or in a war'

Trauma-senstive yoga

2011-07-07T09:25:00.000-04:00

As we've discussed on the blog several times, yoga can be a very effective source of relief for people with PTSD. But finding the right yoga teacher, who understands the needs of people with trauma, is important.

On the blog Linda's Yoga Journey, the author discusses some things yoga teachers should keep in mind for their students who are trauma survivors. Here's her introduction:

A “trauma sensitive” yoga class is taught very differently from the yoga class with which we are familiar -- soft music, altars, incense, physical adjustments. A typical yoga class may not be comfortable place for a trauma survivor and in fact may feel very dangerous. Merely saying the word "relax" can be a PTSD trigger if the person was told to relax and then was abused.

For someone who has been abused, a physical assist can be a severe trigger for PTSD. Many teachers say, "but I always ask first." Think about that statement. For someone who has a history of abuse and was not allowed to say no (so has issues with power and control), assists are problematic.

Study: Living in captivity gives chimpanzees PTSD

2011-07-06T09:46:00.000-04:00

Two new studies reveal that chimpanzees, one of our closest non-human relatives, can get post-traumatic stress disorder from living in captivity, or from the traumatic events that led to their being in captivity in the first place. Many chimpanzees in zoos are rescues of the (often illegal) animal trade, in which young chimps are often torn from their mothers and placed in restrictive cages.

Earth Times has the story:

Can Chimps Have PTSD?

Study: Aerobic exercise potentially good treatment for PTSD

2011-07-05T11:21:00.001-04:00

Preliminary results of a small study suggest that adding aerobic exercise to other PTSD treatment can have a good effect.

The study, presented at the 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine, examined 14 women recruited from a rape crisis center in Florida. According to a press release about the study, "All participants attended bi-weekly cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, and seven of the participants also attended a minimum of two group circuit training classes per week."

Results were good enough that the authors are now calling for more study.

Read more: Exercise Should Be Considered For PTSD Therapy

Fearless Journalism: How Violent Sex Helped Ease My PTSD

2011-06-27T16:20:00.000-04:00

http://www.good.is/post/how-violent-sex-helped-ease-my-ptsd/Journalist Mac McClelland covers the human rights beat for Mother Jones magazine, and the experiences of her profession led to her developing PTSD. Here's her account, for Good magazine, about how it affected her. It's fearless journalism, and not easy to read, but well worth your time:

How Violent Sex Helped Ease My PTSD

This Fearless Life - Father’s Day: The Child of An Untreated PTSD Sufferer Speaks

2011-06-17T08:03:00.000-04:00

A must-read essay from the founder of Fearless Nation PTSD Support:

This Fearless Life: Father’s Day: The Child of An Untreated PTSD Sufferer Speaks

Fishing: A Welcome Escape from PTSD

2011-06-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Fishing can offer a quiet, relaxed, comfortable way to get out in nature (and maybe back into some of your old routines) without encountering crowds of people, Michigan's Midland Daily News reports (scroll down the sidebar).

PTSD or PTS?

2011-06-10T09:02:00.001-04:00

Our sister site Fearless Nation PTSD Support calls PTSD a normal reaction to abnormal events. The military agrees and is pushing to have PTSD reclassified as simply PTS -- post-traumatic stress, no "disorder." In fact, more often than not, they are already dropping the D.

Time's Battleland blog looks into the issue:

Military mental-health workers constantly try to reduce the stigma associated with mental-health ills, and one way to do that is to not term the problem a disorder.

Some veterans agree, but others -- fearful the name change is simply a way of minimizing what they're going through -- don't. "It's a double-edged sword," a long-time Army psychiatrist says privately. "We're trying to reduce the stigma associated with the condition, but it's in the DSM-4 [the American Psychiatric Associati0n's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the accepted roster of various mental conditions] as PTSD. And some veterans fear that deleting disorder will jeopardize the VA benefits they get for it."

So what do you think? Does the word Disorder matter? Does it have meaning? Does it add stigma? Is it truthful or in the way? We'd love to hear your comments.

Driver's ed to cope with PTSD

2011-06-02T09:30:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent article about the challenges people with PTSD face while driving, and what one VA hospital is doing to help:

Palo Alto's VA Hospital offers driver's ed to cope with PTSD

Another hidden cost of war: 18 U.S. vets commit suicide every day

2011-06-01T10:09:00.001-04:00

Mother Jones pointed out yesterday that American casualties during war are way down compared to previous wars.

But that ignores the fact that our soldiers are surviving the battlefield, then coming home and committing suicide. More than 18 of them every day, on average. Read more:

Veteran suicides exceed combat deaths: 18 per day

PTSD Virtual Retreat Members Speak: Fearless Nation in Second Life

2011-05-31T08:36:00.001-04:00

This amazing video shows how the Fearless Nation PTSD Support virtual retreat has helped several people with PTSD. Check it out:

We have lots of new stories coming up on PTSD News in the coming week or two. Stay tuned.

The Psychological Cost of War: Military Combat and Mental Health

2011-05-29T10:46:00.000-04:00

As we head into Memorial Day, it's important to remember how much war costs us. A new study puts the psychological cost of the global war on terror in dollars and cents: "Our estimates imply lower-bound health care costs of $1.5 to $2.7 billion for combat-induced PTSD." That's a two-year cost, so the total cost over time is dramatically greater.

