When therapy for the mind is coupled with therapy for the soul there is a greater healing happening but when you add in therapy for the body, it is a wonderful thing.
For Vietnam veterans the time between coming home and getting help was often over 20 years but even with all that lost time, they have been able to heal if not be cured. Many of them are able to calm down faster because they have learned how to do it.
Trauma expert says common PTSD treatments may not be the best
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 5:23 PM by Matt Stafford
Local experts say that 10 to 30 percent of military coming home from war could be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.
"We are a hotbed for trauma just because of our military instillations and what's going on," says Brian Duncan, C.E.O. of the Haven Warrior Support Center in Colorado Springs. Duncan and Haven Behavioral brought in Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk to push the conversation on treatment forward.
Dr. Van der Kolk helped create the diagnosis for PTSD while working with U.S. troops in Vietnam. He says today's injuries are different.
"I'm very concerned that the treatments that are being taught may not be the best treatment for the soldiers that are being seen," says Dr. Van der Kolk. "I think there is too much emphasis on talking in treatment often times, and not enough emphasis on making people feel safe."
Dr. Van der Kolk says people dealing with traumatic stress need to work on relaxing.
Around 300 people showed up to hear what Van der Kolk had to say. They're all looking for the same thing, answers. The packed room showed the need in the community is high. At LifeQuest Transitions in Colorado Springs they worked with more than 550 soldiers with injuries last year.
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Trauma expert says common PTSD treatments may not be the best
One more thing that really helps with PTSD, especially with veterans, is volunteering. Doing something to help someone else takes the focus off of themselves, feeds the soul, calms the nerves and fills the need they have to be serving again.
I think your point about volunteering is right on the money - and is one that I know from experience is not only helpful for Veterans but also for those who love them. When our family was at the darkest point - before we completely recognized that PTSD & TBI were tearing our world apart - a wise Vietnam Veteran's wife gave me some advice. She told me I had two choices - either I could let the aftermath of war kill me or I could get up and find a way to help others, and in doing that find a way to heal myself and my family. I still pass that advice along every chance I get because I credit it with saving my husband and my marriage.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Brannan Vines
Proud wife of an OIF Veteran
Founder of FamilyOfaVet.com - a site dedicated to helping heroes and their loved ones survive and thrive after combat!
Thank you for your comment and all that you are doing. I took a look at your website and it is very good.
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful there are so many people working on PTSD now. Back in the 80's, when I met my husband, there was nothing for any of us. I believe there are a lot of marriages and lives saved because of the support they can find online and because people care enough to do it.
We could have just settled on taking care of our own families and be done with it, but because you cared about others, they will not feel all alone and that is a blessing.