Monday, January 7, 2013

PTSD



Today in class we watched an episode of true life: I have PTSD. We watched as three men struggled to get their lives back together as they readjusted back to society. To receive full credit for this blog you need to do some research. You need to link 2 articles to your post.

  1. Your first article needs to be an article based around current veterans from the Afghan or Iraq war suffering from  PTSD. You need to summarize the article please do not plagiarize. I will know. 
  2. Your second article needs to be an article that talks about the current efforts of the armed forces to help soldiers cope with PTSD.

18 comments:

  1. http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/07/ptsd-j15.html

    http://voices.yahoo.com/coping-military-ptsd-family-member-top-tips-1666251.html


    Many soldiers that return home after serving their country return with a serious mental disorder. They face terrible nightmares and flashbacks, and extreme depression. This disorder is known as PTSD. PTSD is a disorder that is connected to the soldiers and the horrors they faced while they were at war. Provided that war can be very brutal and life changing, it is a perfect cause of PTSD. One exmaple of PTSD is Army Specialist, Joseph Patrick Dwyer. On July 8, a photo of Dwyer carrying a boy through the battlefield made it to the presses and Dwyer became a national hero. However, upon returning home, Dwyer was never the same. He faced severe depression, and hallucinations. For example, Dwyer was once found shooting outside of his home because he thought he had heard Iraqis outside of his window. These sorts of symptoms are all associated with PTSD. Dwyer eventually passed away when he could no longer deal with the depression and succumbed to drugs. Even though Dwyer was a kind and caring man according to his ex-wife, Iraq changed him and he was never the same. In order to prevent PTSD, different bases have different procedurea and opportunities for their soldiers to cope with PTSD. However, even though there is some efffort being put in, there is little to no help for these brave soldiers.

    A+

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  2. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/ns/health-mental_health/t/returning-soldiers-suffers-ptsd/#.UO3dHXf4bjs
    http://www.army.mil/article/80772/Holistic_treatments_help_Soldiers_battle_PTSD/

    In this MSNBC article, different psychologists analyze a survey involving returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In typical cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, victims have suffered, experienced, or witnessed a highly traumatic event. After undergoing the event, their natural “fight-or-flight” response to the dangerous scenario continues with them, even back in times of peace. They feel afraid and stressed constantly, with flashbacks, nightmares, and thoughts of terror to re-live the circumstance, along with a tendency to avoid place that remind them of the incident. Many soldiers from past wars suffering from these symptoms would be considered to be suffering from “shell shock,” according to the article, which was later identified as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Surveys on the mental health of soldiers were first conducted on soldiers who had returned from the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, but these surveys were taken long after they returned and had settled back in. The survey taken on returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan is given to these soldiers just as they return from their tour of duty and for the following months after that tour. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that 16 to 17 percent of Iraq veterans, 11 percent of Afghanistan veterans, and 9 percent of veterans before the war suffered from symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress order. Of these, 12 percent of the veterans of the war in Iraq actually had PTSD; and 6 percent of the veterans of the war in Afghanistan had PTSD. The reason for the higher percent suffering from fighting in Iraq is because America’s involvement in the war in Iraq was during an early period in the war, when many more combats and attacks were witnessed by the veterans. This compares to only 5 percent of the American public having PTSD, while coming close to the 15 percent of Vietnam War veterans that had it and going beyond the 2 to 10 percent of Gulf War veterans that had PTSD. Time, however, may test how long the results of the study are true, depending on how many soldiers have a different condition than they thought. All in all, the biggest problem among veterans with PTSD is their resistance to getting treated. Only 38 to 40 percent of those suffering from mental health disorders designated that they would like to get help, with 23 to 40 percent actually getting help. Dr. Charles W. Hoge of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research made it clear that patients need to understand that it is not strange, eccentric, or embarrassing to get treatment (as many veterans think that they will be viewed if they get treatment); but that it is an imperative to getting better and enjoying their lives.
    One of the ways the U.S. Military helps returning soldiers with PTSD is by offering holistic treatment to soldiers at a facility called the Warrior Resilience Center in Fort Bliss, Texas. The facility, a premier center to treat PTSD of the 14 other army facilities of its type, focuses on various therapies to get the victims engaged in as opposed to them simply taking pills. They undergo all of the treatments offered by the facility, including acupuncture and reiki, at first to see which ones help them the best. Veterans complete individual therapy twice a week, group therapy four times a week, and whatever alternative therapy treatments they may need. Many soldiers coming through the program have witnessed help in their lives and are able to get back and enjoy what they always have, and their spouses are happier as well. Many even return to Iraq or Afghanistan for another tour, offering soldiers suffering from PTSD there keys and techniques to dealing with the nerve-wracking disorder.

