Almost all service members will have reactions after returning from deployment. These behaviors and feelings are normal, especially during the first week at home. The most common mental health problem that some service members develop after witnessing or experiencing combat is PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). Service members who had the courage to seek help will admit that they have trouble doing normal activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people they care about. PTSD affects mood, behavior, and many cognitive functions, which are often times not noticeable to others. That being said, at my internship site the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) located in Sepulveda offers an evidence-based intervention (EBI), …show more content…
The World War II and Korean War veterans talk about their trauma and share stories amongst each other, which is beneficial because they all can relate in some shape or form. Since I started observing this PTSD group, many of the veterans expressed how difficult it is to share their combat experiences with their family and friends because they don’t understand. Also, connecting with their loved ones was a whole other issue. The veterans believed that everyone was judging them and therefore they would isolate themselves and cope with substance use. For any veteran with PTSD, it’s important to find people who will listen without judgment (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). Strengths of using CBT in a PTSD group is identifying thoughts about the world and yourself that are making you feel afraid or upset. With the help of the clinician, the veterans are learning how to replace these thought with more less distressing thoughts in order for them to feel and behave differently about themselves or …show more content…
However, the veterans understand that it’s a day-to-day process and their willingness to change brings them closer to their sanity. According to Haluk and Lawrence (2014), efforts to introducing evidence-based practices (EBP) in treatment settings are more successful when members of an organization are “ready to change”(p.73). This is to be true, members of the PTSD group understand that their mental illness has affected them in some shape or form. Therefore, their motivation to attend group and seek help promotes a positive implementation of EBPs. In addition, staff training is a paramount requirement for successful EBP implementation and sustainment (Haluk & Lawrence, 2014). The VA has highly qualified, licensed practitioners that are capable to implement EBPs. VA staff undergoes supervision, monitoring of performance, and booster trainings sessions to better prepare and successfully operate an
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can certainly have a negative effect on a returning service member’s life. Approximately 30% of people who have been in war zones develop PTSD. The rates of PTSD for veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are conservatively estimated to be 11% and 18% respectively, with a higher rate for veterans of the war in Iraq because of greater combat exposure (Collie, 2006, p.1). Because of the debilitating affect of the disorder many veterans are trapped in this endless seeming cycle agony and helplessness. Individuals with PTSD describe years of declining invitations to social and family events to avoid anxiety and anger. In extreme cases, individuals endorse fear and discomfort about leaving the house at all, which they characterize as shameful and demoralizing. Thus, many individuals with PTSD perceive themselves as trapped in a cycle that reinforces avoidance of situations, which may trigger anxiety and depression (Smyth, 2007, p.1).
As awareness grows relating to the mental health problems of those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), much of the focus has been on providing adequate and effective care to the newest population of combat veterans. Although efforts have significantly increased with the employment of Evidence Based Practices (EBP) and while the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA), have updated their clinical practice guidelines, barriers remain and reaching the majority of this particular population remains a challenge.
The commenter suggested that WWI, Korean veterans, their surviving spouses should be grandfathered in as a class of potential claimants, and all pension recipients should be exempt. VA pension benefit requirement is based on veteran’s wartime service to apply for the benefit, and if these requirement is not meet veteran or beneficiary are not eligible for the benefit. If the veteran or beneficiaries loses pension benefit because of excessive income, they have to apply again for pension benefit once their income meets VA income limits again. The rulemaking will not grandfathered any veteran or beneficiaries currently in receipt of benefits or will be eligible in the future to receive pension
ABC Psychological Services is a Nacogdoches, TX based full service mental health clinic. It strives to provide the best mental health services possible to the residents of Nacogdoches and the surrounding rural areas. Recently the agency has made an effort to provide evidenced based treatments geared toward veterans. Veterans that are transitioning back to civilian life or any veteran going through the local Veteran Treatment Court are strongly encouraged to join our new Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Group Therapy Program for Rural Veterans. The purpose of the group is to help struggling veterans who are having trouble coping with PTSD or are facing incarceration due to mental health issues. The goal is to assist veterans with creating constructive coping skills for their mental health issues and also provide them with a safe and calm environment to talk with fellow veterans about their struggles.
According to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (2014), there are currently an estimated 19.4 million veterans, of which 1.6 million are women. Eight percent of the US population has served in the US military and 33% of the US population is directly related to someone who has served (Meyer, Writer, & Brim, 2016). Many returning service members face complex mental and behavioral health challenges in readjusting to life after deployment (American Psychological Association [APA], 2016a). Data indicate that one-third of returning Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) service members have reported symptoms of mental-health or cognitive problems (APA, 2016a). This includes concerns of suicidal ideation, posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, adjustment disorders, substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders, among others. As OEF and OIF deployed service members continue to return home with high rates of mental health disorders, there are concerns regarding the availability and adequacy of mental health
Evidence-based practices have been gaining a lot importance recently and it was so interesting to search the online libraries to actually see how many exist. It was stimulating to go onto the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices websites and be in awe of abundance of programs. There were programs for almost every type of social work practice. While looking through the different databases in regards to evidence-based practice (EBP), one in particular really caught my attention. The particular EBP that will be discussed is known as Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I chose this specific one because I have a great interest in therapies with those suffering from PTSD.
