New PTSD treatment

[sandsys]

A friend sent me this link and I need to pass it on:

https://replica.startribune.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=e16d38fb-8f90-4c8a-ba65-55bb8fb00d4d

 

Linda

[Ray,IN]

PTSD presents in many different forms and aggressiveness. I'm glad to learn of that study and hope it proves effective for that form.

[sandsys]

4 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

PTSD presents in many different forms and aggressiveness. I'm glad to learn of that study and hope it proves effective for that form.

I agree. Those who suffer from nightmares may have had different types of traumatic stresses as well. Anything that helps anyone with PTSD gets my vote.

Linda

[Kirk W]

20 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

PTSD presents in many different forms and aggressiveness.

Is PTSD overdiagnosed?

Quote

Yes—John Tully and Dinesh Bhugra. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and uncommon condition resulting from severe trauma, but it has unhelpfully become an umbrella term incorporating other disorders and normal reactions to stress.May 5, 2021

Very often PTSD is also a self diagnosis used as an excuse for inappropriate behavior and actions. It is also a common tool for panhandling, as in the signs "PTSD vet, please help" seen frequently in public places. If you do a Google search for a definition, you will get dozens of them and if you dig deep enough just about anyone can find something to use if you wish to claim that you have it. 

My uncle who was a Navy medic on triage duty in Vietnam retired and then became an RN and retired from that, but he was never completely free of bad dreams from his experience. A friend is a retired police officer who shot & killed a person only a few feet from him back in the early 80's still sees the victim's face in a dream occasionally. Our son was an Army medic in Iraq and now retired from the Army for 10 years, still has occasional dreams of his IED victim patients. All 3 of these people easily meet definitions that are commonly accepted for having experienced PTSD but all of them also continued life in socially acceptable ways and nobody who sees them even know that they have it. It is very difficult to define or diagnose mental disorders or to tell who really has them. Very often it is a matter of degree. 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Kirk W

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

It is very difficult to define or diagnose mental disorders or to tell who really has them. Very often it is a matter of degree. 

You describe those as dreams. Not nightmares in which the person actually relives the traumatic experience. Yes, it might be a matter of degree but the person who cowers in a fetal position as fireworks go off or becomes extremely agitated in certain situations is different from someone who simply has recurring dreams. Most of us do that. I have one about a school janitor that scared me when I was in first grade that made me afraid to use public restrooms for several years. I don't have PTSD but that doesn't make PTSD any less true or debilitating for those who do have it.

Linda

[Barbaraok]

Linda, just because someone doesn't use the term nightmare, doesn't mean that that isn't what they are.   They all start as dreams, and venture into different areas.  And over the years the 'nightmare' aspect of them may lessen to a degree, but they are generated while the brain is still trying to come to grips with traumatic  situations.    And don't say you don't have PTSD - which is a relatively new term of those who suffer from events that they went through in their lives.   Clearly the event was very traumatic for you, and thought it may have lessened over the years, things like that often form the basis for PTSD in children.  Again, it is POST traumatic stress, doesn't matter when or when it occurred.

[RV_]

9 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Is PTSD overdiagnosed? 

Very often PTSD is also a self diagnosis used as an excuse for inappropriate behavior and actions.

 

Kirk you did a quote too that said (Cut and paste):

"Yes—John Tully and Dinesh Bhugra. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and uncommon condition resulting from severe trauma, but it has unhelpfully become an umbrella term incorporating other disorders and normal reactions to stress.May 5, 2021"

Kirk, I found that article and there are two sentences in that article's introductory paragraph, you left out the other. The article had a paywall that hid the rest so you likely just missed it.

"Some of the burgeoning rates of PTSD diagnosis are attributable to broadened disease definitions, say John Tully and Dinesh Bhugra. But Stephanie J Lewis, Gerard Drennan, and Sarah Markham argue that underdiagnosis, not overdiagnosis, may be the greater problem"

Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n787.full

Here's the full article with this part and more: Is PTSD overdiagnosed?