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  3. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/07/iraq.vets.ptsd/index.html
    “You can’t take a 19-year-old brain and subject it to the constant threat of death or injury by rocket fire and expect it not to be affected.” This was said by Roy R. while describing his year in Vietnam. This is a sad, but true statement. PTSD has affected many soldiers, not just in Vietnam, but in other traumatic wars. This article/report explained how many of the veterans that came home from the war in Iraq had many mental problems. Mental problems associated with PTSD. These veterans deal with problems such as depression and anxiety. This affects their daily life and takes a toll on everything from their relationships, to their physical health. These men have been through many terrifying situations and have seen and heard things that no human being should have to experience in their life. Memories like these cannot simply be forgotten or deleted. It sticks with them for the rest of their life, whether they like it or not. Due to this problem of being unable to forget, they experience symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, frightening thoughts, aggressive behaviour (like getting irritated easily or frequently getting into fights), and sometimes the depression can lead to suicide. PTSD can also lead to the usage of drugs and alcohol to ease the pain. This causes addiction, making problems even worse for the victim.
    http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/complete-index.shtml
    There is much work being done in order to help the soldiers, and other trauma survivors, suffering from PTSD. A common treatment would be psychotherapy; also known as “talk therapy”. Another treatment would be medication, like sertraline and paroxetine. Any antidepressants can be used to help too. As of now, researchers are still doing as much as they can to learn more about PTSD. This way, they can create new research methods to help take away the pain of the disorder, whether it be new kinds of therapy, or other kinds of medication.

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  4. http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/04/14224047-psychological-toll-of-wars-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-mounts-as-veterans-return-home?lite
    Sargent Loftus was deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq and was diagnosed with PTSD shortly after returning home. He said he became numb to other things like relationships. He felt that all of the things back home were nothing in comparison to the war. When he returned home he began to gain weight and abuse alcohol. It is said that 38% of veterans returning home are regular alcohol users. In 2011 he heard from a news report that Afghanistan had been attacked and immediately went into an anxiety attack that hospitalized him. At the end of the year Loftus lost it and was charged for resisting arrest and fought his father. He was sentenced to 3 years but said this could help him with his problems being in a different environment.
    http://www.military-medical-veterans-affairs-forum.com/mmt-home/415-m2va-2012-volume-16-issue-4-june/5699-military-leaders-focus-on-efforts-to-reduce-ptsd-stigma-.html
    The armed forces are raising awareness by using other soldiers who have suffered PTSD in the past. When some soldiers who have suffered through it and have gotten better, they go out and teach others soldiers how to help it. The veterans strongly suggest not trying to get through it yourself because they won’t be able to. They must use help from friends, family, and counselors. Veterans with PTSD are also recommended to get a pet of some sort. Animals help depression and can lower PTSD or get their minds off of other things. My neighbors brother recently passed who was in the army. They are currently raising money for a dog in her brother’s name to go off and help veterans with PTSD.