You can read the entire paper in PDF form here:

2011-3-1-cesur-sabia-tekin.pdf

Facebook challenge grant aims to donate 100 service dogs to vets with PTSD

2011-05-27T12:03:00.000-04:00

My article on the Dog Bless USA Challenge Grant, written for Mother Nature Network:

Facebook challenge grant aims to donate 100 service dogs to vets with PTSD

Fearless Nation issues call for volunteers and donations

2011-05-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Founder Colleen Crary writes: "Fearless Nation Needs Your Help NOW. Friends, we are being flooded with incoming soldiers and trauma sufferers. I am doing everything myself and working 16 hour days. I have also been financing FN for more than 2 years out of my own dwindling pocket."

Read more and find out how you can help.

Respiration, CO2 and PTSD

2011-05-14T09:16:00.000-04:00

A new study entitled "The effects of CO2 inhalation in patients with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)", published in the journal European Psychiatry, examines the link between the "psychometric effects of CO2 on panic anxiety and PTSD symptoms in subjects with PTSD."

I can't access the entire paper, but there is previous research linking getting too much carbon dioxide (and at the same time not getting enough oxygen) with anxiety disorders (especially in children).

What does all of this suggest? Nothing conclusive.

But it does lead us to remember one key word:

BREATHE.

PTSD affects childrens' DNA

2011-04-25T10:37:00.001-04:00

Childhood trauma can lead to PTSD in adults, while also affecting them on a genetic level.

According to a study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, adults with PTSD who had a history of childhood trauma had a significantly shorter region of DNA proteins known as the telomere -- a region of repetitive DNA sequence at the end of a chromosome which protects the chromosome from deterioration. Previous studies have linked short telomere length with accelerated aging and a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other degenerative conditions.

The study examined a total of 90 people -- 47 with PTSD and 43 without. The subjects with PTSD were found to have an average telomere length shorter than that of the non-PTSD subjects.

Read more here:

Risk of Accelerated Aging Seen in PTSD Patients with Childhood Trauma

Veterans' agencies launch free PTSD Coach iPhone app

2011-04-20T16:01:00.000-04:00

Got PTSD? There's an app for that.

Okay, now that I got that awful joke out of my head, here's the news: The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have teamed up to launch a free iPhone app called PTSD Coach. Intended specifically for people who are in or have served in the military, the app "provides users with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help users manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD."

You can find more info on the app here.

US soldiers 7 times as likely as UK troops to develop PTSD

2011-04-09T10:19:00.001-04:00

Does culture impact how you react to trauma? The UK newspaper The Independent examines the possibility that PTSD is not a universal response:

The invisible division: US soldiers are seven times as likely as UK troops to develop post-traumatic stress - Americas, World - The Independent

10 Common Misconceptins about PTSD

2011-03-08T08:39:00.000-05:00

Read the story at Veterans Today

Can video games trigger PTSD?

2011-02-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

The Hawaii-based PTSD organization Stay Strong Nation is arguing that the combat simulation aspects of the newest Call of Duty video game can serve as "volatile triggers for veterans suffering from PTS[D]."

Gresford Lewishall, vice president of the organization, said in a prepared statement, "Veterans either play or have exposure to the games and subsequently feel like they're back in Afghanistan or Iraq in life or death situations. Their heart beat accelerates and they feel a sense of unease come over them."

Read more here.

Obama's budget seeks $7.2 billion for PTSD/TBI treatment

2011-02-15T20:13:00.000-05:00

President Obama's 2012 budget proposes a healthy $7.2 billion to research and treat post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. This is an increase of $765 (14.6%) compared to the current, 2011, budget.

Nextgov has more.

Prison, corrections staff & PTSD

2011-01-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't want to work in a prison. Would you? Talk about a stressful job. In fact, working as a corrections officer is so stressful that some people come down with PTSD just from doing their jobs.

In fact, according to a nationwide survey, 39% of corrections workers met the criteria for having PTSD, while another 15-20% showed signs of being at risk of PTSD.

The PTSD risk comes from seeing violence, having violence committed against you, and the constant fear ("prolonged exposure") of what could happen next.

From a report on the study: "Of the 720 anonymous corrections employees from across the country who took part in the survey, 99.9 percent had witnessed violence at work, and almost 56 percent experienced one or more physical assaults."

Read more here:
Desert Waters looks at PTSD in corrections staff

Could bartenders help diagnose depression and PTSD?

2011-01-26T10:00:00.004-05:00

The old saw is that your local bartender will listen to your problems when nobody else will.

But what if they could do more than listen to your problems? What if they could provide answers?

That's the idea behind a new study published in the Journal of Military and Veterans' Health.

Let's go to the press release:

A pilot study suggests that some bartenders may be in a good position to identify veterans in need of mental health services and help connect them to the appropriate agency.

Researchers at Ohio State University surveyed 71 bartenders employed at Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Ohio.

The results showed that bartenders felt very close to their customers and that these customers shared their problems freely with them, said Keith Anderson, lead author of the study and assistant professor of social work at Ohio State.

"Many of the bartenders said that their customers were very much like family," Anderson said.

"Given the closeness of the relationships, these bartenders are in a really great position to help these veterans – if they are given the right training and the right tools."

Of the bartenders surveyed, 73 percent said their role with their customers was "like family." And about 70 percent of the bartenders said that the veterans they interacted with "always" or "often" shared their problems with them.
Encouragingly, 80 percent of the bartenders said they would be willing to refer veterans to services at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

These results show why bartenders may be especially well-suited to help troubled veterans, Anderson said.

"We need to find the veterans where they are. Many of them may not be willing to go to a VA clinic to seek out help on their own. The VFW bartenders may be one of our best chances to reach some of these veterans," he said.