 

"No—Stephanie J Lewis, Gerard Drennan, and Sarah Markham

Diagnoses can be given only by trained  clinicians, so this debate asks whether the diagnosis of PTSD is overused in clinical practice. In fact, the reverse is likely to be true: convincing evidence indicates that PTSD is much more commonly underdiagnosed, which has concerning implications.

 

PTSD is a well studied and established disorder. Although diagnostic descriptions of PTSD have been refined since their inception several decades ago, research shows that they have all identified people with clinically significant difficulties.14

 

This evidence persuasively counters any theoretical worries about concept creep1or overmedicalisation of everyday life. In addition, PTSD has remained a clearly specified disorder that is experienced by a minority of people exposed to traumas—namely, events that involve danger of death, serious injury, or sexual violation.

 

Core symptoms include re-experiencing a trauma through distressing intrusive  memories, avoiding reminders of the trauma, and having hyperarousal. To meet criteria for PTSD these particular symptoms must be experienced after a trauma in combination, for at least several weeks, and must substantially impair functioning.15 16

 

Anecdotes that these criteria are applied too loosely to increasingly large numbers of people are simply not supported by valid research.

 

Evidence shows underdiagnosis"

Source with the full article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351362385_Is_PTSD_overdiagnosed

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by RV_

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, sandsys said:

You describe those as dreams. Not nightmares in which the person actually relives the traumatic experience.

You really think that re-living any of those experiences would not be classed a nightmare? I will assure you that none of them enjoy the experience.

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

Kirk you did a quote too that said (Cut and paste):

Sorry, I intended to insert a link, but failed to do so. 

[RV_]

No problem Kirk, I assume you saw the second half of your article this time too validating PTSD as underdiagnosed..

I know you use the VA for medical at their clinic. They have a great mental health program too especially for the growing and real problem of PTSD.

If any of our vets reading this are having problems here is a great page for PTSD and the crisis hotline:

Excerpt:

PTSD treatment

Whether you just returned from a deployment or have been home for 40 years, it’s never too late to get help for PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). Getting counseling or treatment can help you manage your symptoms and keep them from getting worse.

Our National Center for PTSD is the world leader in PTSD research, education, and treatment. Find out how to access PTSD health services through VA.

What services does VA provide for PTSD?

We have almost 200 PTSD treatment programs across the country that offer:

• 1-to-1 mental health assessment and testing to figure out if you have PTSD
• Medicine proven to work for treating PTSD
• 1-to-1 psychotherapy (also called talk therapy). This includes proven methods like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
• 1-to-1 family therapy
• Group therapy for special needs, like anger or stress management, or combat support
• Group therapy for Veterans who served in certain combat zones or who’ve been through similar traumas

We also offer other forms of treatment and support:

• PTSD specialists provide regular outpatient care to Veterans with PTSD in each VA medical center across the U.S.
• Special residential (live-in) or inpatient care programs—found in each region of the U.S.—help Veterans with severe PTSD symptoms who have trouble doing normal daily activities (like going to work).
• Providers offer added PTSD care in some of our large community-based outpatient clinics.

Find a VA medical center or clinic near you

Please note: If you don’t live near a VA medical center or clinic, our mental health providers can counsel you over the phone (called telemental health care). Or, we can refer you to a Vet Center or health care provider near you.

How do I access VA services for PTSD?

The VA health care program covers PTSD health services. To access these services, first apply for VA health care.
Apply for health care

Once you’ve signed up:

• If you have a VA primary care provider, talk to them about your concerns. Your provider can help you figure out if you have PTSD—and can offer treatment and support as needed.
• If you don’t have a VA primary care provider or have never been seen in a VA hospital or clinic:
  • Call our general information hotline at 800-827-1000, or
  • Contact your local VA medical center, or
  • Contact a VA PTSD program near you

What if I don’t have VA health benefits?

