The Development of an Integrated Treatment for Veterans with Comorbid Chronic Pain and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Theoretical Framework Research has observed military personnel and veterans physical and psychological problems individually and mutually. The combination of chronic pain and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) experienced by veterans has left those individuals with intense pain, distress, restricted lifestyles, and disability. The problem lies within the veterans who are suffering from chronic pain and PTSD. Veterans experience a diminished quality life and are in constant physical and psychological pain. This qualitative study uses a descriptive design, along with a phenomenological method, by integrating treatment …show more content…
During the first session clinicians educate participants on chronic pain and PTSD. In this first session participants are asked to generate three reasonable goals they desire to achieve through therapy. Weekly goal completion is examined before each session occurs. The second session is where clinicians guide participants in making sense of the chronic pain and PTSD they have endured. The third session allows participants to discuss their thoughts and feelings towards their understanding of chronic pain and PTSD. The fourth session clinicians employ cognitive reconstructing by identifying negative thoughts and giving participants the opportunity to change these thoughts into positive ones. The fifth session involves participants learning diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. The sixth session, clinicians discuss avoidance and implement interoceptive exposure. The seventh session involves participants finding pleasant activities to enjoy. The eighth session is dedicated to education on sleep hygiene. The ninth session works with veterans safety and trust issues. The tenth session is where veterans learn about their own power, control, and anger. The eleventh session works on veteran’s esteem and intimacy. The final session is reserved for relapse prevention and planning for the future. Clinicians administered a pre and post treatment assessments as follows: The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), PTSD Checklist
Hundreds of thousands of United States veterans are not able to leave the horrors of war on the battlefield (“Forever at War: Veterans Everyday Battles with PTSD” 1). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the reason why these courageous military service members cannot live a normal life when they are discharged. One out of every five military service members on combat tours—about 300,000 so far—return home with symptoms of PTSD or major depression. According to the Rand Study, almost half of these cases go untreated because of the disgrace that the military and civil society attach to mental disorders (McGirk 1). The general population of the world has to admit that they have had a nightmare before. Imagine not being able to sleep one
Today, hundreds of thousands of service men and women and recent military veterans have seen combat. Many have been shot at, seen their buddies killed, or witnessed death up close. These are types of events that can lead to Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder ("Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD: A Growing Epidemic. “) Anyone that has gone through a traumatic event can be diagnosed with PTSD but research shows, military men and women are more susceptible to having PTSD (PTSD: A Growing Epidemic.) And, with little help from the US, many Veterans do not get the help they need or get treated for PTSD. Military men and women begin to
I find it troubling that our Soldier’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms are being discredited by the medical community. It appears as though there has been a shift in our commitment to the health of the men and women who served this nation. These ideas connect to the overall ideas of the unit because it provides greater insight on challenges that patients and medical professionals experience when coping with cognitive health concerns. I do not have any personal experience associated with PTSD; however, the problem that I find in this article is that it suggests the effects of trauma which causes PTSD can be measured by a universal criteria. For example, I believe this research should consider that each individual has a unique level of tolerance to trauma which may cause them to respond in varying degrees of severity. Additionally, a patient’s inability to accurately express their symptoms may play a major factor which is causing this disparity. I recommend that further research should be conducted to
The causes of these elevated levels of suffering in military veterans and their families’ lives are multifactorial and cannot be just the direct result of combat exposure. The factors contributing to this very large number and significant scale of problems are not all fully understood, but are alarming. Most of these problems can be attributed as direct or indirect effect of a decade of
In the United States (US) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 8 out of every 100 persons (United States Department of Veterans Affairs [USDVA], 2015). In which account for about 8 million people that include the military veterans (USDVA, 2015). About 10% of women and 4% of men will develop PTSD during some course of their lives (USDVA, 2015). Veterans are more susceptible to PTSD due to longer exposures to trauma, danger, or witness a violent life threaten incidence during their military service periods (USDVA, 2015). The development of PTSD becomes chronic after no longer seeing or under the “fight-or-flight“ experiences causing a psychological and/ or mental breakdown (National Institutes of Health [NIH], n.d). Such
Post-traumatic stress disorder is considered as a psychiatric disorder that creates impairments in occupational, interpersonal, and social functioning. Although there are several treatment processes for veterans suffering from this condition, some intervention may fail to generate desired results. Veterans who fail to show appropriate recovery should be supported with an alternative treatment plan (Aurora et al., 2010). Veterans develop the condition because of exposure to traumatizing