Part of this study looked into whether bartenders might already have the sensitivity to notice problems that others might not see:

About two-thirds of those surveyed rated their ability to recognize depression in their patrons as "moderate," while the remaining third rated their ability as "high."

Only 14 percent rated their ability to recognize symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as "high" while 43 percent rated their ability as low.

Two small quibbles: 1) We hope bartenders can be trained to tell trauma to stop drinking, and 2) younger vets simply aren't joining their local VFW or American Legion these days. But if you could take this further to all bartenders, it might help make them a very good resource for people who would otherwise be drowning their sorrows.

Read the whole release about this pilot study here:

Bartenders may have role in assisting troubled war veterans

PTSD and Worker's Comp

2011-01-25T09:14:00.000-05:00

Research has consistently shown that trauma causes physical changes to the human brain. (See the PTSD News archive for several examples.) But if you are traumatized by your job, can you claim worker's comp?

In Wyoming, the answer is no. That state's Supreme Court ruled in December that the biological changes to the brain are not the same as physical injuries and are therefore not eligible for worker's comp.

The case came up when a volunteer firefighter experienced PTSD after seeing two of his coworkers burned and killed during a fire. The court called these "mental injuries" and said the law did not offer compensation for these types of wounds.

Read more: Risk & Insurance Online - Biological roots of PTSD don't trigger comp for physical injuries

What do you think? Should firefighters, police personnel, rescue workers and others be eligible for worker's comp due to PTSD? How about victims of workplace bullying or sexual harassment? Should PTSD be considered a physical injury? Let us know your thoughts.

Must-read: The Neuroscience of Fear and Loathing

2011-01-24T20:14:00.000-05:00

What happens to your brain -- physically -- during moments of extreme stress and fear? Dario Dieguez, Jr, Ph.D. gives you the latest science:

The Neuroscience of Fear and Loathing

Military's prescription drug policy criticized - especially for Seroquel

2011-01-19T15:15:00.000-05:00

In the first part of an ongoing investigative series, news site Nextgov reports that the U.S. military's prescription drug policies puts its soldiers and its veterans at risk.

"A June 2010 internal report from the Defense Department's Pharmacoeconomic Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio showed that 213,972, or 20 percent of the 1.1 million active-duty troops surveyed, were taking some form of psychotropic drug: antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedative hypnotics, or other controlled substances."

Many of these soldiers and veterans are on multiple anti-psychotics, which one doctor said is not necessary.

Most of the criticism comes down on the use of the anti-psychotic Seroquel, which the military allows to be prescribed as a sleep aid -- which is not one of the uses the FDA has approved for the drug.

"Smith said he was "flabbergasted" that military doctors prescribed Seroquel as a sleep aid, as the Food and Drug Administration has not approved such a use and other drugs are more effective. Breggin agreed, calling Seroquel "very dangerous, expensive and not proven to be more beneficial than other drugs."

Jackson noted Seroquel has the addictive potential of opioids, such heroin."

Nextgov also spoke to Stan White, whose son Andrew suffered from PTSD and was prescribed multiple medications, but barely had access to talk therapy:

"White said Andrew was so befuddled by his drug cocktail, which included Klonopin, a benzodiazepine, and hydrocodone, an opiate, that his wife, Shirley, had to dole them out forAndrew. White said Seroquel did not diminish Andrew's nightmares at even such a high dosage.

While talk therapy is widely viewed as one of the most effective treatments for some mental health problems, including PTSD, White said Andrew had only a few such sessions, primarily with a local veterans' peer therapy group. It was not until the week Andrew died that a VA psychiatrist decided to begin intensive sessions with him."

You can (and should) read Nextgov's entire report here:

Military's drug policy threatens troops' health, doctors say

Can a Positive Attitute Prevent PTSD?

2011-01-13T09:55:00.001-05:00

Can you train soldiers to be more optimistic in the face of traumatic events, and can that help to prevent them from developing PTSD?

Researchers from Michigan State University asked those questions as they examined the data from a 2004 study of Iraq veterans.

According to a report on their work, the researchers "found that soldiers who are trained to be more optimistic in traumatic situations are less likely to develop mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety or PTSD."

"There is evidence that if we can train people to be more psychologically resilient — that is, less catastrophic in their thinking and more optimistic and more hopeful — then they function better when they encounter traumatic situations," said John Schaubroeck, lead author of the study.

Their work will be published in the January issue of the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, which is not yet online.

According to the report in "Personal Liberty Digest" (an "ultra-conservative" publication), "Schaubroeck added that military leaders play an important role in sending a message of hope and optimism to their troops. He said it is important for officials to provide immediate support for an individual who experiences trauma because by the time they consult a health professional, mental problems may already escalate to severe levels."

What say you to this theory?

PTSD in Firefighters, First Responders & Other Rescuers

2011-01-12T16:33:00.000-05:00

Two recent news stories highlight the oft-forgotten sufferers of PTSD: First responders, firefighters and other rescue workers.

First up, an NPR article about how the constant threat of working as a first responder or other rescue worker can build up until PTSD symptoms develop.

"Little by little, it just started to build, and then one day, the slideshow that was all these events started running in my head and I couldn't control it," Michael Ferrara told NPR. It all came to a head for him when a friend of his was killed while on duty.

According to NPR (itself covering a story from Outside magazine), PTSD often goes undiagnosed in these occupations because the men who fill these jobs do not like to admit when they are in emotional pain.

