Friday, May 26, 2023

Doing it "On Our Own"

 

When it comes to treatment for PTSD, time and again the phrase I hear is, "I want to do it on my own." 

Add to this: I don't want therapy, I don't want to talk to anyone, and I'm going to do it on my terms, my way.

I get that. No one relishes the idea of discussing our trauma, especially with a stranger.

I understand that we want to do this on our own terms, but I need to ask this: is what you're doing working?

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, and for us to recover successfully, we need to do something radically different. Treatment for PTSD doesn't tickle, but it's also not forever. Evidence-based treatments, like prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and EMDR, work in 10 to 12 sessions. That's only 2 to 3 months if we are working with a therapist on a weekly basis.

One thing we know about PTSD is that it alters our belief system; this is part of the criterion D of PTSD diagnosis. So I know that many of us reading this right now believe that everyone else can recover from their PTSD, but not us. 

And so, I would ask you this: Is it possible that you're wrong? 

Have you ever done anything in your life that you thought was impossible? Is it possible that you are stronger than you think?

I encourage you to learn more about your PTSD symptoms and available treatments. We've created a Free Workbook to help you identify your symptoms so that you can make an informed decision to reclaim your life from PTSD and Moral Injury.

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Friday, May 19, 2023

If What We're Doing Isn't Working, What Next?

When it comes to military PTSD and suicide, one thing is clear. What we are doing is not working.

Two data points from June 2021 immediately jump to mind and I've linked the studies to our Facebook page and in this post. According a 17 June 2021 survey, 35% of military connected individuals believe that PTSD is not treatable. This is a disappointing but not surprising outcome.

Also under the heading of disappointing but not surprising, the cost of war project at Brown University released a study on June 21st 2021 that more than four times the number of soldiers killed in combat have taken their own life through suicide since 9/11.

We've been talking about veteran suicide and PTSD for over a decade. PTSD awareness now has its own month in June, we have Master Resiliency Training, and every year I see people doing 22 push-ups on their Facebook pages military suicide awareness. Every year. For the last 10 years.

Albert Einstein said "No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that caused it." A simpler version of this, which I use every day, is "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

So what can we do differently? Here are my humble suggestions:
  1. Identify the problem. Discuss the facts about PTSD in a language that Service Members — and anyone else — can understand. PTSD is an incredibly logical disorder, and we don't need to have a PhD to understand it. 
  2. Discuss the courses of action. PTSD is completely treatable. As of this recording, there are three evidence-based treatments that are approved by the VA: prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and EMDR. They work for most people most of the time, whether you have been dealing with symptoms for 5 years or 5 decades. 
  3. Take action. Understand your symptoms, advocate for yourself, and ask for evidence-based treatments by name.

I encourage you to learn more about your PTSD symptoms and available treatments. We've created a Free Workbook to help you identify your symptoms so that you can make an informed decision to reclaim your life from PTSD and Moral Injury.

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Friday, May 12, 2023

Recovery from Addiction and PTSD

I want to take a moment to talk about recovery from drugs and alcohol. PTSD is one of those disorders that always comes to the party with friends. The most common co-occurring disorders that I see are anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and drug and alcohol abuse. 

Drug and alcohol abuse make a lot of sense in the context of PTSD. Criterion C of PTSD is avoidance, and drinking and drugging help us to avoid our feelings. Criterion D is all about changes in the way we think and feel, and alcohol and drugs can play a major role in this. Of course, alcohol is a big part of military culture. It is what it is. 

I say all that to say this: one of the few good things to come out of the pandemic is that the recovery community has largely shifted online and will probably stay this way. The barrier to entry has been completely removed, and our excuses for not going to a meeting are no longer valid. 

Having Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) online means that instead of going to the chapel basement for a meeting, you can log into Zoom. The meeting you attend can be based in your city or in another country, so the likelihood that you're going to run into someone you know is significantly diminished. You can change your name in a Zoom room, and put up a photo rather than using your camera. 

I understand why people don't like 12-step programs. There are horrible meetings and miserable sponsors. There are also great meetings and highly supportive sponsors. Another perk of Zoom is that if you don't like the meeting you're in, you can click out of it; you can leave when you want to.

