Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and Iraq Vets

[ray of light]

I felt tremendous grief for this fellow when I read this.

Q: I just returned from a yearlong deployment in Iraq. I've been home now for one full day. I was having bad dreams while on the deployment. Now that I am back at home in my comfort zone, I am having more intense dreams — ones where I wake up scared and confused. Should I be worried about this? Is it something that will go away?

— Clifford, Tennessee

What can we do to help Clifford and all our vets?

We can go to
http://www.setadeadline.com and make our voices heard. Demand a deadline and show the Democrats and Republicans that we're not going to accept empty partisan politics.

We can also call Congress every day and demand that they fund health care for our vets and their families.

The soldiers need our help. So please forward the link to all your friends and family and scoot over to setadeadline.com and help bring them home.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=72b821c4-bc70-4d93-a794-0e4161cb0483&p=1

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I followed the link to Dr. Ruth & found that she gave excellent advice, BTW.

If you know anyone just back from Iraq, send them to that page. EMDR is an incredibly effective methodology. In the 11 years since I was trained in it, that methodology has absolutely revolutionized the way I do therapy.

[ray of light]

2. I have heard good things about it.

But I don't know how to compare it to other therapy and meds.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. As far as I'm concerned, meds generally do nothing more than

suppress symptoms. There are other forms of effective therapy, such as EEG biofeedback for PTSD. I use it in combination with talk therapy and EMDR. There is another form of therapy called Thought Field Therapy (TFT) that is reputed to be very effective in some cases. There is also a simplified variant of TFT called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Both of these methods involve guiding the client through tapping on a series of accupressure points. These methods are unorthodox and new, and are not at all accepted by mainstream psychology or psychiatry. (That doesn't necessarily mean they don't work, though.)

[ray of light]

7. thanks for sharing. I'll look them up.

I assume these techniques are for certified phycologists and/or psychiatrists?

[Mandate My Ass]

4. Prolonged exposure therapy works very well also

It's a bitch to get through though. No meds whatsoever, just reliving the trauma during therapy and at home until the memories hold no power over you anymore.

[ray of light]

5. shhhh...cuzl Bush would say that's what the surge is doing...

helping the soldiers through prolonged exposure 'therapy'.

[Mandate My Ass]

6. Ooops. I don't want to give the decider any bad ideas

Forget what I said. :blush:

[Jackpine Radical]

8. EMDR and neurotherapy are a lot gentler and faster IMHO.

[Mandate My Ass]

9. Agreed

And vets deserve both. :thumbsup:

[peacebaby3]

10. How sad. My husband has had some PTSD. Nothing I would consider

severe and nothing he would really admit, but because of the work I do, I've seen some signs. I know that transporting the bodies of two Marines KIA was very hard on him among other things.

It's such a shame and instead of realizing that it's going to cost more to treat the troops, they are discussing cutting funds. :puke:

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

11. I have 3 friends with PTSD

1- served 3 tours in Vietnam at 17 years old
1- Served in Somalia & Rwanda
1- Is leaving for his third tour in Iraq- Special Forces- in March

The Iraq veteran told me that he feels as though he's lost his soul.

My sister works for the Psych Dept. of a major university. The Psychologists there have stated that the levels of PTSD in these returning veterans is off the charts and there may be no known treatment for their level of the disorder.