But better understanding of PTSD allows both managers and rescue workers to not only deal with their symptoms better, but to recognize them when they first show up.

An Ontario-based newspaper called Cottage Country Now also discusses how volunteer firefighters can be ill-equipped to deal with the trauma of their jobs. Part of this comes from constantly working with survivors -- or seeing those who did not survive. "You're seeing people on the worse day of their life; their house burnt down, they had a heart attack, something bad happened," researcher Brad Campbell told the paper. Campbell's study is one of the first major studies of PTSD in firefighters.

96% of 9/11 Survivors Suffer PTSD Symptoms

2011-01-11T15:16:00.000-05:00

A survey of 3,271 evacuees of the World Trade Center found that almost all of them -- 95.6% -- had displayed at least one symptom of PTSD.

A full 15% of survivors tested positive for PTSD in the 2-3 years following 9/11.

"PTSD risk was greater among survivors who experienced serious life threat as defined by location in the towers, time of evacuation initiation, or dust cloud exposures," said the study's first author, Laura DiGrande, in a prepared release. "As one would expect, individuals who were exposed to several of the most troubling and life-threatening events during the disaster were at the greatest risk of PTSD."

The study found a few interesting statistics: lower-income survivors were more likely to develop PTSD, as were blacks and Hispanics. People whose employers were killed also seemed to develop PTSD at a greater rate.

Meanwhile, exactly what each of these survivors encountered seemed to affect their changes of developing PTSD. Some where injured, some saw "horror," others were caught in the dust cloud, some were on very high floors of the Twin Towers. Those who experienced more than one of these situations had significantly greater levels of PTSD, to the point where the authors could even come up with a mathematical formula for the risk of PTSD based on the number of factors the individuals encountered.

The study appears in the online edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology. The full paper is behind a subscription firewall, but you can read the abstract here.

Sexual Harassment and PTSD

2011-01-03T20:14:00.000-05:00

A new study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence examines why (and how) sexual harassment can cause PTSD.

The paper is behind a subscription firewall, but here's the abstract:

Researchers have compiled significant evidence demonstrating that sexual harassment leads to psychological harm, including the full symptom picture of PTSD, but few have examined the psychological processes involved. Research on attributions among trauma victims would suggest that causal attributions and perceptions of control may be important predictors of outcomes. The authors discuss a study involving a path model that used data from 189 women involved in sexual harassment litigation. Results indicate that both self-blame and harasser blame were positively related to PTSD symptoms. Control over recovery and the perception that future harassment is unlikely were both related to fewer PTSD symptoms. Unexpectedly, perceived control over future harassment is related to higher levels of PTSD symptoms. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Here's the link:

PTSD Symptoms and Sexual Harassment: The Role of Attributions and Perceived Control — J Interpers Violence

Journaling: A Tool to Help Treat PTSD

2010-12-27T12:07:00.000-05:00

The AW2 Blog, the official blog of the Army's Wounded Warrior Program, recent ran an article about Journaling as a Tool to Treat PTSD.

"Journaling provides a vehicle which allows servicemembers and Veterans to begin to draw out their feelings and memories without the perceived risk of speaking about them," said author Michael Cain (no relation to the actor), who teaches journaling on a volunteer basis at Fort Bragg.

Cain's workbook for the course is not yet publicly available, but he said on his own blog that he hopes it will be more widely available soon.

Cain was also interviewed back in October by the Fayetteville Observer, where he says that journaling is not, as it is so often characterized, only for women. "The point is to get it out of their head rather than to have someone analyze it," Cain told the Observer. "As long as it's locked in their brain, it's going to fester."

Have you tried writing a journal (or even a blog) to explore your feelings about PTSD and your trauma? We'd love to hear your about it.

Rutgers Researchers Find Key to Gender Differences in Processing Stress

2010-12-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

Women are more sensitive to stress, and therefore more likely to suffer from depression or PTSD, because of slight differences in male and female brains, according to new research.

From a recent Rutgers University press release:

Tracey Shors, a professor of psychology in Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, has uncovered a clue to why men and women handle stress so differently in the brains of male and female rats.

The research, published Dec. 1 in the Journal of Neuroscience, has implications for the way stress-related disorders are treated in men and women.

Shors and her co-authors, graduate student Lisa Maeng and post-doctoral scholar Jaylyn Waddell, examined two brain regions important in learning and stress, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala, a small almond-shaped structure located deep within the brain, senses stressful situations. The prefrontal cortex, in the front of the brain, is necessary for higher cognitive functions.

“These two structures are intimately connected to one another,” Shors said. “Therefore, we examined whether they communicate with one another to influence learning after stress.”

The researchers exposed male and female rats to stress, and then presented them with an associative learning task. During training, the rats learned to associate one event with another that occurred later in time. They played a tone and later stimulated the rats’ eyelids to elicit a blink. After the stimulus was taken away, most of the male rats responded to the tone by blinking on their own. Most of the females, however, did not blink in response to the tone, indicating that they had failed to learn that association. But the research also contained a neurological surprise for Shors, Maeng and Waddell.

When Shors and her colleagues disrupted the connections between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala in some of the females, those females were able to learn the association.

“This wasn’t true for males," Shors said. "So, males and females are using different brain structures to learn after stress. In other words, females can learn after stress if the prefrontal cortex can’t ‘talk’ to the amygdala. From this, we conclude that males and females can use different brain circuits to learn after stressful life events.”