If you've been on the fence about going to an AA or NA program, now is the time to pull the trigger. Do a Google search for AA online or NA online to find a meeting. 

One thing to know about 12-step meetings is that when a meeting says it is closed that means that it is not welcoming students, clinicians, or family members. This means that if you have a desire to stop drinking or stop using, you are welcome to a closed meeting. This is known as the "third tradition," and it's incredibly important. 

You don't have to be sober to go to a meeting, either; the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop.

I encourage you to learn more about your PTSD symptoms and available treatments. We've created a Free Workbook to help you identify your symptoms so that you can make an informed decision to reclaim your life from PTSD and Moral Injury.

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSDThe Soldier's Workbook

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Friday, May 5, 2023

Getting Help for PTSD without Health Insurance




Nothing - and I mean nothing—feels more frustrating than talking to a Veteran who is ready to get the help they need to reclaim their lives from PTSD and then finding out that their insurance does not cover mental health or that their health insurance deductible is exorbitant. If we are not enrolled in the VA for health services, it can take months for service connection to get approved. In short, it’s a goat rope.

Today, we’re going to talk about how to get the help you need to recover from PTSD now. I am focusing on networks that have national reach, and this list is hardly exhaustive.

1.       The Vet Center. I think this is the VA’s best kept secret. All you need for help with a Vet Center is a DD-214; no service connection or enrollment is required and services are free of cost. I work regularly with our local Vet Center staff, and I find them impressive AF. Many of them are Combat Vets themselves, and the services and overall attitudes are very Vet-centric. They have appointments available after business hours and they serve Veterans—and their family members. Since Vet Centers are part of the VA system, their clinicians are well trained in Evidence-Based Treatments for PTSD. Their mandate is to serve Combat Vets, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) survivors, and their family members. Get more info: https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/

2.       Cohen Veterans Network. This is a non-profit national mental health network that launched in 2016 to serve Veterans and family members. Anyone who has served in the Armed Forces, regardless of role, discharge status, or combat experience is eligible for mental health services; this includes National Guard and Reservists. I have worked with therapists out of the San Antonio, Texas office and they are really, really talented and dedicated. Many of the therapists are Combat Veterans. It is not affiliated with the VA. There are about 20 locations as of this post’s date across the U.S. https://www.cohenveteransnetwork.org/clinics/

3.       Give an Hour. Give an Hour serves anyone who served in the U.S. Military for any length of time, with any branch, and any active, reserve or discharge status. The website matches Veterans who need services with clinicians who volunteer to “give an hour” of therapy free of cost. Because of telehealth, Veterans can see a counselor anywhere in their state making this a good option for those who will consider working online. https://giveanhour.org/military/

4.       Employee Assistance Program. Hear me out—I think this is one of the most underutilized work benefits and it is widely available to almost anyone employed, even on a part-time basis. EAPs are part of many benefits packages, and a call to your Human Resources folks will give you more information. EAPs offer free short-term counseling to employees and family members, and the EAP will usually set you up with a counselor, making it user friendly. The EAPs that I work with give clients between five and ten therapy sessions with no cost or co-pay. When I work with clients who have high deductibles before their insurance kicks in, I encourage them to go through their EAP. Moreover, we can get a lot done in five or ten sessions.

Your local community may have resources also, so a Google search like “free military counseling near me” may turn up more ideas. Also, when talking to mental health professionals, ask for their recommendations. Folks who work in mental health all tend to hang out together, and we are usually very connected into our local community resources. If at a loss, find a social worker in a government agency or hospital and ask them. In my experience, I have found that social workers have a unique super power: knowing things. They are just more resourceful than the rest of us.

Most importantly, don’t ever be afraid to call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room if you are feeling suicidal. I know that health insurance can leave us feeling hopeless, but NOTHING is more important than your life.

If you know of more resources for Veterans to get mental health services, we want to know – please leave a comment below.

*****

If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

The best way to start is to identify the problem. Download my free workbook and take a No-Sh*t assessment of where you are at today.