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An Indiana University study trained older veterans with a history of stroke in yoga and produced “exciting” results. The researchers explored whether this popular mind-body practice can help stroke victims cope with their increased risk for painful and even deadly falls. The pilot study involved 19 men and one woman, average age of 66. For eight weeks, they participated in a twice weekly hour-long group yoga class taught by a yoga therapist who dramatically modified the poses to meet the veterans’ needs.
A new study from the Journal of Traumatic Stress finds that for active-duty male soldiers in the U.S. Army who are happily married, communicating frequently with one’s spouse through letters and emails during deployment may protect against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after returning home.
Veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars showed a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after just eight weeks of practicing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique, according to a pilot study published in the June 2011 issue of Military Medicine.
An advanced imaging technique has revealed that some U.S. military personnel with mild blast-related traumatic brain injuries have abnormalities in the brain that have not been seen with other types of imaging. The abnormalities were found in the brain’s white matter, the wiring system that nerve cells in the brain use to communicate with each other.
For those soldiers worried about the stigma associated with seeing a therapist, virtual reality applications for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be the alternative to the traditional “talk therapy.” A new paper by Albert Rizzo from the University of Southern California, Institute for Creative Technologies, Los Angeles, and his team, reviews how virtual reality applications are being designed and implemented across various points in the military deployment cycle, to prevent, identify and treat combat-related PTSD.
Military service members who screened positive for mental health disorders before deployment, or who were injured during deployment, were more likely to develop post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than their colleagues without these risk factors, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Antidepressant use has been linked to thicker arteries, possibly contributing to the risk of heart disease and stroke, in a study of twin veterans. The data is being presented Tuesday, April 5 at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.
Virtual reality explosions, anti-American insults, and smells of smoke and foreign spices will be part of a new therapy program to help servicemen and women recover from their wartime experiences. Sounds such as explosions and gunfire have long been part of therapy programs for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But smells have rarely been included even though they can elicit flashbacks and anxiety in service personnel long after they leave the battlefield. Veterans of any military branch, as well as National Guard and Reserve members, who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan are eligible to participate; check the end of this report for contact information.
Early examination of data from the U.S. Army’s Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database (TAIHOD) has revealed potential predictors of risk for suicide among soldiers. Preliminary results were provided by researchers leading the ongoing Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Army STARRS, a partnership between NIMH and the U.S. Army, is the largest study of mental health risk and resilience ever conducted among military personnel.
The Fort Jackson Army Substance Abuse Program, which traditionally addresses issues of alcohol and drug abuse, will expand its programs by offering a six-week stress and anxiety reduction class, scheduled to begin Wednesday. Pierre Wilkins, a social worker with ASAP, explained that the goal is for people to identify stressors and stress symptoms and to learn how to reduce their stress levels. A second class building on the first one may become available if the need arises.