Read more here

Research: Stress (and its damage) Can Be Passed on Genetically

2010-12-20T15:32:00.000-05:00

According to new research, some of the effects of PTSD could possibly be passed on to your offspring, or even make your children more likely to develop PTSD if they encounter their own traumatic events.

A study of Holocaust survivors found that their children were more susceptible to PTSD because the bodies of both parents and children generated lower levels of cortisol, a hormone that helps shut down the stress response.

The Independent has much more on this research in a recent article:

Stressed out? It could be in your genes

Older Vets with PTSD May Be More Prone to Dementia

2010-12-17T10:54:00.000-05:00

According to new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, "The incidence and prevalence of dementia is greater in veterans with PTSD."

While the research proved no causality (in other words, it does not suggest that PTSD causes dementia), it does suggest that properly treating veterans with PTSD should include screening for the onset of dementia as they get older. As the authors write in the abstract, "Because PTSD is so common in veterans, this association has important implications for veteran care."

Aromatherapy, Yoga & PTSD

2010-12-16T14:39:00.000-05:00

In addition to therapy and medications, there are numerous things people can do to help ease the symptoms from their PTSD. Learning to relax is vitally important, and two ways to help you relax are yoga and aromatherapy.

Over at the site SelfGrowth.com, certified aromatherapist Robin Barnette offers a few ideas on using aromatherapy to relax and reduce anxiety.

Smell has been said to be a tremendous gateway to memory and the right aromas really can help you get to a good place in your head. Check out here recommendations here.

How have aromatherapy, yoga or other techniques helped you? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Florida Declares PTSD Awareness Week

2010-12-14T09:17:00.000-05:00

This is PTSD Awareness Week in Florida. The state has the second-highest concentration on US veterans in the country.

Florida Governor Signs PTSD Awareness Week Proclamation

10% of LGBT youth may have PTSD

2010-12-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

A major new study of LGBT youth reveals that 30 percent may suffer from mental disorders, with 10 percent suffering from PTSD.

The University of Illinois at Chicago study examined 246 "ethnically diverse 16- to 20-year-old LGBT youth in Chicago" to reveal which ones had experienced "major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide attempts and conduct disorder."

Other revelations: 15 percent of the youths met the criteria for severe depression; 6 percent had attempted suicide; and bisexual youths were less likely to have psychological problems.

You can read more about this study at the link above.

David Lynch, Transcendental Meditation & PTSD

2010-12-08T09:57:00.007-05:00

Famed filmmaker David Lynch is about to launch a new project called Operation Warrior Wellness, which will aim to teach Transcendental Meditation to 10,000 veterans to help combat their PTSD. There's no real information about it online yet, but it officially launches on December 13 with a fundraiser featuring Lynch, Clint Eastwood, George Lucas, Dr. Oz, and others. Tonic (a news site I often write for) has an interview with Lynch about meditation and how it can help PTSD, and the Huffington Post has a much more in-depth article about the entire project and how it began.

From what we've read, Lynch's foundation will be offering scholarships or grants to help people attend the $1,500 workshops for as little as $750 or $375. We'll post more when we hear it.

Read our previous story on Lynch here.

Newsweek asks, "Do the Taliban Get PTSD?"

2010-12-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

In a headline sure to draw attention, Newsweek asks, Do the Taliban Get PTSD?

It's an over-simplified question, but the truth, as Newsweek itself points out, is that after decades of non-stop war and aggression, just about everyone in Afghanistan probably has some form of psychological trauma:

Combat-related mental problems are a fact of life for just about everyone in Afghanistan, of course. According to Dr. Suraya Dalil, Afghanistan’s health minister, 60 percent of the population is suffering from mental-health problems, thanks not only to the war but to the country's extreme poverty and woefully inadequate health care. "Mental illness among the people is as common as malaria," says Mullah Mohammad. "It's alarming, but not surprising, that there are so many psychologically disturbed people in Afghanistan," says Dr. Wahab Yousafzai, a Pakistani psychiatrist who runs training courses for Afghan physicians who work in provincial health-care centers. "Common people feel helpless. Death can come at any minute from U.S. and NATO forces or the Taliban."

We've seen the same in other countries that have experienced war and struggle stretching across multiple generations, such as Sri Lanka, Ireland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Cyprus to name a few.

The main question really isn't the one that Newsweek asks, but how many generations it will take Afghanistan and other countries to cleanse themselves of the pain of trauma.

67% of prostitutes meet criteria for PTSD

2010-12-06T16:45:00.001-05:00

Tim Bates, columnist for the Rome Observer, digs up some surprising statistics about prostitution:

"the Council for Prostitution Alternatives, in Portland, Oregon... found that 85 percent of surveyed prostitutes reported a history of sexual abuse in childhood, while 70 percent reported incest. Compare that to estimates of childhood sexual abuse in the general population at anywhere from 15- 38 percent of women and 12-16 percent of men...

"Other statistics ... over half have been raped or beaten by a client, more than three quarters have been physically assaulted while in prostitution and/or have attempted suicide, and that 67 percent meet diagnostic criteria for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."

Bates is arguing that prostitution is hardly a "victimless crime," as many often see it, but tends to involve people who have already been traumatized victimized and makes it likely for the women to be further traumatized at every step.

Crimes against prostitutes are far too often ignored by the police. This is a segment of the population whose trauma almost makes them invisible.

Let's not forget that soldiers aren't the only people with PTSD, and that war takes on many forms.

Yoga Nidra and PTSD

2010-12-02T10:00:00.004-05:00

Yoga Nidra has been shown to reduce anxiety, create higher quality sleep patterns, promote better physical and mental health, and help people gain control over their fear response. These are all essential tools for helping people learn to deal with their PTSD symptoms.