You may still be able to get care:

• If you’ve served in a combat zone, get free private counseling, alcohol and drug assessment, and other support at one of our 300 community Vet Centers.
  Find a Vet Center near you
• If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless:
  • Visit our website to learn about VA programs for Veterans who are homeless.
    Learn about our homelessness programs
  • Contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A trained VA counselor will offer information about VA homeless programs, health care, and other services in your area. The call is free and confidential (private).
  • Call or visit your local VA Community Resource and Referral Center. Even if you don’t qualify for VA health care, our staff can help you find non-VA resources you may qualify for in your community.
    Find your local Community Resource and Referral Center

Can I get disability compensation (monthly payments) or other benefits from VA if I think I have PTSD linked to military service?

If you have symptoms of PTSD and suffered a serious injury, personal trauma, sexual trauma, or were threatened with injury, sexual assault, or death while serving in the military, you may be able to get disability compensation or benefits.
Find out if you can get disability benefits

Where can I find more information and support?

• See our “Understanding PTSD and PTSD Treatment” booklet for more about PTSD symptoms and treatment.
  Read the booklet (PDF)
• Go to our National Center for PTSD website for information about PTSD treatment and support.
  Visit the National Center for PTSD
• Go to these websites for resources and stories of Veterans who’ve overcome PTSD and other mental health challenges:
  • Visit Make the Connection
  • Visit About Face
• Use our PTSD Coach Online to help manage stress.
  Visit PTSD Coach Online
• See our self-help resources guide for books, web resources, and mobile applications recommended by VA experts.
  Get self-help resources
• Call the VA general information hotline at 800-827-1000.

https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health/ptsd/

Edited August 15, 2021 by RV_

[RV_]

Linda, back to the topic. Thanks for posting this.  For those who got sidetracked here is an excerpt from your link:

 

"Tyler Skluzacek created NightWare for a 2015 technology innovation contest when he was a Macalester College student. His father, a member of the Minnesota National Guard, was disabled by PTSD after returning from a combat deployment to Iraq in 2005 and 2006.

The Apple Watch sensors monitor body movement and heart rate during sleep. The data is sent to the NightWare server that detects when a patient is experiencing a nightmare.

The server then sends a signal for the smartwatch to provide vibrations.

The software is being developed in Minneapolis, and the wearable devices are ordered directly from Apple and packaged and distributed by a business partner in Chicago, Hannah said.

NightWare’s initial focus is working with Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, and the company has received strong indications of interest from military hospitals and special-operations communities.

NightWare has Tricare coverage for active duty service members, Hannah said.

Tricare is the military health system of the Department of Defense, and the company is pursuing coverage by Veterans Affairs, Hannah said.

The goal is for NightWare to be covered by commercial insurers by 2022."

Your link: https://replica.startribune.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=e16d38fb-8f90-4c8a-ba65-55bb8fb00d4d

 

As a military and civilian counselor with BS degrees in Sociology and Psychology and a counselor at LSU well health clinic staffing to Dr. Jeff Ickess who is now at Troy State in Alabama I found the product and concept promising as does the USAF and Tricare.

 

May I reprint this in the Military forum?

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by RV_

[2gypsies]

Nightmares/dreams.... only a nightmare causes you to wake up:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nightmares

[RV_]

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

Nightmares/dreams.... only a nightmare causes you to wake up:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nightmares

Very good article and on topic. Thanks.

[mustaphamdu]

I just wanted to chime in and say that I totally get where you're coming from. I've struggled with PTSD for years, and it can be really tough to find effective treatment options. I came across an article about ruminating and negative thoughts recently that was really helpful, and I thought it might be worth sharing.
I know it's tough to revive an old thread, but I'm also on the hunt for similar information, so I appreciate you sharing the link to that study. Hopefully, we can all find the support and resources we need to manage our symptoms and live full lives.

Edited May 8, 2023 by mustaphamdu

[Tulecreeper]

Sorry, old thread.  My bad.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Tulecreeper

[RV_]

On 5/5/2023 at 7:21 AM, mustaphamdu said:

I just wanted to chime in and say that I totally get where you're coming from. I've struggled with PTSD for years, and it can be really tough to find effective treatment options.

Welcome to the forums!

I hope you do find effective treatment options for yourself and wish you well. If you have it from military let me know as my messaging here is still on. I know of some resources that may help. Lots of help available. If I can help let me know.

Safe travels!