Combat distributes life-long problems, now a flood

Carol Forsloff - Men and women are coming home from combat with disabilities, both mental
and physical, as well as reduced employment, with the impact distributed
fairly evenly on people of unequal status.

What research has found, in studies of men who entered the military with
certain advantages, and those without advantages, are all suffering from
the combat-related issues.

Before it had been hypothesized that it was particularly those with fewer advantages who suffered most.

Alair MacLean, writing in the The American Sociological Review, a few years ago examined t the research data and reflected on the issues, stating how the suffering of men  in war
are particularly acute, and that their prior experience and economic status did not prepare them for the stresses of combat any more than those who did not have these foundations.

The expressions of the problems may be somewhat different, but the specific impact related to the person was still found to be acute.

Marriages have been failing, men and women have high unemployment, there are higher rates of PTSD and those with brain injuries are increasing.  Those in combat have been found to suffer more and specifically more than those in non-combat situations.

All of this puts pressure on the country at a time when resources are not abundant to care for these needs.  So the knowledge that even the intellectually and physically hardy are seriously wounded physically and emotionally in the Middle East wars is a wake-up call, according to sociologists.

"These findings are consistent with the theory that combat creates direct cumulative disadvantage, increasing the odds that servicemen will be disabled throughout their lives if they fight in wars," according to Alair MacLean, author of the paper, "The Things They Carry: Combat, Disability and Unemployment Among U.S. Men."

"As the findings show, traumatic events can leave those who suffer them at
an initial disadvantage that continues throughout their work lives, MacLean concludes.

It is a worrisome thing for the United States as according to news of 2014 more and more veterans are expected to be returning from the wars, in a flood, with PTSD.

Trauma support critical for disaster victims.

 

Losing it all--homelessness can result from lack of trauma support

Carol Forsloff - A flood or fire sweeps into an area bringing
destruction everywhere. The horror can be overwhelming.   An oil spill,
following on the heels of hurricane recovery, can cause serious trauma
that experts maintain requires early intervention and sometimes long-term care.

Professionals remind us how important it is for survivors to be given immediate help. Catastrophes,psychologists declare, can be especially traumatic. The after-effect brings emotional responses that can go on for days, months or years.

People say they relive what happened and have problems that include
wakefulness, crying, depression, anger and fear. Some have problems
coping with everyday living. They often need immediate help from other
people.

Even the hero pilot of the US Air Plane, Chesley
"Sully" Sullenberger, who calmly took controls of his plane,
landing it in the Hudson River to save 155 lives, has reported having after
effects emotionally. So have his crew and the people rescued. Early
support for survivors of catastrophes, according to the Australian
Psychological Society, includes:

“1. promoting a sense
of safety and control 2. helping people contact friends and loved ones,
and connecting families 3. assisting people to get the help they need
while encouraging them to get involved in their own recovery 4. allowing
survivors to have their own reaction, and 5. instilling hope.”

In the United States Red Cross volunteers are among the first responders to an area. They moved folks to New Orleans and around the State of Louisiana to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Afterwards they referred people for
continuing counseling and support to private agencies, like Volunteers
of America.

The Red Cross has responded to victims of Gaza,earthquake survivors in Asia, and flood victims in Louisiana, such as
from Hurricane Katrina, and counselors are among those who help.

Helping children recover from trauma requires special skill. One website
details the techniques used by psychologists who help young children
come to terms with what has happened.

It is sometimes needed to provide counseling for a very long time because children may suffer problems in school, crying, nightmares and other reactions that can continue to cause hurt. A form of debriefing is important for those who have gone through trauma.

Experts say without having some support for victims of catastrophes
caused by flood, fire, war, earthquakes and events like 9/11 is
essential to help prevent long-term trauma reactions.

On Grand Isle during the oil disaster whole families faced financial ruin, possible displacement,and the loss of a distinct culture.  These are people who have suffered through terrible storms and came up bravely.  The slow-moving, odious oil created that never-knowing, awful feeling that keeps coming up, as
people say, at most unexpected times.

A stranger, a journalist, found folks weeping when they spoke of homes and families,after saying they would weather through hardships just fine.  But many will likely need emotional help.

Experts tell us that intervention of mental health support must come sooner than later.  The mental health factors, often overlooked, are said to be an important part of the ongoing
services provided throughout the affected regions.

Mental health issues can last longer, sometimes for years; and experts say must not be disregarded in planning for disaster victims.  During times of increased stress, such as a weather event, those with PTSD, for example, often have more difficulty coping.

The support for people during times of crisis need to involve mental health personnel.  The fact that experts, and therefore the general public, are beginning to realize this, can aid in the recovery of those who are victims of disasters.

War vets dying from suicide in growing numbers

Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Beaver - wikimedia

Carol Forsloff - "The VA and DoD can’t do it alone. We need to rely on community providers,” declared Jon Towers, senior policy advisor on the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs as specialists underlined the need to revamp the mental health system for returning troops.  But has happened to change things since these statements were made more than four years ago?