The Department of Defense has conducted research on Yoga Nidra through a program called iRest offered by the Integrative Restoration Institute, which offers a number of workshops and tutorials around the country. YogaTherapyWeb has an article about iRest here.

If you can't afford an iRest workshop or if you don't have the energy to travel, try the Fearless Nation PTSD Support virtual retreat in Second Life (pictured). There's no cost to participate, and you can do it from the safety and comfort of your home.

Study: Crohn's Disease May Cause PTSD

2010-12-02T08:48:00.000-05:00

I have a few friends with Crohn's disease -- the often-disabling inflammable bowel disorder -- so a new study really struck me.

The study followed 600 people in Switzerland with Crohn's disease for 18 months. A full 19% of these people were found to have the criteria for PTSD. And those people with both Crohn's and PTSD had the worst of both worlds -- they were 13 times more likely to have had their Crohn's symptoms get worse in that 18-month period, possibly due to hormonal and immune system responses.

Crohn's causes severe pain and constant diarrhea, leaving patients with a constant state of panic about their pending symptoms. This never-ending stress is what can trigger PTSD in some patients.

The doctors behind the study, which appeared Dec. 2 in the journal Frontline Gastroenterology, say that Crohn's can not be cured, but PTSD can -- not necessarily true, but it is more treatable -- so treating the two conditions together could help reduce the symptoms from Crohn's disease.

Read more here:

Study Suggests Link Between Crohn's Disease and PTSD

Rape, PTSD & Breastfeeding

2010-11-29T14:40:00.003-05:00

A traumatic event can affect a person's entire life, but what happens when another life is brought into the equation?

According to Dr. Wendy Walsh, writing on the site Mom Logic, victims of rape or other forms of sexual assault can find themselves triggered by something otherwise very natural: breastfeeding.

But as Walsh writes, women can also use breastfeeding as a way to empower themselves and take back their bodies from the memory of trauma.

Read more here:

Breastfeeding and Rape Trauma

Managing Your Post-Holiday Stress

2010-11-29T08:51:00.000-05:00

Psychology Today has a great new article about managing your holiday-induced stress: PTSD: Post-Thanksgiving Stress Disorder?

Here's a good quote from the beginning of the article:

"But time alone will not put the past behind you. Without realizing it, you may be holding onto your pain -- and often re-create it in the present -- in a misguided attempt to protect yourself from further trauma."

This is all less about PTSD than the general trauma caused by our every-day lives, but it's still worth a read.

Tips on Coping with Holiday Stress

2010-11-24T14:21:00.000-05:00

The start of the big holiday season is upon us -- a cause for stress for people with PTSD (not to mention just about everyone else). How do you handle it? Fearless Nation founder Colleen Crary has come up with some great tips for dealing with the holidays. Read, enjoy, and take care of yourself.

University of Connecticut Tries New Approach to Educating Vets with PTSD

2010-11-22T11:43:00.001-05:00

This is one of the most interesting and in-depth articles about the troubles vets with PTSD have re-integrating into society that we've seen in a while. Take this passage about one vet who tried to start taking classes:

Looking to continue the physical discipline of the Army, Matt enrolled in a six-month program to become a personal trainer. However, his conduct in the classroom caused his classmates to recoil and ultimately keep their distance. He repeatedly buttonholed them to listen to his ravings and tales from Iraq. He screamed at the television when an Arabic speaker came on and jumped when someone dropped a pan in the training school’s pantry.

He was a stocky, sinewy soldier, with a martial arts Ultimate- Fighting-Championship build, who always donned the same GI-Joe cartoon T-shirt and stocking hat. He had a brooding and sullen stare and remarked, incessantly and uncontrollably, on the stressors of his war experience as his one and only life experience. His classmates gave him the nickname “McMurphy” after Jack Nicholson’s iconoclastic, charismatic mental patient in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

“Those guys on the side of the road with the cardboard signs — I can see how they get there,” Matt says. “I’m afraid of losing everything I came home to.” The 35-year-old soldier bitterly calls himself a poster child for PTSD.

To help better understand how to offer education to people with PTSD, the University of Connecticut is studying a new technique called Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET). The two-year study will be funded by a $750,000 grant from from the U.S. Justice Department, and the school is seeking 90 male vets to participate.

The study will put half of the participants through "traditional" therapy ("prolonged exposure" therapy, which we haven't actually heard as having many good results), while the rest will be taught techniques to increase skills for controlling anger and other emotions.

Click the link above to read more.

PTSD linked to hardened arteries, heart disease, death

2010-11-19T13:14:00.001-05:00

Stress kills, and post-traumatic stress disorder is no exception.

According to research presented earlier this week at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association, men and women with PTSD have more calcium buildup in their arteries than people without PTSD. According to a report from CNN 's Health.com, "Calcium buildup is a hallmark of atherosclerosis (also known as hardening of the arteries), which can lead to heart attacks."

The veterans who did have this calcium buildup were "48 percent more likely to die of any cause during the study and 41 percent more likely to die from heart disease compared to those without PTSD," the study found.

The study was conducted on 637 veterans, and was part of a broader 10-year study that examined 286,000 mostly male vets from conflicts dating as far back as the Korean War. It did not look at non-veterans who might also have been suffering from PTSD.

What causes this calcium buildup? That's still unclear, but the scientists behind the new study said stress could be one factor. Another factor could be not getting enough exercise or other "unhealthy behaviors."

