tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-223079852024-11-16T04:32:39.867-06:00<a href="http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/2006/02/welcome-to-ptsd-combat.html">Welcome Home</a>. <br><br>While a wide variety of events can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder, this PTSD blog focuses solely on the <a href="http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/2006/03/combat-ptsd-what-are-symptoms.html">combat-related</a> variety. As a new generation of combat vets returns to civilian life and seeks out resources, <b>PTSD Combat</b> is here to help.Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comBlogger1024125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-28096369307072863652011-02-14T18:41:00.012-06:002023-05-23T19:31:02.072-05:00

Dear friends,Since it's been mostly quiet here the past year, it's time for me to write a note. First come the thank yous. To those of you who have read, shared and/or supported my Moving a Nation to Care project, you are appreciated. The slim volume made bigger waves than this little fish ever expected. To all of you who, at one time or another over the past five years, visited PTSD Combat --

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-23428822532074870962010-11-10T21:15:00.019-06:002023-05-23T19:33:44.012-05:00

Known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, in America -- in towns and cities small and large -- we take a few moments this Thursday, on Veterans Day, to remember those who have served this land.Events and gatherings, in fact, have already been in full swing since at least this past weekend, when I snapped the above series of photos in little Utica, Ill., population:

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-21539676571704054652010-06-27T00:34:00.011-05:002010-06-27T06:46:27.319-05:00

This past week, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution submitted by Sen. Kent Conrad [D-ND] marking today, June 27, as National PTSD Awareness Day. Boy, have we come a long way.It's been three decades since post-traumatic stress disorder was first listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). Since then, the study of trauma has taken off, reflected in academic

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-26167475136355063182010-05-03T23:55:00.002-05:002010-05-04T15:36:22.968-05:00

Flush with important skill sets and valuable experiences, military veterans can be counted among a community's greatest assets. Unfortunately, one barrier they face when out of uniform and in a civilian capacity is a feeling of disconnection from the very people they wish to serve.So says a a 44-page report, All Volunteer Force: From Military to Civilian Service [pdf]. Published last November on

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-53294747857269545152010-05-03T20:12:00.020-05:002010-06-14T14:04:45.427-05:00

Here we go again. Fears of PTSD malingering and VA claim fraud bobbed to the surface this weekend in a piece by Allen G. Breed, AP:Moved by a huge tide of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress, Congress has pressured the Department of Veterans Affairs to settle their disability claims — quickly, humanely, and mostly in the vets' favor.The problem: The system is

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-7702924344524098602010-05-01T12:11:00.008-05:002010-05-01T16:27:05.658-05:00

Shared on facebook recently: Blood protein triggers scars in the brain after injury | EurekaAlert release -- Clip: "A protein called fibrinogen that is known to help form blood clots also triggers scar formation in the brain and spinal cord, according to new research in the April 28 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers found that fibrinogen carries a dormant factor that activates

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-24924863170195154742010-04-30T12:08:00.000-05:002010-04-30T14:54:44.666-05:00

Sharing a handful of recent news reports focusing on the unique military service and civilian reintegration experiences of our women veterans. A good intro for our purposes from Jayme Fraser, Montana Kaimin:Military policies banning women from the frontline are disappearing as the number of female veterans in the United States nears 1.9 million.“I think we’re growing up,” Army National Guard Capt

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-53182621791618090272010-04-27T15:44:00.008-05:002010-04-29T15:23:22.626-05:00

Quick looks at the latest news containing statistics of interest to returning veterans, military families and their caregivers. First up, Kristin M. Hall for AP:Brig. Gen. Stephen Townsend addressed the 101st Airborne Division with military brusqueness: Suicides at the post had spiked after soldiers started returning home from war, and this was unacceptable."It's bad for soldiers, it's bad for

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-9475241826755790912010-04-25T23:10:00.002-05:002010-04-25T23:32:51.285-05:00

Yes.A recent study confirms the role of guilt and the need to resolve meaning-of-life issues in those attempting to move beyond PTSD:Combat veterans commonly report guilt and depression following stressful military experiences. More depressed veterans often report higher levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Dohrenwend et al., 2006). Guilt also appears to be a distress-related response,

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-86107369674921355622010-04-25T11:27:00.002-05:002010-04-25T21:16:57.792-05:00

The Veterans Health Administration as part of its VA Research: Improving Veterans Lives brochure series, has produced a six-pager on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [pdf]. Written by the communicators at VA's Research & Development Department, the slant is on treatment modalities currently being developed and tested:This brochure presents examples of VA’s recent accomplishments in PTSD research.