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  5. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/us/02suicide.html?_r=0
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/08/veterans-ptsd-benefits_n_640143.html

    In this article The New York Times talks about something close to home, North Carolina, literally. The 1541st Transportation Company out of the North Carolina National Guard. This company has an unusual story. These men suffered from a major event just 6 days before they were suppose to leave Iraq and return home. The company transported gas, and other things along the roads of Iraq. A truck was driving at the front of a convoy and hit a homemade bomb that was buried in the asphalt of the street. Although, these men and women had suffered injuries, never did they have to suffer loss, and this time they did. The company lost Sgt. Joshua Schmit, and Sgt. Brandon Wallace. Sgt. Jacob Blaylock admitted while still over there that he was struggling with this particular incident. The men and women returned home 6 days later, and the struggle became even more real. These men and women attempted to pick up where they left off, but 4 men were unable to. Blaylock committed suicide in 2007, just weeks after returning home. Following him were three others. Sgt. Jeffrey Wilson, First Sgt. Roger Parker, and Specialist Skip Brinkley would all three take their own lives in the weeks and months to come. The sad thing is that most of these men showed symptoms of PTSD and they proceeded to ignore them. These four men showed frustration, depression, and anger. They all felt guilt, as if it was their fault that these 2 men died. These 4 suicides started this alarming inflation of suicides from our veterans. Scary. These men and women seek treatment, but all they get is prescription drugs to "mask" they underlying issues. In this next article it talks about how the Veterans Affairs Department is not making the veterans prove the causes of PTSD. This was a huge step because it was hard for the veteran to recall certain dates, and when they did it brought back the flashbacks which led to the depression, and it was just one vicious cycle. Although the V.A. offers counseling most the time they have so many cases that they only give them prescription anti-depressants. Some of these actually give them the means to do exactly what they wanted to do all long. They offer psychological help, but some of our veterans our unable to be help. Statistics say that nearly 20% of returning veterans, or almost 300,000 experience symptoms of PTSD.

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  6. part 2

    http://www.army.mil/article/50147/program-helps-soldier-cope-with-traumatic-loss/

    In order to help soldiers cope with PTSD and other trauma related disorders, the army has a wide variety of recovery programs to treat the soldiers. One particular program is the Warrior Combat Reset Program. This program was introduced to Sgt. Allen Chase after he realized that he needed help. After witnessing his best friend get killing action, Sgt. Chase was never the same, and it showed. He would have aggressive mood swings, and never felt comfortable in large crowds. However, after realizing this, he began attending the meetings with the Reset Program where he met many other soldiers going through the same tramatic disorder as he was. Through this program he has made tremendous steps towards normality and knows how to deal with his mood swings now. Even though the problems are not completely eradicated, he now knows that he is not alone, and is not clueless when it comes to dealing with his emotions.

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  7. http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/PTSD-s-effect-on-female-veterans-studied-4091178.php#page-1

    Since many women have now completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, more women are being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers are starting to study the causes, effects, and treatment of PTSD in women. Some research has shown that women are more likely than men to develop PTSD and that they have different reactions to fear and stress. Researchers are also studying the relationship in veterans between PTSD and depression and physical diseases. This article tells the story about Dottie Guy, who served in the National Guard in Iraq. When she came home, she was afraid of loud noises and didn’t realize she had PTSD (like many veterans) until she was asked about her mental health when she was treated for an ankle injury seven years after she returned from Iraq. She is now helping other veterans find treatment for PTSD.

    http://www.army.mil/article/84928/

    This article talks about how the Army is working with other groups (including other armed services, universities, and the National Football League) to improve care for veterans who are suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Army wants to make the approach to diagnosis, treatment, and medicines the same, no matter where the veterans are getting help, including Veterans Medical Centers. Many veterans don’t even look for help with their PTSD symptoms because they have multiple injuries or consider it a mental disorder, or they may not stick with the treatment they are getting. The Army is attempting build trust with veterans by providing consistent treatment and increasing the focus on patients and their families. They are focusing on improving complete care for soldiers with PTSD through surgery, medication, psychology, and physical fitness.

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  8. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/ns/health-mental_health/t/returning-soldiers-suffers-ptsd/#.UPCz-2-AB8w

    http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/08/22/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-the-story-of-one-iraqi-veterans/

