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HavenWorks.com/acronyms/a-z/p/ptsd PTSD News |
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 Afghanistan
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 PTSD
PTSD News:
Regan,T.Report:High survival rate for US troops wounded in Iraq.Christian Science Monitor, November 29,2004. Warden,D.Military TBI during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation ,Vol.21,No.5,2006,pp.398 –402. |
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US
- Iraq- Afghanistan
- 
Military
- 
Jobs
- 
Oil
- 
Medical
- 
Politics
- "'Hidden
Costs' Double Price Of Two Wars, Democrats Say."
... "The economic costs to the United States of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
so far total approximately $1.5 trillion, according to a new study by congressional
Democrats that estimates the conflicts' "hidden costs"-- including higher
oil prices, the expense of treating wounded veterans and interest payments
on the money borrowed to pay for the wars." ... "That amount is nearly
double the $804 billion the White House has spent or requested to wage
these wars through 2008, according to the Democratic staff of Congress's
Joint Economic Committee. Its report, titled "The Hidden Costs of the Iraq
War," estimates that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have thus far cost
the average U.S. family of four more than $20,000." ... "The report argues
that war funding is diverting billions of dollars away from "productive
investment" by American businesses in the United States. It also says that
the conflicts are pulling reservists and National Guardsmen away from their
jobs, resulting in economic disruptions for U.S. employers that the report
estimates at $1 billion to $2 billion." ... "Oil prices have more than
tripled since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the report notes,
to a peak of more than $90 per barrel. "The war in Iraq is certainly not
responsible for all of this increase," the report states, but it estimates
that declining Iraqi production "has likely raised oil prices in the U.S.
by between $4 and $5 a barrel." The report added that "because of the many
factors affecting oil markets, this should be seen as a highly approximate
estimate."" ... "The committee's Democrats estimated that injuries due
to the wars could add more than $30 billion in future disability and medical
care costs, including billions in lost earnings for veterans who cannot
work because of post-traumatic stress disorder." (1, 2)
-By Josh White with contributions by Julie Tate
-WashingtonPost
John
Edwards
- US
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- Military
- Counseling
- 
Money
- Politics
- 
New
Hampshire - 
North
Carolina - 2008
Election - "Edwards
unveils plan for vets with PTSD." ... "[2008 Election
Democratic] Presidential contender John Edwards is introducing a $400 million
plan Monday to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, including
those recently returned from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan." ... "Under
Edwards' plan, veterans could seek counseling for post-traumatic stress
disorder outside the Veterans Health Administration system; the number
of counselors would increase; and family members would be employed to identify
cases of PTSD." ... "Edwards, a North Carolina Democrat, was scheduled
to introduce the five-point plan during a speech at New Hampshire's Plymouth
State University." ... ""I strongly believe we must restore the sacred
contract we have with our veterans and their families, and that we must
begin by reforming our system for treating PTSD. We also must act to remove
the stigma from this disorder," Edwards said in prepared remarks his campaign
provided to The Associated Press. "Warriors should never be ashamed to
deal with the personal consequences of war."" -By
Philip Elliott -AP
via -Yahoo
US
-Iraq
-
Kuwait
- Military
- 
Free
Speech - Opinion
-Politics
- Psychological
- Health
-
PA- 
Ill
- Walter
Reed - "The
Military: Faith Under Fire." ... "Many American soldiers
in Iraq wear crosses; some carry a pocket-size, camouflage New Testament
with an index that lists topics such as Fear, Loneliness and Duty. U.S.