The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conference held a conference in 2010 focused on American troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and other veterans whom they say cannot depend solely on the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) for mental health car, even though the civilian mental health care system is in crisis.

U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy warned, “Every day in America, our military veterans are being held behind enemy lines” because of the nation’s “Byzantine mental health system.”

Suicide among the soldiers is a major problem, convention participants underlined.   Pamela Hyde, administrator of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), said as many soldiers in the Army are dying from suicide as died in Iraq.

“The mental health of service members depends on the mental health of family members,” Towers said.

But since 2010 has the increase in these numbers continued?

A Senate Panel has backed a bill on methods to reduce the suicide rate among veterans.  The problem has remained since four years ago, and in fact, the problem may have actually grown, according to reports nationwide.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee just days ago approved a bill that was named after Clay Hunt.  He was a veteran only 26 years of age when he killed himself in 2011.  Suicide is said to claim 22 military veterans daily.

And just two days ago a mother was reported by USA Today to have declared that the Veterans Administrative should assume direct responsibility for her son, Janos (John) Lutz suicide.  In Broward County, Florida the veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan wars had complained about depression following the breakup with a girlfriend.  He was only 24 years old when he killed himself with  medications, medications his mother claims were beyond his needs and inappropriate for his condition.  There were also expressed concerns about internal communication about Lutz needs within the medical facility. This particular case is being investigated without conclusions on the claim itself at present, however it shows how complicated and stressful it can be for medical personnel and family members when a suicide occurs.

What the Veterans Administration has found is that the younger veterans are more apt to commit suicide than older ones.  The rate of increase of suicides of veterans between the ages of 18-24 has been 33 per 100,000.  The weapon used is primarily firearms, at a rate of 70 percent.

Suicide among veterans remains a consequence of war.  The sorrow of families who lose a loved one is part of the issue, as government leaders are addressing the problem.

The consequences of war continue to be how young men and women are affected.  In a volunteer military those rates, experts hope, will change with a renewed focus on the problem.

Online coaching/counseling helps vets with PTSD in a private,supportive way

Korean Veterans Memorial

[caption id="attachment_10868" align="alignleft" width="300"] Korean Veterans Memorial[/caption]

Gordon Matilla,  and staff writers----Post-traumatic stress disorder is a complex mental health condition that requires patience and perseverance on the part of families and friend. Often it is difficult to get an individual to seek mental health help, but here is one that offers privacy.

The Veterans Administration provides a number of outreach programs for individuals and families. When a serviceman comes back from the wars and is diagnosed with PTSD, the options, for the most part, include counseling services under mental health services. But many individuals resist getting help, especially if they believe others might find out. The shame that comes from admitting a mental health problem predominates with many men who retain that same macho image and brotherly notions that come about when both men and women are placed in combat positions with one another. Who wants to admit he or she is frightened or has residual feelings about the violence experienced or witnessed?

The privacy issue has long plagued mental health counselors, until the advent of the Internet, that allows people to interact with a counselor in a one-on-one situation without having to sit outside an office as other people come and go. Especially during those early months after diagnosis, the trauma survivor continues to protest nothing is wrong, as the sequences in accepting the truth are difficult, given the training in the military that accents physical and mental strength and endurance.

Now the Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD has launched an online coach to assist individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. 17 different self-help tools are available, and a coach helps individuals to deal with symptoms that include sleeping problems, anger and memories of the trauma. This allows them to express themselves and learn how to manage their symptoms at home.

According to the VA, 8% of Americans will suffer PTSD some time in their lives. So having the independence of the Internet and access to support online allows people to continue their daily lives while receiving mental health services specific to the condition.

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Gordon Matilla has worked as a counselor and has seen many individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, including his own father.  He writes about mental health problems as well as environmental issues for this Journal as a guest.

Psychological and political hostage-taking creates special victim trauma

[caption id="attachment_8550" align="alignleft" width="300"] Elderly woman - wikimedia commons[/caption]

Carol Forsloff----Gunmen take hostages in a Kenyan mall, kill some and free others, something most people would recognize as a devastating event. But another type of hostage-taking can also negatively impact lives on the personal or interpersonal level causing individual and collective harm.

That psychological hostage-taking has as examples the husband or wife who withholds affection, financial support and uses verbal abuse to control. It is the man in the neighborhood who divides a community into factions that destroy support in a group so fear, anxiety and mistrust occur. It is the employer who offers threats of closure, firing and other intimidating gestures in order to maintain power. It is a government that cannot make good decisions because of the intractability of the few. These examples can cause individuals psychological harm that can affect health and social well-being.