    One in eight people who come back from war suffer Post-traumatic stress disorder. The soldiers who come back with PTSD often do not get help because it will hurt their military career. Research shows that people with PTSD should get help as soon as possible for it will be better. Symptoms of PTSD are flashbacks, nightmares, feelings of detachment, irritability, trouble concentrating and sleeplessness. Twenty percent of military service members who have come back from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer PTSD. They also do not get help because it would have affected their military careers. Mike Nashif is a former soldier and veteran who had spent twenty seven months in Iraq. He experience many traumatizing events such as dodging bombs, grenades, and even seeing his friends die right in front of his eyes. After he had returned from war he was a completely different person. His family did not recognize him and he suffered many hardships and symptoms relating to PTSD. Mike's PTSD got to the point in where he could not tell the difference between a battlefield and his living room. He was very emotional and unstable. At one point he even hurt his child. Mike like many others did not get help because he did not want his military career to be affected. Mike was suffering with migraines, frequent nightmares, memory lapses, hyper-vigilance and anxiety. He had to get help. Doctors found out that he had PTSD and they recommended him for medical treatment. Fortunately Mike was able to get help. Unlike many other victims of PTSD, Mike was able to find comfort in fishing. After Mike's second deployment had ended, worked for an organization called, "Take a Soldier Fishing"
    __________________________________________________________________
    http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/19759773/2012/10/08/war-vet-creates-service-to-help-other-vets-with-ptsd

    There are many organizations who try to help veterans that suffer from PTSD. Christopher Bennett is one of these people who make an effort to help the victims. He is a former marine who also suffered with PTSD. He was stationed in one of the deadliest places for American soldiers and he experienced many horrifying events there like losing his friends. When he had returned from way he came back a different person. He had emotional scars and became destructive. He suffered with anxiety, restlessness and anger. He had a family that could no longer recognize him and the military released Chris after he was diagnosed with PTSD. Chris later moved to Arizona for a new start and he then met Dr. John Mather. Dr. Mather was a person who helped many other victims who suffered from PTSD. With Dr. Mather's help, Chris was able to start a non-profit organization called the "Families and Soldiers Together, FAST" Their goal was to make veterans with PTSD realize how serious of a problem it is and how important families are. Their goal is to help veterans and their families to have a better relationship so the veterans will have loving people to be with them when they are going through bad times. Chris helps the veterans with counseling, legal services, and families activities. He hopes these things will help make a difference with veterans who suffer from PTSD.

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  9. http://www.npr.org/2011/06/02/136895807/the-profound-daily-struggle-of-soldiers-with-ptsd
    http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/treatment-ptsd.asp

    PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder where you see or experience a traumatic events. War would be an example of PTSD because of the need to be always alert. A man named Dexter Pitts was deployed to Iraq. Not too long after, he was seriously injured by a bomb. Dexter did not realize that his injury was more than physical. "He remembers lying in his room at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and his cousin constantly running in and bothering him." Something triggered in his mind and he went after his cousin and punched him as hard as he could. When that event happened he realized he needed help and he was diagnosed with PTSD. He seemed broken down and was afraid to do things that would bring him back to memories in war. He knew he would not be able to be the same man as he was before, but with help, he got close to it. Now he is a police officer and is not worried about dying on the job as he did in combat.

    There are different treatments that can be used to help with PTSD. There is cognitive therapy; helps you understand the trauma and what causes it. Exposure therapy; when you repeatedly talk to your therapist about the bad memories making you feel less afraid of them. EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing); is more focused on eye movement, fingers tapping, and sound to figure out your reaction to your memories. There are group therapies where you listen and talk about traumas wither others who have similar experience. Family therapies, where it affects the whole family involving them in counseling as well. And of course medication such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.

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  10. http://maketheconnection.net/conditions/ptsd
    http://truth-out.org/news/item/13788-ptsd-the-soldiers-private-war
    “Samuel Pepys was a member of parliament and a high-ranking figure in the Admiralty, where he was instrumental in strengthening the Royal Navy, but he is best remembered as a diarist.” While on one of his tours he witnessed the great fire of London. Sam watched as people were consumed by the fire but he could not do anything to help them. About six months after the fire Pepys started to have nightmares of horror. This called post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a result of a physical and psychological trauma a person has been through. There are three main symptoms for PTSD: hyper-arousal, avoidance and numbing, and re-experiencing the trauma. Hyper-arousal is having an excitation mentally or physically for months or even years. Avoidance and numbing is when a person uses defense mechanisms to try and block out the memories or even life situations that resemble the trauma. Re-experiencing the trauma is when the person will have a vivid flashback of the trauma. To help with this illness the military has professional counselors to help people process their thoughts and feelings. There is also medication that can be prescribed.