As a conference presentation, this study has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Lethal Warriors: New Book Examines How PTSD Turned Veterans Violent

2010-11-16T08:56:00.000-05:00

The Atlantic magazine has an excellent review/essay about the new book Lethal Warriors, about how PTSD can make soldiers self-destruct and turn violent.

You can find out more about the book itself here:

Biofeedback & PTSD: Teleseminar this Thursday

2010-11-15T13:45:00.002-05:00

The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) will present a teleseminar on PTSD on November 18, 2010 at 1:00 Eastern time. The 90-minute presentation on “The Central Autonomic Network and Combat PTSD: Assessment and Intervention” will be given by Dr. Carmen Russoniello, a former Marine machine gunner and decorated Vietnam combat veteran.

You can read about the seminar (and watch a video about the biofeedback program it's kind of promoting) here and register for the $119 seminar here.

Tetris blocks PTSD? Uh, no.

2010-11-12T08:56:00.000-05:00

Every morning, I get an email containing all of the previous day's headlines about PTSD. Today's email lists dozens of links to news stories about a study that claims playing the video game Tetris shortly after experiencing a trauma can help prevent PTSD.

Sorry, but this study is junk science.

Here's how the authors of this study came up with their "conclusions." They took a bunch of healthy volunteers and showed them 21 minutes of films containing some "traumatic" injury. Car crashes, surgery, stuff like that. Then, 30 minutes after the film was over, they had some of the test subjects play Testris. (Others played a different video game, while some just stood quietly like good little lab rats.)

The researchers found that in the weeks that followed, the people who played Tetris reflected on those movies less.

Well I'm sorry, but 21 minutes of video is not going to give someone PTSD (not unless you showed them video of their daughter in a car crash, or something truly traumatic like that). So there's no way that this study can be equated with people who actually experience a real traumatic event.

Yes, research has shown that treating for potential PTSD immediately after an event can lessen its impact and possibly even prevent it. But this study doesn't support any of that, and the only reason the media is heavily reporting it is because it's got just that right combination of oddity and "easy cure" mentality that makes "news" way too easy to produce.

Now, I've played more than my fair share of Tetris over the years -- in fact, I played so much of it that I have had long, vivid dreams about playing Tetris. Following these researchers' logic, maybe playing Tetris gives people PTSD? Nah, I don't think so.

HBO's PTSD documentary airs this Thursday

2010-11-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Read all about it here.

People with Intellectual Disabilities Can Face Greater Risk of PTSD

2010-11-08T09:37:00.001-05:00

People with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation, autism, etc) can face greater risks of getting PTSD from traumatic events, both because they are more vulnerable to it and because they are more vulnerable to being physically or sexually abused, according to a study published in Clinical Psychology Review.

It is also often hard for caregivers to recognize what someone with an intellectual disability finds to be traumatic, and PTSD symptoms may display differently in these people, so help isn't always forthcoming or easy to give.

Unfortunately, study of people with intellectual disabilities remains low, and their PTSD often goes untreated.

You can read more about this study -- which is actually a review of the small amount of literature on the subject -- here: PTSD in People with Intellectual Disabilities

Smartphone helps patients track their moods

2010-11-05T14:20:00.004-04:00

Are you more anxious today than you were yesterday? More or less sad? Tired? Worried? A new smartphone app can help you track these feelings from day to day, charting the results for either yourself or you and your therapist.

The T2 Mood Tracker, available for Android smartphones, tracks the user's mood and general well-being. You can track how you're feeling each day:

...then use the app to see how your mood and emotions are changing over time:

In addition to adding a number value to their emotions, the user can also add notes about how they are feeling on a certain day.

The categories themselves change a bit depending on if the patient is monitoring stress, depression, brain injury, PTSD, or general health.

The free program was developed for and released by the Department of Defense to help service members and vets, who, statistically, are using their phones more than their laptops.

Perry Bosmajian, the psychologist who helped to develop the Mood Tracker, told the News Tribune: "The very first question a doctor or a therapist asks is 'How have you been doing since I saw you last?' Everything that follows is based on that answer. With this, it's all documented, how you're feeling."

Click the links above to find out more. And if you've used the T2 Mood Tracker, comment below and let everyone know what you think!

PTSD Tied to Higher Rates of Sleep Apnea

2010-11-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

As if it weren't bad enough that people with PTSD have trouble sleeping, a new study of 135 vets with PTSD found that 54% had obstructive sleep apnea -- well above the 20% experienced in the general population.

The study was reported last week at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Now, this hardly proves causality, but it does suggest that if a person with PTSD is having trouble sleeping then all avenues should be explored. A physical element could be partially to blame and only treating sleeplessness with medications won't solve the problem if you also have sleep apnea.

(And speaking as someone with sleep apnea, seriously, it's bad. Get tested and get treatment.)

Read more about this study here: Medical News: CHEST: Apnea Elevated in Vets With PTSD

2nd Annual 24-hour PTSD Awareness Event This Weekend

2010-11-02T11:25:00.000-04:00

The second annual worldwide "Be Fearless!" event to raise awareness, educate the public and banish stigma about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be held online on November 6, 2010.

The 24-hour event, hosted by Fearless Nation PTSD Support, Inc., a nonprofit organization hailing from the USA, will focus on fact-based PTSD information and two simultaneous live stage events with internationally popular musicians and DJs. People from around the globe can attend the event via Second Life, the virtual online community. The entire "Be Fearless!" event will be broadcast live online through the Fearless Nation website.