troops have conducted baptisms in the Tigris. They often huddle in prayer
before they go on patrol. Not everyone is comfortable with this. About
80 percent of soldiers polled in a 2006 Military Times survey said they
felt free to practice their religion within the military. But the same
poll found that 36 percent of troops found themselves at official gatherings
at least once a month that were supposed to be secular but started with
a prayer." ... "The survey didn't ask soldiers whether they suffered doubt
or loss of faith. National Guard Specialist George Schmidt, 30, who was
raised as a Methodist in Titusville, Pa. [Pennsylvania], and became a Wiccan
before deploying to Iraq in June 2006, says he saw fellow soldiers driven
in different directions. "Either you're running to God, grasping to hold
on to the guy you were before you came to Iraq, or you're running right
away from him because of what you're seeing," he says. Schmidt is now being
treated for posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety at Walter Reed. Army
Specialist Joe Schaffel, 24, who is also being treated for PTSD, went to
Roman Catholic school in Sleepy Hollow, Ill [Illinois]. "I had faith until
I got to Iraq," says Schaffel, who returned from his second deployment
last September. "I haven't gotten it back since. Once you get there, you
wonder how God could allow anyone to go through that."" ... "It is up to
military chaplains to help relieve battlefield stress, even as they may
be suffering themselves. According to a 2006 military study, 27 percent
of chaplains and their assistants in the field reported burnout levels
that were "high" or "very high." Some of the potential effects of what
the Army calls "provider fatigue" are acutely troubling for chaplains:
hopelessness and doubts about spirituality." ... "No polls show how many
chaplains have difficulty reconciling a good and loving God with the carnage
of war. And it's clear that battle can both strain and strengthen faith.
"I still have dreams where I'm throwing up little flag-draped caskets,"
says Chaplain (Maj.) Victor Chatham, who served with the National Guard
in Kuwait in 2004, conducting funeral "ramp ceremonies" and debriefing
traumatized soldiers. "It wasn't so bad blessing one or two caskets, but
when there were 13 at once, it's a different kind of duty." He retired
from the guard shortly after that deployment and sought therapy. He's still
a believer, but he says "there is no way that questions of faith don't
come up in an atmosphere like that."" (1, 2,
3,
4,
5,
6)
-By By Eve Conant with contributions by Dan Ephron,
Babak Dehghanpisheh, and Rod Nordland -MSNBC/Newsweek
US
- Iraq
- Military
- Psychology
- "A
Third of U.S. Soldiers From Iraq War Seek Mental Health Care."
... "A third of U.S. soldiers who returned from the war in Iraq in 2003
and 2004 received mental health treatment within a year of ending their
deployment, military researchers reported today in the Journal of the American
Medical Association." ... "The study showed that soldiers' need for mental
health services -- or at least their willingness to admit to a need --
grew after their deployment ended. Soldiers serving in Iraq had higher
rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD, and other mental
health problems than those in Afghanistan, where troops were less likely
to be involved in combat and see death." ... "``The more exposure to combat
you had, the more likely you are to have mental health problems and to
seek mental health services,'' said Col. Charles Milliken, an Army psychiatrist
and co-author of the study, in an interview yesterday." -By
Rob Waters -Bloomberg
US
- 
Government
- Military
- Mental
Health - Afghanistan
- Iraq
- "Study
shows combat stress aid falls short." ... "Less than
one-quarter of the U.S. military's Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who
show signs of post-traumatic stress are referred for additional mental
health treatment or evaluation, a government study finds." ... "The report
released Thursday said about 5 percent of the veterans interviewed after
they returned from combat tours appeared at risk for post-traumatic stress
disorder. Of those, about 22 percent are referred for more health care."
... "The Government Accountability Office said the Defense Department cannot
guarantee that those who need referrals get them, and there appear to be
inconsistencies in how health care workers from the different military
services determine who needs a referral." -By Lolita
C. Baldor -AP
via -SeattlePI.NWsource
Government
- Military
- Psychology
- Health
- "A
Political Debate On Stress Disorder: As Claims Rise,
VA Takes Stock." ... "The spiraling cost of post-traumatic stress disorder
among war veterans has triggered a politically charged debate and ignited
fears that the government is trying to limit expensive benefits for emotionally
scarred troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan." ... "A total of 215,871
veterans received PTSD benefit payments last year at a cost of $4.3 billion,
up from $1.7 billion in 1999 -- a jump of more than 150 percent." ... "Experts
say the sharp increase does not begin to factor in the potential impact
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because the increase is largely the
result of Vietnam War vets seeking treatment decades after their combat
experiences." (1, 2)
-By Shankar Vedantam -WashingtonPost
-
-
- Psychology
- "Survey:
30% of returning Iraq vets suffer mental ills." ...
