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.

Ways to enjoy the holidays and avoid being depressed

Valentine's Day tree

Thanksgiving Day has become an important one in the United States, with special dinners and other forms of celebration.  However, like the Christmas holidays, it can also bring depression, as can other holidays like Easter or Valentine's Day.   Some experts, however, remind us that whereas the holiday can be fun for many people, in many ways it can be a painful time for others, as it is a reminder to those without families that they are alone.

Sometimes the depression comes from believing that if an individual doesn't have a partner, he or she is somehow not as pretty, not as good as others or not as valuable a person in some way.  Much of this comes from issues surrounding self concept, which is why, if that's the source of the problem, then it becomes the foundation for therapeutic understanding and professional support, when that is available.  Being isolated from family at a holiday can be stressful.

The feelings of sadness that come with the holidays often develop from previous experiences and relationships.  The holidays can trigger memories, of good and bad times, of having people around or conversely having been alone on those special occasions and not knowing what to do.  For those people for whom the problem is not endogenous, i.e. a constitutional part of oneself, as depression can be, then there are ways to alleviate the negative feelings.  Much of that can be done pro-actively and also with attitude change.  It is the kind of advice mental health experts offer that can be helpful for many events and issues that might bring negative thoughts or feelings.

One way to change one's attitude is to avoid being bitter, jealous of others who are in a relationship.  Adjust the mindset.  Be happy for the joy in the lives of others.  Express it.  Congratulate friends and family who are enjoying one another.  People are attracted to folks who are upbeat in their own lives and who care for others.  That poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox that maintained the world will laugh when you do but will leave when you weep and will walk away has an element of truth in human behavior.

Go out.  Don't sit at home and mutter.  Instead mingle.  Don't go to those places where families tend to be in abundance.  Often there are those individuals who are also alone, or couples who go out on a holiday as a routine occasion, so the milieu should be comforting, pleasant and not overpowering with the numbers of people.  A holiday is also a time to visit a forum, attend a religious gathering or a media event.  It is also a time to help others for some organization or pick up some delicacy at that deli down the street where people of all sorts mingle.  Start a conversation on something different than the holiday.  Find something good about others and express it.

And finally think of yourself as whole, someone who has integrity within the self, who enjoys one's talents and qualities.  That aura of self-acceptance is attractive to others.

Finally, any day can be special if it is treated that way and the attitude to go with it is positive and upbeat.  A holiday is a day like others for doing good, being happy, offering positive movement in one's own life and taking charge of that.  It is often enough to get through those down times and often not only changes perspective but brings if not romance more friends into one's life.

Here are some of the risks to creativity from bipolar illness and depression

Carol Forsloff — Mental health scientists have long known that there is a higher percentage of visual artists and musicians with bipolar disorder and depression than the normal population.  But is this just a tragedy for the social order and those who suffer from the illness or are there benefits that can teach us about ourselves and bring compassion , understanding and art appreciation as well?

Even great scientists and politicians, who brought high creativity to their endeavors, have also been categorized with bipolar disorder or depression. Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin looked at life out of unique life’s lenses. As a result  of Darwin’s perception, we have an understanding about how man and all nature evolved. And as a result of Lincoln’s deep feelings about himself, and his integration of those feelings with all humanity, the Great Emancipator forged the documents and the government strength to win a civil war over slavery and abolish the institution of slavery as an institution in the United States.

Experts tell us that creative people with bipolar disorder and depression may be drawn to the arts or other ventures where innovation is the mechanism for generating ideas that are outside what many would describe as the ordinary boundaries of performance.

The American Journal of Psychiatry from 1987 found that in 30 creative writers, there was a higher rate of bipolar disorder. They also were found to have higher IQs. A study in the  Journal of Affective Disorders in 2007 also found a higher percentage of creative skills in bipolar patients than those without a diagnosed mental disorder. Some mental health experts maintain that creative people are drawn to the arts and certain sciences because in looking for ways to ease their personal pain, or to understand themselves and their universe, they use their perceptions to uncover new pathways, new ideas and new ways to express their art. In doing so, they become leaders and often great contributors to the culture.

Those individuals with bipolar disorder have periods of both mania and depression. In their heightened states, great mood swings can occur; yet often it is within that uptick of mood that creativity can abound, as demonstrated by great works of art done during these episodes.  And while researchers continue to look for medications and cures for these episodes, some researchers wonder if in doing so we will eliminate that mechanism for creative advancement at the same time. In other words, our cure, or our need to make “them” like “us” may in fact reduce a level of creativity in our culture that brings value to our culture for generations.

 

 

 

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.

Mental health New Orleans biggest problem post-Katrina

PRN - GHN Editor -NAMI, the nation's largest mental
health organization, looks at the City of New Orleans and its recovery
issues and refers to it as a
"mental health disaster."


It has been five years since
Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast taking with it the homes, jobs,
health and even lives of thousands of people.



The rebuilding of New Orleans and
the rest of the Gulf Coast continues to take place, with professionals
examining the consequences of that storm at the time and now five years
later.



Television specials deal with
replays of Hurricane Katrina, the major storm of two that hit the Gulf
Coast in 2005.  Flooding of New Orleans came after the critical hit of
the hurricane had passed, and the levees were breached due to design
failures and flooded the city.  It took nearly five years for that
determination to be made by a judge regarding the Army Corps of Engineers failures to take care of the levees as mandated by law.



The National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) is looking at how the children have fared.  This
organization's evaluation follows the Kaiser survey, where residents had varying opinions on how much conditions had improved in tangible areas such as medical care and housing.



Housing and medical care are
fundamental to mental health, so NAMI has followed up Kaiser's surveys
of New Orleans residents to examine the impact on mental health after
these five years.



USA Today had already reported children from Katrina to be five times more likely to have severe emotional problems.



NAMI sees the problems as having compounded from the problems related to the hurricanes Katrina and Rita.



"New Orleans is a bell weather," said NAMI Executive Director Michael J.  Fitzpatrick.



"Deep structural problems exist for mental health services and housing throughout the region."



"The BP oil spill and the national
economic crisis are factors that need to be added to the equation. The
total impact is a mental health disaster."



Other organizations have made similar findings.  For example an Institute of Medicine meeting held in New Orleans maintained mental health problems continue to predominate the problems of the area.  



A press release
from NAMI states nearly 183,000 adults have serious mental illness in
Louisiana but less than 20% are receiving treatment.  49,000 children
also have serious mental health issues, and treatment is wanting for
them as well.



The foundation for mental health,
observed by NAMI, are impacted by Kaiser survey findings that only about
half of New Orleans residents see improvement in medical care and
housing and nearly 70% believe America has forgotten them.



"Americans must not forget
challenges in the Gulf region," Fitzpatrick said. "Mental illness does
not discriminate. It can strike anyone at anytime. As a nation, we need
to help each other."