This week's Fearless Nation peer support meetings

THIS WEEK'S SUPPORT MEETINGS IN OUR 3D CHAT ROOM

Education - Support - Recovery - Anonymous - FREE

Live - Online - In Real Time with Real People! 
Sign up FREE with our 3D Web Provider) to join in!

 https://spoton3d.com/register/

http://3Durl.com/map/spoton3d/Fearless%20Nation%201/169/76/38

You can also enter the direct portal above or Facebook to join our meetings!

All times in Pacific Standard Time

WEDNESDAY, May 2nd 2012

↖★↗   TIMELY TOPICS PTSD SUPPORT GROUP

WEDNESDAY at 11 AM PST, -8 GMT

~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~

“100% Proof: Get Your Rightful Benefits”

As a healthcare consumer, employee, veteran, find out how to get 100% proof that you have PTSD and take this proof in hand to benefits administrations, insurance companies – Or your lawyer. *Voice and text.

↖★↗   EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP

WEDNESDAY at 12 PM  and 5 PM PST, -8 GMT

~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~

“Compassion Fatigue in Spouses, Children, Family and Therapists”

Find out why our friends and families turn away from us and don't want us to discuss openly our traumatic experiences. Also: why some therapists don't want to believe what happened to us. Our loved ones and therapists are only human--how can we maintain positive relationships with them without giving them secondary trauma and vicarious trauma? *Voice and text.

THURSDAY, May 3rd 2012

↖★↗   EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP

THURSDAY at 11 AM PST, -8 GMT

~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~

“Compassion Fatigue in Spouses, Children, Family and Therapists”

Find out why our friends and families turn away from us and don't want us to discuss openly our traumatic experiences. Also: why some therapists don't want to believe what happened to us. Our loved ones and therapists are only human--how can we maintain positive relationships with them without giving them secondary trauma and vicarious trauma? *Voice and text.

↖★↗  THE INSIGHT GROUP WEEKLY MEETING

THURSDAY at 5 PM PST, -8 GMT

~* Changing Unhealthy Behaviors *~

THE INSIGHT GROUP is all about changing unhealthy behaviors, addictions and habits that keep us from moving forward in life. Explore why we do unhealthy things, and how we can take back the control over our lives. Not a 12-Step Program: No public confessions, no coins, just straight-up talk, group support, education and proven methods. *Voice and text.

ANONYMOUS, FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - Pass It On! Bring Friends and Family!

* Voice: NO USING SPEAKER PHONES. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL BACKGROUND NOISE OFF (RADIOS, TVs, FANS, AND OTHER NOISES). MAKE SURE YOUR HEADSET AND MICROPHONE ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

ABOUT Our 3D Interactive Chat Room

Our Web Worlds are worlds within your computer; just like you would be walking over the street in the real world, you can walk around and navigate through these 3D web sites using a representation of yourself, called an “avatar”. You can communicate with other people’s avatars, and interact with other users and the environment.

This all happens in real-time. When you see other avatars, the people operating them are at their home or office computers, like you. When people talk to you they are real human beings sitting behind their computer, using the 3D web site just as you are. It just like a chat room--but more interactive.

This week's Fearless Nation online PTSD peer support meetings

 PTSD PEER SUPPORT MEETINGS THIS WEEK – Live online and in real time!
All times in Pacific Standard Time (-8 GMT)
DETAILS: http://www.fearlessnationptsdsupport.org/Invitation.html

↖★↗ EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP
WEDNESDAY at 11 AM MVT (PST, -8 GMT)
~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~
“Affect Control: Coping With Social and Professional Gatherings"
Reconnection with others is a main tenet of PTS recovery. Learn how to interact positively in social, professional gatherings, cope with holidays, and feel safe in crowded public places. * Voice and text.

↖★↗ TIMELY TOPICS PTSD SUPPORT GROUP
WEDNESDAY at 12 PM
~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~
“What is PTSD—And What Is NOT PTSD?”
Some people claim to have PTSD when they do not. That can make people with real PTSD look bad—and increase the stigma we face. Let’s look at what differentiates PTSD from other conditions, so we can be taken seriously by our communities, the legal and insurance industries, and society at large. Voice and text.*

↖★↗ EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP
WEDNESDAY at 5 PM
FRIDAY at 11 AM
~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~
“Affect Control ~ Learning to Socialize Again in a Positive Way”
Having trouble controlling runaway emotions and anxiety to “keep your cool” in social settings? We'll discuss ways to regain control over our fears and behaviors in public and private--without becoming rigid or inflexible—or chasing people away. It's a fine line--let's learn how to walk it! * Voice and text.