Many of the veterans experience a multitude of issues linked to PTSD. Some of these can include depression, employment, increase demands on healthcare services, and social impairment. Physical health issues associated with PTSD can include respiratory, hypertension, skin, hearing and deafness, stomach, urinary and even musculoskeletal complications (Benyamini and Solomon, 2005:1271; Boscarino, 2006:253-254; Hoge, et al., 2006:1023; O’Toole and Catts, 2008:34). A number of soldiers in these studies reported an increase in substance abuse. This misuse of substances is either through alcohol, cigarettes, prescription medications, or other drugs (Benyamini and Solomon, 2005:1268; Browne et al., 2008:628; Hanwella, et al., 2014:4-6; Smith, et
PTSD affects nearly 60% of men and 50% of women. Annually, 5.2 million adults suffer from PTSD. 20 out of 100 Veterans who served in Iraq suffer from PTSD, and 15 out of every 100 Veterans who served in Vietnam suffer from PTSD (5). However, PTSD is not limited to veterans; These symptoms contain negative changes in thinking and mood, including negative feelings about oneself or others, inability to experience positive emotions, and feeling emotionally numb, and changes in emotional reactions, including angry outburst, aggressive behavior, guilt and shame, and self-destructive behavior (1). Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, discussed by Pete Walker in Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map For Recovering from Childhood Trauma, is a more severe form of PTSD, which contains emotional flashbacks, toxic shame, self-abandonment, inner critic, and social
(1) “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder than can develop after a person witnesses a traumatic event. A traumatic event can take many forms; a natural disaster, sexual abuse or a terrorist attack such as 9/11, but for veterans, PTSD is most often related to combat or military exposure. In wars prior to Vietnam, the disorder was referred to as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” and was not very well understood beyond the fact that it limited the soldier’s performance on the battlefield. Today, the disorder is more widely studied. We know that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to other mental health problems such as depression, social withdrawal, and substance abuse.” This disorder is such a heavy price to pay for our soldiers. Many come home and can not function in normal society and never really get the help they need to cope with their problems. Many more soldiers suffer in silence and never even tell anyone that they may have these issues because so many of them feel they are ‘macho’ and can handle it alone, but the truth is that they simply can
Post-traumatic stress disorder has always been an important issue to me. PTSD became an interest of mine when I saw the effects that it has on my husband and other Veterans suffering from the same issue. I wanted to pursue this research topic to further education myself, and inform others. PTSD not only effects the Veterans mentally, but it also has an effect on their family members as well, living with someone who is easily startled, has nightmares, or avoids social situations can take a toll on everybody. In this particular topic, I will focus on inquiring information about combat Veterans, families of combat Veterans, and others interested in learning or gaining more information about post-traumatic stress disorder. I will inform my audience about this topic through various reports from past century wars and convince my audience on how post- traumatic stress disorder effects combat Veterans later in life. I am conducting this project with combat Veterans, and their families in mind as my audience. Family members of a combat Veteran may not know the signs and symptoms of PTSD.
In the past, veterans who disclosed suffering from signs of PTSD encountered a great deal of ignorance and bias. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (n.d.), veterans who had the illness were often considered weak, were rejected by comrades, and even faced discharge from military service. In fact, even physicians and mental health specialists often questioned the existence of the disease, which of course led to society’s misconception of PTSD in general. Sadly because of this existing prejudice it appears even today soldiers are still worried to admit having PTSD symptoms, and therefore they do not receive the proper support they need. While individuals are assured that their careers will not be affected, and seeking help is encouraged, most soldiers see it as a failure to admit having a mental health illness (Zoroya, 2013). Educating military personal of this illness, and making sure no blame is put on the veterans who encounter this disease is therefore vital.
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 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.
According to Gulliver and Steffen (2010) individuals involved in treatment for symptoms of PTSD are more likely to meet criteria for a SUD compared to the average person; the same goes for individuals seeking treatment for a SUD in relation to a potential PTSD diagnosis. It is important to address the needs of this population (co-occurring PTSD and SUD) and develop effect treatment methods because they often experience more severe symptoms, have lower functioning in daily activities of living, have poorer sense of wellbeing, poorer physical health, higher rates of chronic physical pain diagnoses, and worse treatment outcomes (Schafer & Najavits, 2007; Gulliver & Steffen, 2010). The development of successful and effective treatment for co-occurring PTSD and SUDs has the potential to significantly impact the public health system by reducing costs associated with untreated or misguided treatment of these two disorders (Gulliver & Steffen, 2010).
Do you know the symptoms and treatments of Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD)? The summary, of this PTSD PSA, is a longer than normal video on the symptoms and treatments of PTSD covering all three appeals. The video utilized a variety of graphic pictures, large text, and somber music to inform the viewer about the warning signs and therapies for both men and women. Some of the triggers are not always known ahead of time, and some people do not want other to know for the fear of being labeled. In the Public Service Announcement (PSA), “PTSD,” produced by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Administration’s presentation of logos overshadows their less successful presentation of pathos and ethos concerning the topic of