Ruth, age 76, lives in a condominium community, in an area where many of these housing structures are failing or have widespread damage. Community management has authorized extensive repairs, as some areas of the complex are considered dangerous. For Ruth the thousands of dollars of extra money that she would be assessed is a frightening notion. This leaves her open for manipulation by those whose mission may be less to question authority or find new and less expensive repairs than to obtain control over the community itself. She loses trust in the management as the psychological hostage-taking spreads, impacting others and causing them to submit to the whims of those opposing change. The loss of money is a frightening thing, and over time the tension builds, especially as anger is heightened all around her. Ruth says, “what can I do? I don't have the money so I can't move. I can't pay the additional fees” as the building damage accelerates and lawsuits interrupt repairs. She becomes a hostage in her own home.

This is one of the reasons housing experts recommend checking HOA fees and other issues before buying into a condominium complex.  On the other hand, issues can develop over time that make it especially hard for those without the means to fix extensive and expensive repairs that might have been done with less expense at an earlier time.

In another situation, Gordon Hiller sits alone at his children's home with a physical illness that impairs his mobility and eyesight. He is at the mercy of a son-in-law who complains daily of the extra burden and threatens to put the old man in a home or on the streets. This has gone on for several years, as Hiller's health deteriorates because of depression and the subsequent lack of will. There seems no way out in this psychological hostage-taking that experts tell us can create serious emotional and physical health problems at a vulnerable time of life.

On a socio-political level politicians can hold an entire country in a psychological hostage-taking situation, as they force ideas that can create personal stress. Threats to reducing Social Security benefits or Medicare frightens those who rely upon it to live. The poorest lose homes, and when they look for alternatives, the doors are slammed shut as states and municipalities see their local funds dwindle. It is a problem not just in the United States but around the world, where those who are already poor find themselves with the threat of even more impoverishment.

The violence of taking hostages in wars and terrorism is easily understood as disrupting and impacting lives in a way that can have long-term consequences. But it is the unspoken threats that last over days, months and years that experts tell us often can be as devastating a psychological trauma as physical kidnapping.

Living with PTSD while caring for the world

Samantha Torrence - A few months ago Shawn Gourley received a request for an interview. In between then and now she lived a trial that changed her outlook on life. She says her answers today are different than they would have been back then. Her answers will illuminate the reader on what a roller coaster ride living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be.

When you started your Facebook page, did you ever imagine that you would be the secondary caregiver for thousands of veterans with PTSD and their caregivers?

No, I had no idea that it was going to be like this. When I started this I was hoping to help spouses understand what PTSD looked like--what it really looked like in the home--and give them some peace of mind about what they are dealing with. The problem we found was spouses couldn't explain what the vet with PTSD was thinking and feeling. We as spouses were just guessing, basically, throwing darts at a board hoping something would stick and make sense. We needed the vets who had been living with it to explain why they were doing the things they were doing, and that is when the true gift of Military with PTSD started to show.

For example, a spouse--let's call her Jane--comes to the page asking about her vet, who we'll call John. Vets on the page are able to explain to Jane why they were acting differently with PTSD than before they had the condition, even though their circumstances might be different from those of John. They were able to explain things to the Jane that no doctor or therapist ever could, which in turn gave Jane an understanding and compassion to deal with her own veteran with PTSD. Then, as people likeJane would be there a while and start to learn a lot, vets like John would kinda lurk on the page to see what it was all about. Next thing you know, we have vets helping spouses, spouses helping spouses, and vets who were able to reach out to other vets, connect, and encourage each other to seek treatment.

We became a family there, and any time a vet would stumble, all the spouses and vets would come together to support and encourage the person having the problem. Before I knew what was happening we exploded to a membership of over 14,000, and we are still growing. It all happened so fast that sometimes I have to sit back and go, "Wow! How did we get here?"

You recommend that caregivers take care of themselves so they do not get burnt out and can stay energized for their veteran. With so many people depending on you how do you follow your own advice? How do you find the time?

If you would have asked me this question even 2 months ago my response would be very different than what it is right now. Two months ago, I would have told anyone: take a break, find a friend to talk to, go for a walk, or sneak a 15-20 minute bath in by yourself including locking the door and lighting some candles. I was doing all those things all while caring for Justin and taking care of everyone on the page pretty much 24/7. Back in May it all started to unravel fast, though. By June when the dust settled, Justin and I were left standing there, looking at each other going: How did we get here? How is it that we, of all couples, are on the verge of falling apart? Where did we go wrong?

After some time looking over the previous year and a half, it is really no surprise we were in the position we were in. We had become very complacent in our relationship and our treatment of Justin's PTSD. I had everything running like a well-oiled machine. I kept Justin on a schedule so he wasn't triggered by something new or some unexpected surprise. I would continue to work with the page, and any time someone needed me, I was there. When Justin would leave for work, I would have 15-20 minutes before the kids came home from school, and that was my time. I thought I was doing good. I had the family running like clockwork, I was taking care of myself, and if we got an emergency late-night call, I would take it so Justin wouldn't be bothered.