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  11. Andrew Smith was your average college student until he enlisted in the Army half way through his sophomore year of college. He was stationed at Ft. Drum and he and his group deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in September 2003, sadly on his first mission his vehicle was hit by an IED. Andrew suffered from leg wounds and really bad head trauma. He and his doctors thought he would be able to handle going back into active duty but after November 2, 2003 when him and his infantry were the first to respond to a helicopter shot down right outside of Fallujah with 16 killed and a large amount wounded. That was Andrew’s “rude awakening” that he could not and should not be working on the field. After the sight of all the soldiers wounded haunted him for nights on end so he started drinking heavily to try and numb the pain. With all the heavy drinking the Army was going through the process of discharging him. After being home for 3 months he married the girl of his dreams but she was In the middle of a year teaching in Georgia while he was waiting to be discharged in New York. Andrew’s recovery is not like most other soldiers stories. He turned “back” to Christ, see Andrew asked Jesus into his heart when he was 12, and he went back and trusted God to help him with his problems.

    There are 2 main ways the government is helping treat PTSD, cognitive-behavior therapy or CBT and medicines known as SSRI’s which is Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or antidepressants. When you talk to your doctor he or she will figure out which treatment is best for you. Cognitive-behavior therapy is “a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do”. SSRI drugs are antidepressants to help you feel better and not be depressed because if the trauma you witnessed.

    http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm
    http://www.ptsd.va.gov//public/pages/faq-about-ptsd.asp
    http://veteransptsdproject.com/blog/uncategorized/down-but-not-out-by-andrew-smith/

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  12. http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/1-in-5-Veterans-suffers-with-PTSD/ubwo6pV1Pkifee-TmqPL-g.cspx
    This article talks about a man named Carlos Hudson who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder, also known as PTSD, is when someone undergoes a traumatic experience, such as a car accident, rape, war, etc, and relive scenes or images of that event over and over again, effecting their lives in negatives way and changing their personalities. One in five veterans are now expected to return with this disorder. Hudson deployed to Iraq in 2003 to serve his country and become more involved after witnessing the September 11th terrorist attack. After Hudson return home from his duty in Iraq, he noticed a change in his lifestyle by the way he treated his children, he says, due to his mental scars form the war. He noticed how he could not fall back into his old lifestyle before he deployed himself to the war in Iraq and sought from help from the Birmingham VA Medical Center. There he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2005. A common effect of PTSD is for the disorder to become more intense, as it had for Hudson on a month’s time. He learned that there were other veterans like him and that in the last four years, there was an increase of 50% of people who become diagnosed with PTSD. Gabrielle Metz offers and hosts programs in the VA Medical Center and says how most people with PTSD don’t even realize they do, but the family members of those people do. She says that there are no cures for PTSD but that there are things people can do to better understand their condition and live better.

    http://greatist.com/fitness/military-uses-yoga-cure-ptsd-121712/
    One thing the military is doing for theirs soldiers dealing with PTSD is doing yoga. As crazy at it seems, the U.S. Armed Forces are using yoga to do what conventional drugs and therapy cannot do for veterans who suffer with PTSD. Yoga encourages the mindfulness of the men and allows them to rebuild their senses of control and safety as they witness combat while fortifying the brain. A study from the Department of Defense funded at Harvard Medical School shows how yoga can benefit veterans, or other people, suffering from PTSD. The research has shown that more than half of the participants doing yoga have reduced their symptoms of PTSD and using yoga as their therapeutic treatment. Although yoga is not a cure for PTSD, it does help relieve stress and calm the minds efficiently.