The "Be Fearless" event begins at 00:00 Pacific Coast Time (-7 GMT/UTC) on November 6 and will run for 24 hours.

Visit the links above for more information!

PTSD Brains Hyperactive Even When 'Relaxed'

2010-10-29T09:36:00.001-04:00

A new study reveals something that shouldn't come as much of a surprise: the brains of people with PTSD are hyperactive even when they are "relaxed."

Using a technique called magnetoencephalography or MEG, researchers found that people with PTSD have heightened activity in the right-hand hemisphere of their brains. According to a report from HealthDay, "Compared with the healthy 'controls,' the PTSD patients showed 'hyperactive' communication between the temporal cortex -- the part of the brain thought to be responsible for reliving past experiences -- and two other areas on the right side of the brain."

This hyperactivity was present even though the patients were in a relaxed state for the MEG scan.

The study was published in the Journal of Neural Engineering. The paper is available free online for a limited time.

Breifly noted: PTSD Researcher to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

2010-10-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

Joseph Boscarino, Ph.D, M.P.H.,will be recognized by the International Society of Traumatic Stress (ISTSS) with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the research of traumatic stress.

Read more.

Research: A blood test to diagnose PTSD?

2010-10-27T14:16:00.001-04:00

Researchers at Israel's Rebecca Sieff Hospital report they have come up with a blood test that can diagnose PTSD, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of a patient's treatment.

According to the researchers, patients with PTSD had higher levels of gamma delta T lymphocytes, which are produced by the body's inflammatory response to trauma. The same cells are generated by physical situations such as wounds or infections.

The study was conducted using blood samples from 33 people with PTSD and 31 "healthy" people.

Interestingly, the male patients with PTSD were found to have even higher levels of gamma delta T lymphocytes than women.

According to lead researcher Dr. Ofer Klein, doctors can use these cells to tell if a patient's treatment is effective. If the cell count goes down, then treatment is working.

The results of this early study were presented at a conference and have not yet been formally published.

After 40 years, father with PTSD reunited with the daughter he left behind

2010-10-26T12:05:00.003-04:00

39 years ago, John Watson, a Vietnam veteran suffering from PTSD, abandoned his wife and three-year-old daughter.

20 years ago, when he was healthier, he started trying to find his daughter.

It took him until this year, when he finally located his daughter, now 42, on Facebook.

You can read their story, and watch a video interview, here.

Children Can Get PTSD from Their Parents

2010-10-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

A Canadian study focusing on the families of returning vets indicates that parents can pass PTSD along to their children.

"Isolation, depression and trauma are among the symptoms soldiers pass on to their kids, according to preliminary results from a Canadian study," according to a report on the study at the website Parent Dish. Kids also risk "physical abuse, emotional neglect and unpredictable rage."

The study was very small -- just four teenagers whose parents, three of whom had PTSD, had served in recent conflicts, but it echoes other studies and real-world examples we've heard too much about.

Read more:

Children Getting More PTSD, Less TLC From Parents Returning From War

Fly fishing: A learning experience for people with PTSD

2010-10-20T11:20:00.001-04:00

A program called Project Healing Waters is teaching veterans fly fishing as a way to potentially control the symptoms of their PTSD.

In Hot Springs, South Dakota, the program, taught by Korean War veteran Jim Phoenix, who told the Rapid City Journal "You have to have a little humor to go along with it. We don’t dwell on their battle problems."

Clinical social worker Loree Greco has brought the Healing Waters program to the Hot Sprints PTSD clinic. She told the newspaper, "It teaches them to look at power and control differently because you can’t just hurry and bully this. It takes time to learn the technique. A lot say they can't trust anyone. Through this process, they can trust others. The world isn't black and white anymore; they start seeing trust on a continuum."

Check out that link above for more on the program in South Dakota, or visit the main Project Healing Waters website to learn more and find a program near you.

Navy publishes free graphic novel about combat stress

2010-10-19T09:13:00.001-04:00

The Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) has published a 200-page graphic novel (available for free to Navy and Marine personnel by mail or to all online) to help Corpsmen understand "the stresses of combat deployments."

"The Docs" The graphic novel tells the stories of four fictional corpsmen as an illustration of "military life within a combat zone."

"Since the start of combat operations in the Middle East, Navy Medicine recognized that expeditionary hospital corpsmen have extremely high exposure to the many significant stressors of war, both acute and chronic," said Capt. Greg Utz, NHRC commanding officer, in a press release about the project. "Their dual roles as caregivers and combatants puts them at high risk for stress injuries, so we developed this graphic novel as an innovative way to help our Sailors prepare for and interpret situations they may see in theater."

I've read "The Docs," and it's rather amateurishly illustrated and written, and obviously more of a PR-related pro-military device than a truly honest work, but it still packs some truth and reality and a few surprising moments. I'd say it's worth a look, at least as a starting point, but anyone who really wants to know about "combat stress" needs to go a lot further.

Biofeedback and PTSD

2010-10-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Alternative Health blog points us to a study from Walter Reed Army Medical Center that says Biofeedback is not helpful for people with PTSD.

Not all research supports this conclusion. A program (PDF) developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network suggests that biofeedback can be helpful, although its results have not been fully analyzed.

Other biofeedback research often seems tied to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which we have heard extremely conflicting reports about.

You know what we have found to be the most effective form of biofeedback? A dog. When you're happy and relaxed, so is your dog. When you're stressed and anxious and fearful, your dog tells you so.

Do you have any thoughts or experience with biofeedback or EMDR? Share them here!