I did this for over a year and thought things were fine. I figured I knew Justin's PTSD well enough that if he got into trouble, I would be able to see it and help him like I always had in the past. The problem didn't come from me being burnt out; it came from us thinking everything was okay. There was an emergency call one day as we were on our way out the door to the VA. I sent Justin on and stayed behind to help the vet in trouble. I was thinking, "This is fine. Justin has gone to the VA. He will be fine." The problem came when they switched Justin's meds, and because I wasn't at the appointment, I didn't know it. If I would have known, I would have been watching for any sign of something not being right. And I figured if something was wrong, Justin would tell me, not realizing or thinking that if he is in a PTSD episode, he won't realize anything is wrong.

Weeks later we had the full disaster of his bad decision-making and his meds being off. And because I had been unaware of the meds change, I was caught completely off guard. The whole situation rocked our relationship to its core. I thought by taking care of myself and making sure everything stayed running without incident that meant everything was fine. But instead of things being fine, Justin's PTSD was making him hide his poor decisions from me so I "wouldn't get mad" and not allowing logic to show him that if he was doing something I might be mad about, then he shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Also, he was telling himself that the work I was doing on the page was so important that he did not want to "bother me" with "insignificant things." Little did he know that those things were far from insignificant; he just couldn't see it because his meds were off. When I found out about his actions, I was both mad about what he had done and mad he had lied about it, and yet at the same time, I knew that part of what happened was beyond his control due to his meds being off. All of this has made it very difficult to process in terms of right and wrong. His behavior was obviously wrong, but I know his meds being off made him do and say things that he normally wouldn't do because his logic wasn't there. The hardest part for me was not being able to fully assign blame to either him or to me but really see how both our actions played in the situation.

All of this taught us a very important lesson. The biggest one was the breakdown in communication between us. When things shift from the norm, that should be a big red flag that something is wrong. Secondly, it is very important to take care of myself as a spouse, but staying involved in Justin's treatment and knowing what is going on is something that can't be taken lightly. I think it's true of all couples who are coping with PTSD; it is so much better for everyone when both parties are involved and know what is going on than to be complacent thinking everything is okay. When PTSD is a factor, staying involved with every aspect of your spouse's life is so important. If I would have known what was going on and paid better attention, we could have dealt with things much sooner and they wouldn't have spun our life so out of control that it derailed us to the point where it has taken almost 2 months to get things back under control and back on track.

As a result of all this, I was under way more stress than usual, which took its toll on me by the end of June until now. I ended up with an obstructed kidney that caused a very nasty infection and required surgery. Normally I can bounce back after surgery for kidney stones in a day or two. This one had me flat on my back and sick as can be for over a week afterwards. I was very grateful that by that point Justin's meds were back to normal so that he could help take care of me when I needed it. I think it helped us both to see how much we depend on each other, just as any couple does, but also how much we both need to be there for each other due to our unique circumstances: my bad kidneys and his PTSD.

Is Justin ever jealous of all the time you spend with Military with PTSD? If so, is there any special way you remind him of how loved he is?

Justin would say no, but he has expressed frustration at times when an emergency arises at 2, 3, or 4 in the morning or when we would try to spend some time together and the phone would ring, pulling my attention away for hours at a time. It was actually because of these issues that the idea for the caregiver hotline bloomed. For the longest time, it was only me, day in and day out, who spouses and vets would call for help. There were days and nights I wouldn't sleep because I would be up all night helping a suicidal vet only to get off the phone and have it ring with a spouse at their wits' end. That is when we knew we needed help and we needed to get spouses set up so they had other spouses to call. This is why we decided to set up a hotline staffed by volunteers who are themselves spouses of vets with PTSD. We are still working on the hardware and software configuration since we don't have a central call center. We are trying to do this to allow the spouses to take calls from their own homes or computer. It's a little more tricky, but it's do-able. At this point Justin will tell you the best thing I am doing to show him I love him is to keep working away at these programs, getting them set up and operational.

You say to caregivers that the key to helping their veteran is to be educated on PTSD, how do you stay on top of your continued education?

I spend much of my time talking to experts in the field. Also, living with PTSD will teach you more than any book or doctor ever can. The biggest thing is talking with other spouses and vets. On the page you can start seeing patterns of things that are happening. Not only is education important, but you have to understand why the veterans are doing the things they are. So many spouses in the beginning are caught off guard and take everything personally thinking their vet hates them. Until they come to the page, no one has ever taken the time to go, "Hey, what your spouses is doing is completely normally for someone with PTSD. Our husbands did this too." Hearing that from other spouses and being able to talk to vets to explain why their vet is doing these things and what their thought process is gives spouses the ability to take a step back and go, "Wow, I'm not crazy! He's not crazy either! Now I understand why my vet flies into a rage if I am 10 minutes late." To us as spouses, 10 minutes isn't that big of a deal. To a vet who has been at war and seen all they have seen, 10 minutes late in their mind means you're dead. They are already thinking you have been in some horrible accident. So when we as spouses don't respect the time we tell them we are going to be home or blow it off like it is no big deal, it is a big deal to them because over there it the difference between life and death.

