Recent coverage of PTSD (EDIT: and Resilience)
In doing research today for my Health Psychology class I came across this and this APA article.
A few choice sections:
"The report comes as the military struggles with a shortfall of active-duty psychologists, compared with the number of positions authorized.
According to officials, the Army is down 20 percent from its full complement of 123 psychologists. The Air Force, which is missing 17 percent of its 235 authorized psychologists, only filled 11 of its 23 internship slots this year.
And the Navy, which also provides psychological services for the Marine Corps, is down 29 percent, with only 87 of its 122 psychologists in non-training positions on board."...
...."According to Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (PDHRA) data, 38 percent of soldiers and 31 percent of Marines reported psychological symptoms. Among those who have deployed more than once, the percentages spike up to 40 percent for soldiers and 35 percent for Marines. The PDHRA is administered to service members 90 to 120 days after returning from a deployment."...
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Don't worry, I haven't gone to visit a recruiter - they made a point later in the article of talking about how they are hiring civilian psychologists as contractors. Besides, I'm not qualified...yet.
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EDIT: as I continue reading...my focus is shifting to "Resilience" rather than specifically on PTSD... here are two "10 things you can do lists" one generalized and one for military homecomings.
I know there are lots of folks out there working through some significant transitions in their world right now. Hope you might find some of this...or links off these pages useful in bolstering your own resilience during this time.
What Is Resilience?
Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress -- such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences.
Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resilience. One example is the response of many Americans to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and individuals' efforts to rebuild their lives.
Being resilient does not mean that a person doesn't experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common in people who have suffered major adversity or trauma in their lives. In fact, the road to resilience is likely to involve considerable emotional distress.
Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.
10 Ways to Build Resilience
Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.
The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.
10 Tips for Resilience During Homecoming
More EDITS:
Just found this article "Victory Gardens, Psychology Style" that led to "Give an Hour" a nonprofit group that networks psychologists with service members. Psychologists agree to give an hour a week free to military personnel and their families.
Soldier Suicides at Record Level:
"Santos, who is being treated at Walter Reed, said the only effective therapy she has received there in the past year have been the one-on-one sessions with her psychiatrist, not the group sessions in which soldiers are told "Don't hit your wife, don't hit your kids," or the other groups where they play bingo or learn how to properly set a table."
121 Veterans linked to killings:
NEW YORK - At least 121 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have committed a killing or been charged in one in the United States after returning from combat, The New York Times reported Sunday.
A few choice sections:
"The report comes as the military struggles with a shortfall of active-duty psychologists, compared with the number of positions authorized.
According to officials, the Army is down 20 percent from its full complement of 123 psychologists. The Air Force, which is missing 17 percent of its 235 authorized psychologists, only filled 11 of its 23 internship slots this year.
And the Navy, which also provides psychological services for the Marine Corps, is down 29 percent, with only 87 of its 122 psychologists in non-training positions on board."...
...."According to Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment (PDHRA) data, 38 percent of soldiers and 31 percent of Marines reported psychological symptoms. Among those who have deployed more than once, the percentages spike up to 40 percent for soldiers and 35 percent for Marines. The PDHRA is administered to service members 90 to 120 days after returning from a deployment."...
~~~~~~~
Don't worry, I haven't gone to visit a recruiter - they made a point later in the article of talking about how they are hiring civilian psychologists as contractors. Besides, I'm not qualified...yet.
~~~~~~
EDIT: as I continue reading...my focus is shifting to "Resilience" rather than specifically on PTSD... here are two "10 things you can do lists" one generalized and one for military homecomings.
I know there are lots of folks out there working through some significant transitions in their world right now. Hope you might find some of this...or links off these pages useful in bolstering your own resilience during this time.
What Is Resilience?
Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress -- such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences.
Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resilience. One example is the response of many Americans to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and individuals' efforts to rebuild their lives.
Being resilient does not mean that a person doesn't experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common in people who have suffered major adversity or trauma in their lives. In fact, the road to resilience is likely to involve considerable emotional distress.
Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.
10 Ways to Build Resilience
Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.
Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"
Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.
Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.
Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.
Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.
The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.
10 Tips for Resilience During Homecoming
- Early in the process, identify people who can help--a friend, clergy, mental health professional, financial advisor--and seek help if needed. Some of these sources can supply emotional support, while others can provide direct help with day-to-day problem solving. Resolve to be open about problems and work on resolving them together, either with family members or those professionals who can help.
- Dismantle big problems into manageable small parts. Then, attack and solve these parts as a means of rebuilding confidence. A step-by-step approach can eventually resolve the larger problem.
- Be an active player, not a passive victim. Social involvement through religious organizations, hobby groups, exercise clubs, social groups, etc., helps individuals rejoin the community.
- Don't put off solving problems. Begin to work on problems immediately; inaction can reinforce the feeling that a problem is out of your control.
- Don't seek solace in drugs or alcohol. This not only fails to resolve the problems at hand, but creates new ones.
- Recognize that family readjustment problems are normal. Don't blame others for your distress, and don't blame yourself excessively.
- Keep things in perspective. Cynicism or excessive pessimism about life and the future can become self-fulfilling and have a negative impact on you and others. Keep things in perspective-- not every problem is a catastrophe. Although it sounds simplistic, a positive outlook helps raise morale and increase resilience.
- Recall how you met past challenges and use the same strategies to meet the stresses of homecoming. By facing current problems with an eye to solutions, you are more likely to achieve a sense of progress, of "getting ahead" with life.
- Realize that the stress of homecoming can magnify other daily stresses, so make allowances for yourself and your family.
- Accept as inevitable some setbacks in the return to "life as normal"--whether they are emotional, financial, physical, or job-related. At the same time, be aware that the skills of resilience can help you bounce back.
More EDITS:
Just found this article "Victory Gardens, Psychology Style" that led to "Give an Hour" a nonprofit group that networks psychologists with service members. Psychologists agree to give an hour a week free to military personnel and their families.
Soldier Suicides at Record Level:
"Santos, who is being treated at Walter Reed, said the only effective therapy she has received there in the past year have been the one-on-one sessions with her psychiatrist, not the group sessions in which soldiers are told "Don't hit your wife, don't hit your kids," or the other groups where they play bingo or learn how to properly set a table."
121 Veterans linked to killings:
NEW YORK - At least 121 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have committed a killing or been charged in one in the United States after returning from combat, The New York Times reported Sunday.