Assisting America's Veterans with PTSD
Recover & Reintegrate In Society
Welcome to
Veterans Combating PTSD
DON'T BLAME VETERANS SUFFERING W/ PTSD
IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT !
The first step in someone's caring for a
Veteran with PTSD is to know about how trauma subconsciously affects a person's behavior.
Knowing that by experiencing traumatic events it changes a person's perspective on life.
Did you know that...
PTSD may cause you to become startled from loud noises, to be instantly "triggered", or to
"burst out in anger" for no good apparent reason, or peraps acting "hyper-vigilant" about their surroundings or being "paranoid and ultra-suspicious" about interacting with or having large crowds of people around them.
The Best Way To HONOR America's Veterans Suffering From PTSD is
We just get to love & protect them throughout their recovery...
Veteran Suicide Prevention
If you’re a Veteran in a mental health crisis and you’re thinking about hurting yourself—or you know a Veteran who’s considering this—get help right away. You’re not alone.
Call the Veterans Crisis Hotline
Call 988 and select 1.
Text 838255.
Start a confidential chat. If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 800-799-4889.
If You Think You Might Have PTSD - Get HELP!
RIGHT NOW TODAY ... DON'T WAIT ANOTHER DAY!
Go and Get the Education & Treatment at the VA RIGHT NOW - NO WAITING
In Manhattan, NY
New York Harbor, VA
Ask the Operator for the 2nd Floor
(212) 686-7500
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY -
Don't let your spouse and children suffer from the fallout of your PTSD behaviors!
Be the Strong Soldier You Were Trained To Be...
For You and Your Family...
Get To The VA (A.S.A.P.)
PTSD Therapy Options
The Local VA Medical Centers Offer Vets the Following PTSD Therapeutic Services . . .
Individual Therapy
One-on-One Therapy
The VA is there to assist our Vets...
Then, after completing these two groups Vets may choose to continue on with Individual Counseling Therapy.
Individual One-on-One Therapy goes deeper,
allowing you to work through the remaining issues that are holding you back from a full-recovery.
The VA System Works!
The VA Truly Loves VETs
The VA has it all for Vets with accessible healthcare, specialized services, comprehensive coverage, a veteran-centric approach, support programs, collaborative care, research and innovation, timely access to care, mental health support, and caregiver support.
The VA Medical System is committed to ensuring that veterans receive the best possible healthcare services and support.
Coming Together Serving One Another
Vets shown here working together to help another Vet
move out of the shelter ...into his own place.
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Understanding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Veterans
Learning What PTSD Is and How To Manage This Horrific Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition
PTSD that affects many veterans (and First Responders) who have experienced traumatic events during their military service.
It can have a significant impact on their daily lives and overall well-being, as well as causing a great deal of problems with home life.
Managing PTSD symptoms is crucial
for veterans
Since as it can greatly affect their quality of life, relationships, and ability to reintegrate-well back into civilian society.
Failing to address these symptoms can lead to further mental health issues and severe challenges in your daily functioning.
The purpose of this blog is to discuss effective strategies for PTSD
Proven strategies are available which veterans can easily employ over time to manage their PTSD symptoms.
By implementing these working strategies, veterans can experience improvement in their behavioral symptoms, enhance their overall well-being, enjoy less anxiety, and regain control over their lives.
PTSD is a severe mental health disorder causing much disruption in life
PTSD can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.
It is characterized by symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of triggers, hyper-arousal, and negative changes in mood and cognition.
The prevalence of PTSD in veterans is significantly higher than other people
Compared to the general population, veterans are much more likely to acquire PTSD based upon their military specialty.
According to research, around 11-20% of veterans who served in recent conflicts experience PTSD in a given year. The rate is even higher among combat veterans.
Veterans today face unique challenges in managing their PTSD
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Medication can play a critical role in managing PTSD symptoms
Medications are normally used in conjunction with therapy. Commonly prescribed medications for PTSD.
These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) which help regulate mood and anxiety.
While medication can provide symptom relief, it may have side effects
Particularly when you begin taking a new medication, there needs to be ongoing medication evaluation and management.
Everyone is different, and so it's important for veterans to work closely with their healthcare providers to find the right medication and dosage for them.
Therapy is a key part of any successful PTSD treatment program
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
has shown to be effective in helping veterans re-frame negative thinking patterns and develop coping skills.
Exposure therapy is another approach that gradually exposes veterans to their traumatic memories in a safe environment to reduce their emotional intensity.
Other effective forms of therapy, may also be quite beneficial as well
Therapies such as "eye movement desensitization" and "re-processing" (EMDR) and as well as different group therapy types which all work differently.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to process traumatic memories, while group therapy provides peer support and a sense of belonging to a community of PTSD suffers.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is essential for managing symptoms
Engaging in regular exercise has many great benefits for those with PTSD.
It can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, and increase overall well-being.
Physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers.
Sleep plays a crucial role in managing your PTSD mental health symptoms
Maintaining a regular sleep routine, and quite importantly as well is to creating a quite, dark or dimly lit, relaxing "sleep environment" can improve the quality of your sleep and reduce PTSD symptoms.
Getting enough hours of sleep per night is also critical to your mental health. Going to sleep early is a "good rule of thumb"
Nutrition & balanced diet are vital in managing your PTSD symptoms
Certain foods, such as those rich in "omega-3 fatty acids" and "antioxidants", have been linked to better physical health, digestion, and improved mental health.
And that anyone with PTSD should void excessive caffeine and alcohol, or other stimulants & that proper nutrition overall, can naturally mitagate your symptoms.