When we say education is key, it is. PTSD and veterans don't come with an instruction manual. We as spouses can unintentionally trigger our vets' PTSD without understanding how or why. When we understand why things that aren't that big of a deal to us can start World War III in our home, it helps us not take things personally and start to pay attention to the things that stress out the veteran and make sure not to unnecessarily trigger the veteran's PTSD.

If you had to do it all over again, would you become the founder of this non-profit organization and support page?

If I had to do it over again, yes, I still would have done this. I would have done it differently, although I'm not really sure what that looks like other than having more help to staff the page. Fortunately though, during the past few months when our personal life has needed more attention, we have had some really great admins step up and fill in for me, which helps a lot. Right now we are still developing the programs Military with PTSD will be launching to help more spouses and veterans. That is our focus right now.

Dr. Phil's Facebook page deleting comments from veterans

Dr. Phil has made a name for himself by being a daytime TV talk show host focusing on psychiatric problems and dynamics within families and society. On Thursday he aired a show on Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Dr. Phil's show dealing with PTSD which aired on April 19th was titled "Heroes to Monsters." The title and some of the content of the show has disappointed many Veterans with PTSD. Veterans and caregivers have taken exception to the stigma the title further places on them or their loved ones and decided to take action by protesting on Dr. Phil's Facebook page. The comments have been deleted.

The veterans and caregivers are aghast with the behavior of the TV Psychiatrist who they claim only cares about the ratings he recieved from the title of the show. Some even questioned the content and claimed that Dr. Phil's entire agenda for the Thursday show was to simply sell a product.

Veterans already have difficulty finding or accepting help due to thier PTSD and the stigma placed upon the diagnosis. The label of monster further complicates things in a world of civlians who fear the amped up media image of people who suffer from war related PTSD. Caregivers also have a tough time combating the stigma especially when they are the ones who usually fight the hardest for their veteran's care and benefits.

Did Dr. Phil's show help those who suffer from PTSD? Some comments on his page seem to give the impression that the negative portrayal of veterans has been winning out with people saying the monsters deserve no care from the people of America because of thier violent and evil actions. All in all, perhaps Dr. Phil's show did more harm than good.

PTSD a surprise undercurrent of The Hunger Games trilogy

[caption id="attachment_14874" align="alignleft" width="199"] Available on Amazon.com[/caption]

Samantha Torrence - “The Hunger Games” took the box office by storm this weekend after a wonderfully orchestrated marketing campaign. Everyone waited in anticipation for theatres to open its doors to show the instant hit that is sure to inspire a following. With two more movies to go people are in for quite a ride and maybe they will not be able to wait to see what happens next to main character Katniss Everdeen. If that is the case they can go pick up all three books of the trilogy that are full of suspense, thrill, and a surprising undercurrent that addresses a new popular social issue in a way that will help people understand.

Death, violence, rebellion, political unrest, and love are just some of the main topics in the books, but that is not all. The author, Suzanne Collins, touches on the mental, physical, and emotional effects of violence and war in a way that makes people unconsciously understand and identify with a real and glaring problem in the United States today, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD has been a problem as long as there has been violence and war. It has gone under different names from time to time including shell shock to cowardice. Unfortunately some of the stigma of PTSD is still clung to by a skeptical public and military leadership that wants to push the problem aside.

In “The Hunger Games” the country of Panem is split up between a capitol city, and the districts that house indentured servants. These districts must give a tribute to be sacrificed in a Romanesque game with mere children from the ages of 12-18 as the gladiators and their arena built to be entertaining and dangerous. All of the surviving tributes suffer from some type of PTSD. Katniss Everdeen displays the violence, hyper vigilance, lack of sleep due to nightmares, and a detachment to the world. Her partner Peeta, and their mentor Haymitch all display varying levels as well. Through the eyes of Katniss people are plunged into the mind of a person forced to kill for survival, manipulated as a pawn in war, and made to watch cruelty beyond belief.

The trilogy is dark and may be a bit mature for younger children, but the writing style is easy for many age groups to understand. Reading these books can go beyond providing entertainment and help people understand the world through the eyes of someone with PTSD. So if you see some behavior of a returning soldier and wonder, “How can they think that?” or “How can they do that?” then picking up this trilogy may give you the knowledge to help you react in a productive manner rather than issuing a confused response.

“The Hunger Games” are a great read and are very educational.

Facebook group champions the invisible wounds of PTSD

Samantha Torrence - I was at a very dark time in my life and marriage. My husband was having another PTSD episode brought on by what I felt was a trivial matter, but of course was the end of the world to him. He would shut down at the slightest inconvenience and I was beyond frustrated with it all. I wanted to give up, but at the same time I wanted to continue to fight for him and our family. When he first came home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in 2006 I remember looking for a support group for spouses of veterans with PTSD and I just could not find one anywhere. Then a few weeks ago, I did another search hoping something would come up and maybe I had just missed a small corner of the interwebs that held what I needed. That is when I found a facebook page called Military with PTSD.