↖★↗ THE INSIGHT GROUP WEEKLY MEETING
FRIDAY at 5 PM
~* Changing Unhealthy Behaviors *~
Voice and text.*

ANONYMOUS, FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - Pass It On! Bring Friends and Family!

Graphic novel examines PTSD and a fallen soldier's family

Shooters -- a new graphic novel by authors Brandon Jerwa and Eric Trautmann and artist Steven Lieber -- is scheduled to hit the shelves today.

The book is a semi-autobiographical look at the family of a soldier killed in Iraq. It is based on Trautmann's brother-in-law. 

Seattle's KOMO News has an interview with the creators: New graphic novel examines the horrors of war 

Meanwhile, USA Today has a preview. 

Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma

Today's must-read details "intergenerational transmission of trauma," which affects, in this case, the children of people who survived the genocide that took place in Cambodia decades ago.

Read on: PTSD from Cambodia's killing fields affects kids who were never there - ContraCostaTimes.com

Join Fearless Nation PTSD Support on Facebook!

Don't ignore loss of sleep after trauma

Not specifically about PTSD, but worth a read:

Don't ignore loss of sleep after trauma | KXLY.com

This week's PTSD peer support meetings from Fearless Nation PTSD Support

PTSD Peer Support Meetings This Week – Live online and in real time!
All times in Pacific Standard Time (-8 GMT)
DETAILS: http://www.fearlessnationptsdsupport.org/Invitation.html
WHERE: http://3Durl.com/map/spoton3d/Fearless%20Nation%201/169/76/38


EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesday at 11 AM PST, -8 GMT
~* THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: *~
“Affect Control: Coping With Social and Professional Gatherings
Reconnection with others is a main tenet of PTS recovery. Learn how to interact positively in social, professional gatherings, cope with holidays, and feel safe in crowded public places.

TIMELY TOPICS PTSD SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesday at 12 PM PST, -8 GMT
This week's topic: “What is PTSD—And What Is NOT PTSD?”:
Some people claim to have PTSD when they do not. That can make people with real PTSD look bad—and increase the stigma we face. Let’s look at what differentiates PTSD from other conditions, so we can be taken seriously by our communities, the legal and insurance industries, and society at large. Voice and text.*

EMPOWER SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesday at 5 PM PST, -8 GMT
Thursday at 11 AM PST, -8 GMT
This week's topic: “Affect Control ~ Learning to Socialize Again in a Positive Way”
Having trouble controlling runaway emotions and anxiety to “keep your cool” in social settings? We'll discuss ways to regain control over our fears and behaviors in public and private--without becoming rigid or inflexible—or chasing people away. It's a fine line--let's learn how to walk it!

THE INSIGHT GROUP WEEKLY MEETING
Thursday at 5 PM PST, -8 GMT
This week's topic: Changing Unhealthy Behaviors"
The Insight Group is all about changing unhealthy behaviors, addictions and habits that keep us from moving forward in life. Explore why we do unhealthy things, and how we can take back the control over our lives. Not a 12-Step Program: No public confessions, no coins, just straight-up talk, group support, education and proven methods. Voice and text.

Anonymous, Free and Open to The Public - Pass It On! Bring Friends and Family!

Today's top PTSD reads

Link between PTSD and violent behavior is weak - The Washington Post

The Secret History of PTSD - io9

PTSD genes identified by UCLA study

Why do some persons succumb to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others who suffered the same ordeal do not? A new UCLA study may shed light on the answer.

UCLA scientists have linked two genes involved in serotonin production to a higher risk of developing PTSD. Published in the April 3 online edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders, the findings suggest that susceptibility to PTSD is inherited, pointing to new ways of screening for and treating the disorder.

"People can develop post-traumatic stress disorder after surviving a life-threatening ordeal like war, rape or a natural disaster," explained lead author Dr. Armen Goenjian, a research professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. "If confirmed, our findings could eventually lead to new ways to screen people at risk for PTSD and target specific medicines for preventing and treating the disorder."

PTSD can arise following child abuse, terrorist attacks, sexual or physical assault, major accidents, natural disasters or exposure to war or combat. Symptoms include flashbacks, feeling emotionally numb or hyper-alert to danger, and avoiding situations that remind one of the original trauma.

Goenjian and his colleagues extracted the DNA of 200 adults from several generations of 12 extended families who suffered PTSD symptoms after surviving the devastating 1988 earthquake in Armenia.

In studying the families' genes, the researchers found that persons who possessed specific variants of two genes were more likely to develop PTSD symptoms. Called TPH1 and TPH2, these genes control the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood, sleep and alertness -- all of which are disrupted in PTSD.