Stress-reduction techniques may help manage PTSD symptoms
Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, can promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
RELAXATION & EXERCISE are both terrific!
Yoga and Pilates are the best way to go.
Going to the Spa, getting your hair & nails done, or just resting at home with a great novel, or expressing yourself artistically.
Social support is crucial in managing your PTSD behavior symptoms.
Having a strong support system can provide emotional validation, better understanding, and greater reassurance to veterans suffering from PTSD.
Many Veterans have said that having GOD in their life made it much simplier to deal with all the pain & suffering of PTSD, and if you struggle with alchol try a 12-step plan.
Family and friends are significant in providing support to PTSD-victims
Your "Friends & Family" make-up the most important "vital group" you have in offering the support you need during your recovery.
They will offer you a simplithetic, loving listening ear, help-out with daily tasks, and provide a sense of caring and belonging, based upon the genuine loving compssion and connections they have made.
"Safe" Support groups specifically designed for veterans with PTSD
These support groups offer a safe space for sharing experiences and coping strategies.
Having somewhere SAFE to open-up your feeling, faliers,and distruction you've left in the way by damaging your relationships.
These groups provide an opportunity for veterans to connect with others who have gone through similar challenges and understand their unique experiences.
Therapy Animals, like dogs / other pets provide emotional support
These "Therapy Animals" are trained to provide comfort and help alleviate symptoms during stressful situations.
Beyond specially trained Therapy Animal Service Dogs, there are other pets like "fluffy cats" and "lap dogs". . .
These pete will love their owner while providing them with tremendous sweet companionship and overall general better mental health to veterans with PTSD.
Creating a Safety Plan:
What does this entail & how much work is it?
A safety plan is a personalized strategy that helps veterans navigate and manage the difficult situations which are related to their PTSD behavioral symptoms.
Once someone has been throught the VA's "PTSD 101" 8-week group therapy classes, they will have learned many important points about what PTSD is and how you can learn to react ahead of getting upset.
Thus, giving they a much better base of understanding about their mental health and how it affects them and their behavior.
Veterans should seek professional help in creating a Safety Plan
A mental health professional (perhaps a Social Worker) may provide specific guidance, or offer specific personalized recommendations, in order to ensure that the plan is tailored to your specific needs.
Having a personaluized Safety Plan will protect you from possible out-of-control outbreak screeming episodes...
Not having a definate Safety Plan in place can be a dilbilitating experience for you without a good "safety net" to catch you.
What's the components of a good comprehensive "Safety Plan"
Crafting a comprehensive "Safety Plan" for someone suffering from PTSD requires a careful consideration of multiple factors.
A good Safety Play would start by you knowing & recognizing your triggers and your early warning signs.
And identifying youur coping strategies and available resources, as well as firmly establishing a crisis management plan.
Your personalized Safety Plan is VITAL for your treatment & recovery
Besides recognizing personal triggers and warning signs, and identifying coping strategies and available resources, there are several additional vital steps to take.
Trigger & Warning Sign Identification:
As mentioned, knowing what provokes PTSD symptoms or the signals to you of an upcoming episode can help pre-empt a negative response.
Your personalized Safety Plan allows for Copping
Internal Coping Strategies:
You should develop personal strategies that help manage PTSD symptoms without relying on others.
For your "Coping Strategies", this might be "deep-breathing exercises", "grounding strategies", or "mindfulness exercises".
Social Contacts for Distraction:
A list of social contacts, without discussing distress, can serve as a means of distraction of PTSD symptoms flare up.
These people might be friends or family that you can depend on to ese your anxiety and take your mind off things.
More Social Contracts
Social Contacts for Support:
Along with social distraction, have a list of contacts that you trust to talk to when experiencing PTSD symptoms, and who can offer emotional support and help you remain calm in such situations.
Professional Support.
You should list out your healthcare providers or therapists available for immediate support during the crisis,
along with hotlines that provide
round-the-clock support.
Safe Environment:
Create a space in your home where you can relax and feel safe. This could serve as your go-to spot when you start feeling overwhelmed.
PTSD Group Education
is VITAL to Your Recovery
8-WEEK Group
Group Education
"PTSD 101"
The VA offers valuable EDUCATION w/ an 8-week "PTSD 101" group - learning the how’s & why’s about PTSD.
PTSD 101 allows Vets to see that they are not alone in their struggling w/ PTSD ...
Understanding and relating to the commonality they share with other Vets with PTSD.
THIS IS A POWERFUL FIRST STEP IN THEIR RECOVERY!
12-WEEK GROUP
Managing PTSD & Alcohol Substance Abuse Group
After completing PTSD 101, Vets may attend a 12-week Managing PTSD & Alcohol Substance Abuse Group.
This group has many attendees with varying preference for them to "attempt to escape" from drinking too much to smoking pot to snorting cocaine to shooting-up heroin.
In this group, Vet learn a lot about how others are dealing with their mental illness, which can sometimes be a real "eye opener" in seeing how others use "crutches to cope".
Individual Therapy
Then, after completing these two groups Vets may choose to continue on with Individual Counseling Therapy.
Individual One-on-One Therapy goes deeper,
allowing Vets to work through the remaining issues that are holding them back from a full-recovery back into society.
FACT:
95% of Vets Suffering From PTSD Also Abuse Alcohol and/or Drug Substances!
The VA is there to assist our Vets...
The VA Has Lots of EDUCATION and ACTIVITIES
for their PTSD...
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THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
IN SERVING OUR VETERANS
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Don't Forget Our Vets Struggling w/ PTSD . . .
Our brave soldiers deserve your honor and support as they recover back into society
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