I went from feeling isolated and hopeless to renewed and excited. I had found an entire group of people who were going through what I was going through, and who wanted to fight for the same things I was fighting for.  There were spouses and veterans on both sides of the issue telling the God's honest truth with a bluntness that only a person in the military or their family could appreciate. I read for a bit and tried to soak in some lessons on how to deal here at home with my very depressed best friend. I began to see a change in myself and in how I was responding to my husband, Tom, now that I had a little more understanding of what his illness entailed.

As I was reading on the page I noticed that the owner, Shawn Gourley, had written a book called "The War at Home." I found out it was a compilation of her experiences as well as her husband's (Justin Gourley) experiences during their fight with PTSD. Last night I bought the book and I could not put it down. From around 2 am - 6 am I read the words of a woman who sounded just like me, describing a life just like mine, and is living through what I had lived through.  She had also gone further on in her journey than I have, since her husband has been in treatment for years and our family just took the first steps. The wealth of knowledge in the book let me see through the eyes of a vet, how my behavior effected my husband and how the world looked to someone with PTSD.  Reading about Shawn's experience helped me validate my feelings and recognize the times when I did need to back off.



I was blessed enough to be able to talk to Shawn about her intentions and visions when she founded the facebook support group in August 2010. Initially the webpage was set up to allow spouses to connect with one another in a much needed fashion as well as distribute her free minibook giving the world a glimpse of her story that has inspired so much growth and courage. It evolved into a place where spouses and their veterans could connect with a community of people who were going through the same trials. Now today the facebook group as a whole is responsible for the improvement in the lives of many couples as well as saving the lives of veterans and spouses that were on the brink of death and destruction.

One aspect of PTSD that Shawn wants to address specifically is the connection to Domestic Violence. Soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can become violent and what seems to be abusive. The difference between a typical abuser and someone with PTSD is the mindset. Many time the veteran is enacting how he/she has been trained to take control in a time of crisis. For them everyday can be a crisis. Many veteran's  spouses understand this about their afflicted vet so are hesitant to address the situation, because calling law enforcement seems like a betrayal or too drastic for someone who is simply ill. Shawn wants to see domestic violence cases involving veterans to be tried in Veteran's Courts. If you have not heard of Veteran's Courts before then it may come as a pleasant surprise that there are organizations and states promoting these specialized courts to guide veterans towards treatment. Coming to terms with PTSD means realizing that there are consequences for your actions and a Veteran's Court can give those consequences in ways that are more productive than punitive.

Shawn believes that there would be more safety and accountability if spouses were given the option to have protection that did not involve destroying the life of a loved one, but rather forcing them to face their problem. She uses her own experience with a violent outbrust from her husband as an example. Shawn said if she had been able to call the police on Justin when he did become physically violent and he was given the choice of seeking help or going to jail then the process of treatment would have happened years sooner. Shawn is not the only spouse who held back from reporting his or her soldier for domestic violence due to wanting to protect them.

The Military with PTSD facebook page has become a second home to me, and the book has already been put on a reading list for my entire family. The resource set up by Shawn and Justin Gourley will always be more valuable than words, and it certainly has helped families living with PTSD to learn to survive.

New hope for veterans suffering from PTSD

Carol Forsloff - “They are our sons, mothers, husbands, and friends. The Veterans' PTSD Project aims to change the national conversation on Post-Traumatic Stress by collecting and publishing Service Members' first-person accounts of hope and victory over PTSD and sharing them with those who need to hear them the most - other Veterans.”

What are some of these stories?  One of them is written by A.W. Schade and entitled, “The Demons of War Are Persistent.”  Schade was an active Marine from 1965 – 1969.  He joined the military at age 18 and experienced heavy combat in Vietnam.  From the experience of watching friends and enemies killed, Schade’s struggle with PTSD began.  When he returned from combat, the demons of his emotional hurts began in earnest, interfering with his daily life and even his dreams.  He tells us the demons remain to this day, but he is finally able to cope with them and share his struggles with other veterans, to help give them glimpses of hope in a future that they may not be able to see at the outset of the PTSD diagnosis.  He shares his journey in detail, from those nightmares to the reconciliation of his thoughts and ideas now coalesced into a framework that tells his story and recounts it in ways with a positive message.

Schade’s story is one of many shared on the website.  His advice includes these admonitions to fellow veterans:  “  • The longer you wait for treatment, the harder it will be to handle the demons. They do not go away and can lay dormant in your soul for decades.

• Understand it is never too late in your life to begin looking forward and achieving new objectives.”

In 1983 Congress mandated a study to determine the rate of PTSD of Vietnam War veterans.  It was found that 15% of men and 9% of women had PTSD at the time the study was conducted.  The percentage is decidedly greater for a lifetime risk as it was found approximately 30% of men and 27% of women will have PTSD sometime in their lives.