"We suspect that the gene variants produce less serotonin, predisposing these family members to PTSD after exposure to violence or disaster," said Goenjian. "Our next step will be to try and replicate the findings in a larger, more heterogeneous population."

Affecting about 7 percent of Americans, PTSD has become a pressing health issue for a large percentage of war veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The UCLA team's discovery could be used to help screen persons who may be at risk for developing PTSD.

"A diagnostic tool based upon TPH1 and TPH2 could enable military leaders to identify soldiers who are at higher risk of developing PTSD, and reassign their combat duties accordingly," observed Goenjian. "Our findings may also help scientists uncover alternative treatments for the disorder, such as gene therapy or new drugs that regulate the chemicals responsible for PTSD symptoms."

According to Goenjian, pinpointing genes connected with PTSD symptoms will help neuroscientists classify the disorder based on brain biology instead of clinical observation. Psychiatrists currently rely on a trial and error approach to identify the best medication for controlling an individual patient's symptoms.

Serotonin is the target of the popular antidepressants known as SSRIs, or selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, which prolong the effect of serotonin in the brain by slowing its absorption by brain cells. More physicians are prescribing SSRIs to treat psychiatric disease beyond depression, including PTSD and obsessive compulsive disorder.


Also see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17560680

Traumatic Stress Linked to Heightened Inflammation; Possible Link to Heart Disease

Greater lifetime exposure to the stress of traumatic events was linked to higher levels of inflammation in a study of almost 1,000 patients with cardiovascular disease led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

In the first study to examine the relationship between cumulative traumatic stress exposure and inflammation, the scientists found that the more traumatic stress a patient was exposed to over the course of a lifetime, the greater the chances the patient would have elevated levels of inflammatory markers in his or her bloodstream.

“This may be significant for people with cardiovascular disease, because we know that heart disease patients with higher levels of inflammation tend to have worse outcomes,” said lead author Aoife O’Donovan, a Society in Science: Branco Weiss Fellow in psychiatry at SFVAMC and UCSF.

The study was published electronically in February in Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

The authors looked at exposures to 18 different types of traumatic events, all of which involved either experiencing or witnessing a direct a threat to life or physical integrity, in 979 patients age 45 to 90 with stable heart disease. They then measured a number of clinical markers of inflammation that circulate in the bloodstream, and found a direct correlation between degree of lifetime stress exposure and levels of inflammation.

Five years later, they measured the surviving patients’ inflammation markers again, and found that the patients who had originally reported the highest levels of trauma at the beginning of the study still had the highest levels of inflammation.

“Even though we lost some study participants because they died, we still observed the same relationship in those who remained,” O’Donovan said. “This suggests that it wasn’t just the people who were the most sick at the outset who were driving this effect.”

Senior investigator Dr. Beth Cohen, a physician at SFVAMC, emphasized that the effect remained even after the researchers adjusted for psychiatric diagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.

“Not everyone who is exposed to trauma develops PTSD,” said Cohen, who also is an assistant professor of medicine at UCSF. “This study emphasizes that traumatic stress can have a long-term negative impact on your health even if you don’t go on to develop PTSD. It also tells us that, as clinicians, we need to think about not just which diagnostic box someone might fit into, but what their lifetime trauma exposure has been.”

Although the study did not probe the potential causes for the link between lifetime stress and inflammation, O’Donovan offered one possible explanation.

“We know that in the aftermath of traumatic stress, people become more sensitive to threats,” she said. “This is actually pro-survival, because if you’re in a dangerous environment, that alertness can help you avoid future harm.”

However, she explained, people with heightened threat sensitivity may also show increased inflammatory responses. “What we think is happening is that people with a history of multiple traumatic stress exposures have increased inflammatory response more often and for longer periods, and so inflammation becomes chronically high,” she said.

Cohen noted that “this is a study of older people, and the cumulative effects that decades of traumatic experiences have on their bodies. If we could intervene with young people,” she said, “using techniques that we know help fight stress, such as exercise, yoga and other integrative health techniques, it would be interesting to know if we might be able to prevent some of this.”

The study subjects were all participants in the Heart and Soul Study, an ongoing investigation into the link between psychological factors and the risk of heart events and mortality in patients with stable heart disease. The Heart and Soul study is directed by Dr. Mary Whooley, a physician at SFVAMC and a professor of medicine at UCSF.

Co-authors of the study are Dr. Thomas Neylan of SFVAMC and UCSF and Thomas Metzler, M.A., of SFVAMC.

The study was supported by funds from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Irene Perstein Foundation, the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Society in Science: Branco Weiss Fellowship. Some of the funds were administered by the Northern California Institute for Research and Education.