Compare and contrast CBT and psychodynamic approaches to counselling focusing particularly on trauma and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder): Theory and therapy.
With the advances in technology and military medicine, improved amounts of armed veterans are surviving the injuries they endure at war. These brave men and woman are faced to enter the civilian life after enduring the things that they cannot remove form their memories. Posttraumatic stress disorder is a common psychological and physiological consequence of deployment for combat in military veterans. For an individual to be diagnosed of PTSD, the person had to have been exposed to an intense traumatic situation, which resulted in terror or helplessness and continue to re-experience the event for at least a month (World Health Organization). It can be very difficult for a military personal to return from active duty with the mindset that
To effectively treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD in combat Veterans and service members, therapists use different techniques, which are preceded by addressing any underlying pain associated with the disorder. In their research, Chard et al. (2011) reported significant modifications to the CPT protocol for use with patients in a TBI-PTSD residential treatment facility, including increasing the number of sessions per week, combining group and individual therapy, and augmenting the treatment with cognitive rehabilitation. However, their research was marred with the use of few participants which provides doubts regarding the outcome of the proposed treatment procedures. Moreover, the researchers do not state with certainty as to the
The leading psychological condition of a returning veteran is post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. The Mayo Clinic defines PTSD as a, “Mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.” PTSD has been known to affect the lives of many returned veterans as they try to re-enter into society. Some of the more common symptoms of PTSD include, “recurring memories or nightmares of the event(s), sleeplessness, loss of interest, or feeling numb, anger, and irritability (What is Post traumatic Stress Disorder).” This can really affect the way people live their day to day life. There are people who cannot go a whole day without having an episode or panic attack. Some can’t even be around other people without it triggering bad memories, making it impossible for them to leave their homes. Other complications of PTSD include, “Increase your risk of other mental health problems, such as: Depression and anxiety, issues with drugs or alcohol use, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and actions (PTSD).” This disorder is more common than most may realize and is so commonly not diagnosed or treated due to how they felt their peers would see them or even the potential damage to their careers. Nbc news wrote that, “Only 38 percent to 40 percent of those who indicated
Although American service members have felt the lasting effects of combat throughout the history of the nation, it was not until 1980 that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was formally added to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Once referred to as “irritable heart” or “shell-shock,” PTSD made its way into the national spotlight in the years following the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan due to U.S. military members having difficulty reintegrating into civilian life. High rates of suicide, depression, and elevated levels of violent crime within the veteran community made the need to find an effective treatment of this disorder a top priority for the Veterans Health Administration. While it is widely accepted by medical professionals that there is no single, definitive cure for PTSD, many different methods have been cultivated within the past 15 years that make coping with it an easier process; some to a greater extent than others. While medications, namely antidepressants and benzodiazepines, usually find themselves at the forefront of any discussion regarding mental debilitation, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution to the problems that combat veterans face. As this particular disorder is attached to a certain memory or traumatic occurrence, alternative methods of rehabilitation such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) have also shown promise in
Even though there is a high risk of mental health problems among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, there has been no systematic studies of mental health care utilization among these veterans after deployment (Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken, 2006). Such studies are an important part of measuring the mental health burden of the current war and ensuring that there are adequate resources to meet the mental health care needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken, 2006). When a person is in the military, he or she may experience a lot of traumatic events; therefore, PTSD becomes more prevalent in their lives post-war. There was a research conducted after other military conflicts that has shown that deployment stressors and exposure to combat result in considerable risks of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, substance abuse, impairment in social functioning and in the ability to work, and the increased use of health care services (Hoge, Castor, Messer, McGurk, Cotting, & Koffman, 2004).Veterans in America have a history of mental illness, thus it is important that there are a variety of treatment options available for veterans. Most veterans with mental health problems refused to go in for services because
The main problem discovered is military members are experiencing psychological problems from stressors due to deployments and not seeking help for their discomforts. Many of the military members returning
The United States of America has a crisis existing within its population of returning veterans. More and more, we see veterans of the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, and the war on Terror, return with not only debilitating physical wounds, but longer lasting psychological wounds of war. Furthermore, there’s a stigma with mental health in the country which dictates; if you seek help for mental health issues, you’re weak. This isn’t only a problem amongst returning veterans, but all citizens. The returning warrior shouldn’t have to go speak with someone about their feelings. This is a common utterance heard when veterans return. The epidemic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst returning veterans, combined with the stigma of weakness and worthlessness for seeking help, is creating an almost impossible transition between military and civilian life. Not only are veterans experiencing issues with PTSD and other psychological afflictions having to battle with these afflictions, but they are finding themselves having difficulty finding help along with trying to cope with an otherwise insensitive and naïve population of people; some of whom are completely incapable of understanding, let alone empathy towards any situation besides their own. The review you are about to read serves as research into methods of coping, as well as helpful tactics for the reintegrating veteran.
PTSD, depression, and the lack of treatment should all be taken into consideration when thinking about the military. Depression in soldiers can be caused by the length of deployment because they don’t see their families or friends for months.