Soldiers facing punitive action for PTSD breakdowns the new “Bonus Army”

Samantha Torrence - The new Army seeks to be more conducive to a family friendly environment and give more support to soldiers. However the efforts to change military culture from punitive to positive are being met with some resistance by Army leadership. One area that has become of interest is the reaction to the increased amount of soldiers diagnosed with PTSD. The question on the minds of military leadership, “How do we deal with this compassionately while maintaining discipline?” Right now, compassion seems to be put on the back burner as the old leaders come to grips with the new culture and their attitudes battle against the change.

As with any change in culture there are going to be upsets and incremental changes that sometimes belie logic with their lack of efficacy. The treatment of soldiers with PTSD at Fort Drum, NY is just such an example of a military culture in chaos from these changes. Currently there are multiple soldiers at Fort Drum with various disorders, most commonly PTSD, who are facing punitive action from their chains of command. Leaders attempting to clean up the military, after an embarrassing revelation in Army Times that leaderships is subpar, have been put in a compromising position: treat and rehabilitate soldiers or chapter them out and clean up?

There is a common practice in the military to suffer for the sake of suffering. This attitude sometimes compared to Machismo attempts to build character in soldiers but has had the negative affect of causing physical and mental harm to the military members. Instead of reporting illnesses soldiers will commonly keep pain to themselves and the result is usually a detrimental and even handicapping injury. Soldiers that do report their pain are accused of trying to get out of work or “shamming.” Leaders are concerned that soldiers are taking advantage of the new regulations for mental health treatment to get out of responsibility. That concern may be extending the stigma against reporting a mental illness.

The stigma of weakness associated with mental illness is not only holding soldiers back from proper treatment it is also setting them up for failure. Soldiers who want to “Suck it up” or “tough it out” and have serious injuries as a result can be charged with malingering. Article 115 of the UCMJ describes malingering as :
“Any person subject to this chapter who for the purpose of avoiding work, duty, or service”—
(1) feigns illness, physical disablement, mental lapse or derangement; or
(2) intentionally inflicts self-injury; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Elements.
(1) That the accused was assigned to, or was aware of prospective assignment to, or availability for, the performance of work, duty, or service;
(2) That the accused feigned illness, physical disablement, mental lapse or derangement, or intentionally inflicted injury upon himself or herself; and
(3) That the accused’s purpose or intent in doing so was to avoid the work, duty, or service. Note: If the offense was committed in time of war or in a hostile fire pay zone, add the following element
(4) That the offense was committed (in time of war) (in a hostile fire pay zone).

Malingering, as described above, takes a person to willfully attempt to further harm themselves or feign illness to avoid duty. However, as the entire UCMJ is subject to interpretation there have been many times people who are simply living up to the tough guy stigma have been accused of “shamming” when they are truly injured. These types of Catch 22 situations are common in the military and are often used as ways to thin the herd.

The punitive actions taken against soldiers with PTSD who have breakdowns and seek civilian treatment range from counseling statements to article 15 punishments that at times result in a court martial. All of these reactions do a disservice to our troops and demonstrate a true failure in leadership across the board in the military. That there are tales of men and women still being dishonorably discharged for mental breakdowns after they have served the United States should shock all of us. Sadly military leaders either do not understand mental illness and make medical decisions when they are not trained to, or they use the mental instability of a soldier as an excuse to get rid of him or her. They do so with impunity as they feel invulnerable to federal laws due to the Ferris Doctrine.

On July 28, 1932 this type of  impunity fell upon General Douglas MacArthur and Major George S. Patton when they attacked unemployed military veterans who had gathered in Washington D.C. to demand their promised Bonus be paid. Many of the veterans had wives and children with them and they lived in a tent city. The first attack was ordered by then President Hoover who wanted the Bonus Army cleared out of D.C. The initial attack, which included six tanks,  scattered some of the protesters to retreat across the river to a main encampment. After the veterans retreated Hoover said to disengage. However, MacArthur ignored those orders and continued. Veterans and some of their family members were killed in the incident.

Today veterans and their families are vulnerable to the pain, trials, and danger of living with severe mental illness. Some members have flash backs, others slip into depression with violent tendencies, and still others have psychotic breaks. No matter the illness there are workers in the VA and behavioral health facilities across America who observe the poor treatment and dangerous consequences of corrupt military leadership and its "machismo" reaction to mental illness. The most heartbreaking observation of all is that the American Public refuses to hold the military accountable for their actions for fear of being labeled unpatriotic. If public opinion, public rage, and a public outcry were demonstrated in great numbers perhaps it would affect military policy in such a way as to force military leadership to become educated about mental illness or at the very least be forced to comply with the recommendations of the medical professionals that counsel them. Until that happens our military members with mental health issues are on par with the Bonus Army of old that was denied what was promised to them and then ground into the dirt for demanding better treatment.

PTSD vs machismo military in the wake of 9/11

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Carol Forsloff - In eighteen days the nation will honor the victims of 9/11 and recall those terrible events, as across the country memorials big and small will be happening as a reminder of those days, including a campaign of awareness on post traumatic stress disorder in the wake of the wars that followed the World Trade Center bombings.