"Thirty percent of U.S. troops surveyed have developed stress-related mental
health problems three to four months after coming home from the Iraq war,
the Army's surgeon general said Thursday." ... "The survey of 1,000 troops
found problems including anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger and an
inability to concentrate, said Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley and other military
medical officials. A smaller number of troops, often with more severe symptoms,
were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a serious
mental illness." ... "Military medical officials, however, cautioned against
people reading their data as suggesting the war had driven so many soldiers
over the edge. Instead, they characterized the anxiety and stress as normal
reactions to combat, seeing dead and mutilated bodies, and feeling helpless
to stop a violent situation." -AP
via-USATODAY
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| #Weblog - #Veterans - #FAQ - #What+is+PTSD - #Common Reactions After Trauma - #Treatment of PTSD - #History - #"Soldier's Heart" |
"PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes."
"People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. PTSD symptoms seem to be worse if the event that triggered them was deliberately initiated by another person, as in a mugging or a kidnapping. Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, and are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring on the street. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again.
"Not every traumatized person develops full-blown or even minor PTSD. Symptoms usually begin within 3 months of the incident but occasionally emerge years afterward. They must last more than a month to be considered PTSD. The course of the illness varies. Some people recover within 6 months, while others have symptoms that last much longer. In some people, the condition becomes chronic."
"PTSD affects about 7.7 million American adults, but it can occur at any age, including childhood. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, and there is some evidence that susceptibility to the disorder may run in families. PTSD is often accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or one or more of the other anxiety disorders."
"Certain kinds of medication and certain kinds of psychotherapy usually treat the symptoms of PTSD very effectively."
"If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the next step is usually seeing a mental health professional. The practitioners who are most helpful with anxiety disorders are those who have training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, and who are open to using medication if it is needed."
"You should feel comfortable talking with the mental health professional you choose. If you do not, you should seek help elsewhere. Once you find a mental health professional with whom you are comfortable, the two of you should work as a team and make a plan to treat your anxiety disorder together."
"Remember that once you start on medication, it is important not to stop taking it abruptly. Certain drugs must be tapered off under the supervision of a doctor or bad reactions can occur. Make sure you talk to the doctor who prescribed your medication before you stop taking it. If you are having trouble with side effects, it’s possible that they can be eliminated by adjusting how much medication you take and when you take it."
"Most insurance plans, including health maintenance organizations (HMOs), will cover treatment for anxiety disorders. Check with your insurance company and find out. If you don’t have insurance, the Health and Human Services division of your county government may offer mental health care at a public mental health center that charges people according to how much they are able to pay. If you are on public assistance, you may be able to get care through your state Medicaid plan."
"Ways to Make Treatment More Effective"
"Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help or support group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Internet chat rooms can also be useful in this regard, but any advice received over the Internet should be used with caution, as Internet acquaintances have usually never seen each other and false identities are common. Talking with a trusted friend or member of the clergy can also provide support, but it is not a substitute for care from a mental health professional."
"Stress management techniques and meditation can help people with anxiety disorders calm themselves and may enhance the effects of therapy. There is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may have a calming effect. Since caffeine, certain illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can aggravate the symptoms of anxiety disorders, they should be avoided. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any additional medications."
"The family is very important in the recovery of a person with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive but not help perpetuate their loved one’s symptoms. Family members should not trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment. If your family is doing either of these things, you may want to show them this booklet so they can become educated allies and help you succeed in therapy."
"Have you lived through a scary and dangerous event?"
"Please put a check in the box next to any problems you have."