    Super sorry it's a little late!!!!! :(

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  13. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/ns/health-mental_health/t/returning-soldiers-suffers-ptsd/#.UO8R6G9X2D8

    http://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-overview.html

    In every war there are soldiers who have returned physically fit but with some mental issues. For most of history these mental issues have been seen as simply being weak or scared, therefore those with these illnesses choose to hide it in order to disguise their supposed weakness. As of late, however, it has been made clear that this is not simply a fearful soldier but is in fact a true mental disorder known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. A recent study showed that about one in eight soldiers returning from the Middle East have these disorders, and less than half of those with PTSD are willing to say that they have a problem, in fear of being ostracized by their comrades. Those diagnosed have seen terrible tragedies in their time at war, seeing friends die and being face to face with death. As a result they will be unable to cope with the normal world once they return from their time in duty. Many symptoms of PTSD are suicidal thoughts, easily aroused or scared, can be unintentionally vulgar, and can even flashback to those times and relive those awful moments. The US military has made several steps in trying to help those with the disorder. The main thing they are doing is attempting to make it better known and inform the soldiers of the symptoms and encourage them to be able to come forward and say they have it. They now have more trained doctors to help those with PTSD to recover. Also in the past some of those that showed the symptoms of PTSD were diagnosed as faking, and therefore sent back out into combat, they have stopped accusing the military of faking and take it much more seriously now, they also can offer some antidepressants for the victims in order to help them cope. Overall, PTSD has been a very real issue in the military for most of history, and just recently it has begun to be taken seriously, while the effort is there to help the victims it will take some time before the methods are perfected.

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  14. http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20120920a.asp

    The first article was about a woman named Katie who entered the army at age 17.She was attacked and raped by a man of higher ranking and felt confused as well as untrusting of others. When she was discharged she went home and avoided all relationships at any cost. Even the amout of contact with her own children was too much for her to handle. She says she would go to the grocery store when her children were asleep so that she could just have some peace and time away from human contact. Once she was diagnosed with PTSD she said she felt relieved that it was something she couldn't control, something that was wrong inside her brain because it made her feel like she was not chooseing to be distnat from people. She saught treatment for her PTSD and went through theoropy in order to regain her life. She says now that she can swim and play with her children and not feel so overwhelmed. She decided to tell her story on that site in order to help another veteran who may be struggling with the same symptoms.

    http://theveteranssupport.org/

    This article is about how PTSD is a growing concern of veterans coming home from war. This explains howthe Veterans Support Organization is helping to put these veterans at ease and to give them the needed and well deserved support they need. They take veterans from hopeless situations and give them hope of becoming a well rounded and more productive citizen once again. This organization does not only help verterans souly on their own but also give thousands of dollars to other veteran organizations in order to be sure that all needed programs are well financed in order to do their best to help our veterans return to a normal and stress free lifestyle. This organization works to find veterans once treated for their PTSD find homes, jobs, or education in order to better their own lives as citizens. They help the veterans to find a peacful and easy job in order to get them back on their feet as well as give them loans to house them until they can afford it on their own oncew again. They are sure to let each veteran and their family know that through this difficult time they are not alone.

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  15. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/ns/health-mental_health/t/returning-soldiers-suffers-ptsd/#.UO8R6G9X2D8
    http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/treatment-ptsd.asp

    It is reported that about 1 in 8 returning soldiers from the war in Iraq have been diagnosed with PTSD. Less than half rejected help in fear of hurting their career, or for other reasons. Some people believe that troops would be much better off if they sought the help they needed, when they needed it. Post traumatic stress comes from horrifying sights that soldiers witness. It can also be known as shell shock. Symptoms include nightmares, sleeplessness, flashback, etc. Many suffer from depression as well. It is reported that more returning soldiers from Iraq suffered from PTSD rather than Afghanistan. Many don't seek help in fear of how their peers would view them.

    Cognitive Behavioral therapy is a very effective type of treatment for PTSD.It is when you replace the traumatic thoughts you have with more accurate thoughts. You also learn to cope with things like anger and depression. It helps you realize that the experience you lived through is not your fault. Exposure therapy is another type of treatment. Te goal of this treatment is to have less fear of your memories and to eventually gain control of your thoughts and feelings. Antidepressants are also very helpful for those suffering from major depression.

