Wounded Warriors press release nothing new

Where is there anything new in this press release from Wounded Warrior Project? We keep waiting for something to come out of this group that is worth the money that has been donated to them and this is what they put out?

Sorry but they still have not lived up to what they could actually do. I am sure they have the passion but they lack imagination and knowledge.

June 15, 2012 01:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
10 Tips for Helping Someone with PTSD from Wounded Warrior Project™
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--You don’t have to be a member of the armed forces to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but nearly 20 percent of service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan reported having symptoms. In recognition of June as PTSD Awareness Month, Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is offering 10 tips for how to help someone who may be suffering from PTSD.

“It is a sign of strength for a returning service member to acknowledge they may have PTSD and ask for help”

“It is a sign of strength for a returning service member to acknowledge they may have PTSD and ask for help,” said John Roberts, executive vice president, mental health and family services for Wounded Warrior Project™. ““These 10 tips are meant to directly help those dealing with PTSD,” added Roberts. “They are also to help others understand that PTSD can be treated and is a normal human reaction to abnormally stressful situations. PTSD can happen to anyone.“

10 Tips for Helping Someone with PTSD

1. Let the veteran determine what they are comfortable talking about and don’t push.

2. Deep breathing exercises or getting to a quiet place can help them cope when the stress seems overwhelming.

3. Writing about experiences can help the veteran clarify what is bothering them and help them think of solutions.

4. Alcohol and drugs may seem to help in the short run, but make things worse in the long run.

5. Crowds, trash on the side of the road, fireworks and certain smells can be difficult for veterans coping with PTSD.

6. Be a good listener and don’t say things like, “I know how you felt,” or, “That’s just like when I…” Even if you also served in a combat zone. Everyone’s feelings are unique.

7. www.restorewarriors.org is a website where warriors and their families can find tools on how to work through combat stress and PTSD issues. Learn about more mental health support resources that ease symptoms of combat stress.

8. Remind warriors they are not alone and many others have personal stories they can share about their readjustment. Talking to other warriors can help them cope.

9. Allow and encourage warriors and their family members to express their feelings and thoughts to those who care about them.

10. Let them know that acknowledging they may have PTSD says they’re strong, not weak.

Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit Wounded Warrior Project.

UPDATE June 21, 2012
Free advice for Wounded Warrior Project if you really want to help PTSD veterans heal.

Forget what you read in a textbook! These are the questions they need answers for.

Q Why do I have PTSD but the others I was with don't?
A It is because you feel things more deeply than they do. You don't all have the same anger level, love the same, think the same, have the same sense of humor any more than you all have the same talents at equal levels. Some of your friends may walk away able to "get over it" but if you don't it does not mean you are weaker than they are but you have stronger feelings than they do.

Q Doesn't that mean I'm a sissy?
A No. It means you have compassion and without that, all the courage in the world won't mean anything. Let's say you are the bravest brute in the neighborhood but don't care about anyone. If you saw a kid in the middle of the street, you'd just watch what happens. You have to have compassion to care enough to act and the courage to do something about it. There are a lot of your peers you regard as heroes with some level of PTSD but they just haven't acknowledged it yet.

Q Why do I push people away?
A Some feel they do not deserve to be loved when they have PTSD. Others push people away so they won't get hurt again. Having someone close to you die is a feeling you don't want to suffer from again, so you shut yourself off and emotionally disconnect. Some believe the less they feel the less they'll hurt. This does not make for a very happy life and adds to the miserable thoughts you have.

Q Does it mean I didn't train right if I have PTSD?
A Resiliency Training is a boatload of crap telling you that you can train your brian to prevent PTSD and is a huge part of the problem. I've had Marines telling me they didn't train right and believe they are weak because of this. You need to remember that most of you do not allow yourself to feel the pain as long as your buddies are in danger. Most of you push past it, do your duty to the fullest everyday you are deployed until you are all back home. It is only then that you take down the barrier and allow yourself to feel. That took great courage and dedication to your buddies. It also means that you are unselfish when you could do all you did with that pain inside of you.

Q How do I heal?
A From the inside out. PTSD is caused only one way. From an outside force you had no control over. It hit you. You have to fight it from the inside with all you've got. Mind, body and spirit.
When you get cut, if you don't take care of the wound, it gets infected, spreads out eating away more tissue, getting into your blood stream and hits more parts of your body. It gets worse until you treat it. When you put on an antibiotic, it stops getting worse, begins to heal and as it does, it gets itchy. Once it is gone, how long it was allowed to get worse, predicts how big the scar is.
PTSD works the same way. If you leave it alone and just wait for it to get better, it is getting stronger. If you numb it with alcohol or drugs, you get temporary relief but it gets stronger. You had to learn how to walk leaning on someone you trust, you have to heal the same way and lean on someone you trust now. Talk about it.

That's just the start of what they need to know. I'm not just a consultant. I've lived with what combat does for the last 30 years. I've seen the worst and have been blessed to have been able to stay to see the best come shining through. PTSD does not always win when people have the right kind of weapons to fight it.

If you want to know more, just email me or call me at 407-754-7526.