" [ ] - Sometimes, all of a sudden, I feel like the
event is happening over again. I never know when this will occur."
" [ ] - I have nightmares and bad memories of the
terrifying event."
" [ ] - I stay away from places that remind me of
the event."
" [ ] - I jump and feel very upset when something
happens without warning."
" [ ] - I have a hard time trusting or feeling close
to other people."
" [ ] - I get mad very easily."
" [ ] - I feel guilty because others died and I lived."
" [ ] - I have trouble sleeping and my muscles are
tense."
"If you put a check in the box next to some of these problems, you may have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)."
"PTSD is a real illness that needs to be treated."
"Many people who have been through a frightening experience. It’s not your fault and you don’t have to suffer."
"1. What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?"
"PTSD is a real illness. People may get PTSD after living through a disturbing or frightening experience. It can be treated with medicine and therapy."
"You can get PTSD after you have been:"
" * Raped or sexually abused"
" * Hit or harmed by someone in your family"
" * A victim of a violent crime"
" * In an airplane or car crash"
" * In a hurricane, tornado, or fire"
" * In a war,"
" * In an event where you thought you might be killed,
or"
" * After you have seen any of these events."
"If you have PTSD, you often have nightmares or scary thoughts about the experience you went through. You try to stay away from anything that reminds you of your experience."
"You may feel angry and unable to trust or care about other people. You may always be on the lookout for danger. You can feel very upset when something happens suddenly or without warning."
"2. When does PTSD start and how long does it last?"
"For most people, PTSD starts within about three months of the event. For some people, signs of PTSD don’t show up until years later. PTSD can happen to anyone at any age. Even children can have it."
"Some people get better within six months, while others may have the illness for much longer."
"3. Am I the only person with this illness?"
"No. You are not alone. In any year, 5.2 million Americans have PTSD."
"4. What can I do to help myself?"
" * Talk to your doctor about the the experience
that upset you."
" Tell you doctor if you have scary memories,
if you feel sad, if you have trouble sleeping, or if you are angry all
the time. Tell your doctor if these problems keep you from doing everyday
things and living your life. You may want to show your doctor this booklet.
It can help explain how you feel. Ask your doctor for a checkup to make
sure you don’t have some other illness."
" * Ask your doctor if he or she has helped people
with PTSD."
" Special training helps doctors treat
people with PTSD. If your doctor doesn’t have special training, ask for
the name of a doctor or counselor who does."
" * Get more information."
" Call 1-866-615-6464 to have free information
mailed to you."
"You can feel better."
"5. What can a doctor or counselor do to help me?"
* A doctor may give you medicine to help you feel
less afraid and tense. It may take a few weeks for the medicine to work.
* Talking to a specially trained doctor or counselors
helps many people with PTSD. This is called “therapy.” Therapy can help
you work through your terrible experience.
"Here is one person’s story."
" “After I was attacked, I felt afraid, depressed, and angry all the time. I couldn’t sleep or eat much. Even when I tried to stop thinking about it, I still had awful nightmares and memories."
" “I was confused and didn’t know where to go for help. A friend told me to call the doctor. My doctor helped me find a special doctor who knows about PTSD."
" “I had to work hard, but after some helpful medication and therapy, I am starting to feel like myself again. I’m glad I made that first call to my doctor.”"
"Remember — you can get help now."
" * Talk to your doctor about the event and your feelings
about it."
" * Call 1-866-615-6464. It is a free call. You will
get free information about PTSD mailed to you."
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#PTSD
Weblog
#PTSD "Soldier's Heart" |
| #Weblog - #Veterans - #FAQ - #What+is+PTSD - #Common Reactions After Trauma - #Treatment of PTSD - #History - #"Soldier's Heart" |
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| #Weblog - #Veterans - #FAQ - #What+is+PTSD - #Common Reactions After Trauma - #Treatment of PTSD - #History - #"Soldier's Heart" |
via: http://ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_faqs_on_ptsd.html
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