This tenth anniversary is bringing an awareness through a Country Music presentation from Artist Mark Willis with his Crazy Being Home campaign. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness and support for our servicemen and women with PTSD. The show will air on Thursday, September 8^th at 7 pm EST on Seaview radio 95.5AM/106FM and streams www.healmyptsd.com/your-life-after-trauma. Call in with your questions: 877.960.9960.

Michele Rosenthal, host of 'Your Life After Trauma', tells us, "As a New Yorker 9/11 has enormous resonance for me. This year, I want to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and also the survivors and our military who carry on the memory of those whose lives were ended with such courage, bravery, and commitment. There are many who are working to turn tragedy into community spirit. My goal with this show is to highlight the meaning and healing that comes through such efforts."

'Your Life After Trauma' brings weekly support and information to trauma survivors, plus their caregivers and healing professionals on Thursday nights from 7-8pm EST, on Seaview Radio (95.9AM/106.9FM/960AM) in southeast Florida (and streaming live online). The program again focuses on help for people in planning for recovery and how to apply one’s personal strengths to post-trauma recovery.

But while the civilian world acknowledges the impact of PTSD with these special events, the military has yet to come to full realization on how to deal with PTSD of those on active duty or in that period prior to military discharge. Many men face great difficulty getting medical support for a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder because of the machismo culture of the military. The consequence is increased domestic disputes and even suicide.

Salon.com relates the example of a Sergeant X who recorded a psychologist’s difficulties in diagnosing PTSD and the pressure the medical community within the military has had in rejecting the label even for those individuals clearly in need of help. Psychologist Douglas MacNinch was secretly taped during a session where he admitted to the problems he has had giving a diagnosis of PTSD. When appraised he had been taped, MacNinch said, "Unfortunately," McNinch told Sgt. X, "yours has not been the only case ... I and other [doctors] are under a lot of pressure to not diagnose PTSD. It's not fair. I think it's a horrible way to treat soldiers, but unfortunately, you know, now the V.A. is jumping on board, saying, 'Well, these people don't have PTSD,' and stuff like that."

For a number of months the wife of a returning military man has tried to get help for her husband who has been diagnosed with PTSD but nevertheless received an Article 15 and the threat of a demotion following the man’s attempts to get mental illness support and to be properly evaluated so that a reasoned discharge and support for family members could occur. Instead there were threats of reprisal, according to the wife, who prefers to remain anonymous as she and her husband seek help from inside and outside the military. The fear has to do with additional reprisals before the husband’s formal discharge.

The National Institutes for Mental Health has underlined the problem involving mental health disorders following war and the risks involved in combat situations which are unpredictable and where the military has been required to serve several tours in combat zones. The NIMH quotes a 2008 study by the Rand Corporation  which found 19 percent of OEF/OIF veterans suffered from brain injury, 14 percent had major depression, and 14 percent met criteria for PTSD.

Mental health research finds pill to erase bad memories

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Carol Forsloff - You went out with Susie on a date, and when you proposed she told you she had found someone else, causing emotional pain from which you believe you might never heal, but suppose a pill could take those feelings away?  Science says it’s possible to do that and improve your mental health.

Recent studies on the impact of cortisol on memory show a strong possibility that too much or too little of it can reduce one’s performance and recall of negative events.

To examine how cortisol affects memory, Sonia Lupien, Ph.D., director at the Centre for Studies on Human Stress in Montreal, Canada, and her aossociates administered  placebos to a control group and a 750-mg dose of the cortisol inhibitor metyrapone, or two 750-mg doses, to 33 healthy men aged 18–35 years, 3 days after they viewed a slideshow that was meant to raise neural and emotional responses.  The control and experimental groups were then tested after the administration of their pills.    Those who were given the double metyrapone dose showed problems retrieving emotional information either on a short term or long term basis.  To determine the impact on short term and more long term memory, quizzes were administered immediately after treatment and subsequently 4 days later when  cortisol levels had returned to normal.

Researchers maintain that it is important next to find out if metyraopone or other hormones in the  hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, are behind the reduction in memory of traumatic events and as a result improve one's mental health.

Reducing the impact of traumatic stress disorder is one of the areas where taking a pill could be beneficial.  Research in February 2010 pointed to a significant increase in domestic violence among veterans suffering from PTSD.  A useful treatment might eventually come in the form of a medication that could reduce the impact of traumatic memories and thus the propensity for violent behaviors.

But it isn’t just veterans with PTSD who can benefit from research on medications that can reduce traumatic memories.  Surveys on lifetime prevalence of PTSD reveal women have twice the rate of this mental health disorder as men.

With the men returning home from wars in the Middle East with trauma injuries, and wives whose trauma may come from physical or emotional abuse suffered during the aftermath of spousal problems, or separately in relationship to other stresses, having a pill to pop to reduce the problem could be beneficial to hundreds of thousands of people over their lifetimes.