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  16. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/04/iraq-afghanistan-war-veterans-combat-trauma_n_1645701.htm

    This article discusses the story of a girl named Natasha Young. She was a Marine who went to war in Western Iraq two times. She went through many stressful and life threatening event in Iraq. Six of the Marines were killed in a bomb explosion. After returning home her commander committed suicide. This had major dramatic affects on Natasha. She was diagnosed with PTSD and medically discharged from the Marine Corps. When she returned home she struggled even more with her PTSD. She felt like nobody understood what she went through. The article goes on to say that almost a quarter million Iraq or Afghanistan vets, due to combat service, are diagnosed with mental health injuries. Some suffer from short-term memory loss, insomnia, anger, and headaches.

    http://www.theamericandogmag.com/working-dogs/service-dogs-help-former-soldiers-cope-with-ptsd-spring-2012

    Many PTSD victims are being given service dogs as therapy to help with the coping of PTSD. The service dogs provide the veteran with love and care. This is especially helpful for veterans who have flashbacks or their experiences serving in the military. These type of service dogs are trained to pull veterans out of these flashbacks depending on the persons need. If a person is having a nightmare the dog is trained to continue barking until the person wakes up. Some veterans need to be jumped on or licked by the dog when having a flashback in order to pull them out of it. The dog serves as a constant companion who is trained well enough to know when the veteran is going through a flashback or nightmare. Many of these veterans who suffer with PTSD prefer to live alone to keep from being overwhelmed all the time, making the companionship of a service dog perfect.

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  17. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter09/articles/winter09pg10-14.html
    http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-ptsd-afghanistan-iraq-soldiers.html
    http://www.anothersource.org/ptsd_1.html
    http://maketheconnection.net/resources/treatment-recovery
    PTSD is a disease that often times goes unnoticed and overlooked in soldiers. The military has created this precedence that to be tough or considered strong you can’t show or feel your emotions. PTSD stems from horrifying events experienced by the person, or that individual witnessing something. In Afghanistan, soldiers are forced to kill people, not knowing the persons true motives. The people they are killing could be kids too. Taking someone’s life makes an imprint on the killer’s life that can never be erased. Those soldiers have to see their comrades killed and may have to carry their bodies to other places. When these soldiers return home, over 30% of them come home with PTSD. They become emotionally distant or numb to the activities around them; they become a completely different person after the war. Sleeping becomes hard, aggravation or violence normally come along with it as well. Jeremy Profitt said “I came home from Iraq in March 2004, yet I’m still fighting a war, a war here at home.” The war stays with him in his everyday life, haunting him. He recalls see brain matter splattered on the walls of a room after a man was shot repeatedly with a 50-caliber gun. Buty he felt numb, going into what he calls “survival mode”.
    Up until recently, the military wasn’t doing what they needed to help their internally wounded warriors. Soldiers would be given a prescription to medicate but not solve the issues they were having, and because of that, the suicide rate was through the roof. Now there are support groups open for veterans, “talk therapy” opportunities, vet centers that stress that it is never too late to receive treatment. Medications can help, but they almost always need to be accompanied by group therapy, or one-on-one therapy. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is an organization catered specifically to help veterans get back into the normal swing of life in the U.S. while many strides have been made, there is still a long way to go to reach these hurting veterans.

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  18. http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/1-in-5-Veterans-suffers-with-PTSD/ubwo6pV1Pkifee-TmqPL-g.cspx

    According to this article, one out 5 veterans suffer with PTSD. PTSD stands for Post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder. It usually happens after a traumatic event. Once veterans come back from the war and they have PTSD, it is hard for them to live a normal life again. Most people that have PTSD dont realize it themselves. Carlos Hudson didnt know he had PTSD till he he started noticing that he was acting different. He sought help but when he was diagnosed with PTSD he just walked away. He saw that the symptoms were getting worse so he sought help again. He enrolled in a counseling program.

    http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/19759773/2012/10/08/war-vet-creates-service-to-help-other-vets-with-ptsd

    Veterans are trying to help other veterans through PTSD. What's better than getting help from someone who has suffered from it and can help you? Chris Bennett is founding a non-profit organization called "FAST" which stands for Families and Soldiers together. Chris Bennett suffers from PTSD too but by helping out others it's also helping him out. It is therapeutic for him. The plan is to help vets in need discover hoe important family can be.

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