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-73756838671829893882010-04-19T14:12:00.003-05:002010-04-19T16:33:44.120-05:00

Recent press reports on science, technology and health re: combat veterans and military. Edric Thompson, CERDEC Public Affairs via Army.mil:Maj. Gen. Nick Justice, Research, Development and Engineering Command commanding general and key members of his staff traveled to Apple headquarters March 5. Apple officials gave the Army group tours of its laboratories and other facilities and talked about

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-43109938609092460392010-04-13T19:17:00.011-05:002010-04-15T11:29:53.877-05:00

Military suicide figures recently reported on in the press. First up, Mark Thompson asks in an article for Time magazine, Is the U.S. Army Losing Its War on Suicide?From the invasion of Afghanistan until last summer, the U.S. military had lost 761 soldiers in combat there. But a higher number in the service — 817 — had taken their own lives over the same period. The surge in suicides, which have

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-33834548545483754852010-04-13T07:25:00.012-05:002010-04-14T10:39:31.951-05:00

One of the newest courses at Fort Jackson, the Army's biggest basic training and combat instruction outpost, is something called Master Resilience Training. The genesis for the course has been the rise of suicide in the military.Yesterday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey, a vocal proponent of warrior resilience training, toured the South Carolina base and spoke about the novel 10-day

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-31761061742901974642010-04-11T17:25:00.010-05:002010-04-12T09:35:24.090-05:00

Headline splashed across the front page of today's Chicago Tribune: The Cost of War. Analyzing more than 3 million VA disability claims (this figure equals the number of vets receiving such compensation in 2009 -- a jump of 24 percent over the 2003 total), it is the latest in a long line of government and private studies on problems at the VA. The Trib found: The bulk of the increases didn't come

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-61724816197309937342010-04-11T13:24:00.005-05:002010-04-11T15:11:12.689-05:00

Yes. (Not a very surprising conclusion, is it?) Recent research shows this to be true for Iraq War veterans: [A study led by Shira Maguen of the San Francisco VA Medical Center and University of California-San Francisco] examined the mental health impact of reported direct and indirect killing among 2,797 U.S. soldiers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Data were collected as part of a

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-26098551204869038112010-04-04T21:50:00.038-05:002010-04-07T22:55:17.640-05:00

Sorry for the state of the website right now.I'm putting the finishing touches on a long-needed template update. So, I'm working quite a bit in the background, which will cause some hiccups for anyone attempting to access the site.In the next few days, you'll find some discontinuity between a number of pages (the sitemap and alternate home page at ptsdcombat.com, for example, won't integrate

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-16788078941103521332010-04-04T00:00:00.048-05:002011-02-06T23:23:52.881-06:00

I recently came upon a beautifully-filmed and presented set of stress management videos created by Joy of Ritual author Barbara Biziou.Geared toward a general audience (and not specifically for those with PTSD), yet just about as colorful as a basketful of Easter eggs, I thought I'd share them with you (be sure to check in extended for parts 2 + 3).Here's to a relaxing yet 'hoppy' holiday!Related

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-34288610979384134522010-04-03T23:20:00.035-05:002010-04-07T22:57:56.596-05:00

Yes.Studies suggest posttraumatic growth can be a significant, positive outcome of surviving and even thriving following a traumatic event. Controversial in some quarters, at this juncture the data shows such life experiences may be character-building:That which does not kill us makes us stronger. — Friedrich NietzscheIn contrast to Nietzsche’s well-known quote, life-threatening experiences may

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-41968634317320223632010-04-01T22:13:00.025-05:002010-04-11T16:16:01.406-05:00

Last summer, I crossed paths with Pamela Woll, MA, CADP. A Chicago-based author and consultant in writing, training, and instructional development, Woll works on getting individuals and organizations to "recognize and build on resilience; understand the nature, neurobiology, and effects of stress and trauma; and promote successful recovery from the effects of embodied stress and trauma."While her

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-19474589968219941152010-03-31T10:22:00.017-05:002010-04-07T23:02:29.199-05:00

Recent statistical data found in news reports regarding today's veterans. First up from HealthDay News:Between 2002 and 2008, nearly 50,000 veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars received diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder. But fewer than 10 percent of those completed the recommended treatment of 10 to 12 weekly sessions within four months; the number only grew to fewer than 30

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-5443865285977030502010-02-24T16:47:00.022-06:002010-04-07T23:04:41.664-05:00

Content shared on my facebook profile recently:Death toll in Afghan war nears 1,000 | Washington PostMilwaukee VA Hospital Changing To Serve Female Veterans | WISN-ABC [this link will take you to news program clip on YouTube, which doesn't allow embedding]Army Studies Virtual Reality Therapy for Soldiers With PTSD | iHealthBeatUS Military Utilizes Holistic Healing Methods | BioVeda WellnessGood

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-6509841119755378662010-02-24T13:23:00.020-06:002010-04-10T03:47:37.471-05:00

Head's up, Northern Illinois.All current and/or former members of the military; military family members; representatives or members of a veterans service organization; service or resource providers of any sort or stripe whose work includes supporting military/veteran clients; student veterans; and interested supporters are invited to attend a special Benefits/Informational Fair next

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-12254788155970789892010-01-16T19:32:00.014-06:002010-04-11T11:13:41.168-05:00

News clips examining recent PTSD, TBI and other combat trauma or deployment-related study insights. First, Jennifer Thomas for HealthDay via BusinessWeek:War isn't just tough on soldiers. Army wives whose husbands were deployed have higher rates of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and other mental health issues than the wives of soldiers who stayed home, a new study shows.Researchers looked

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-83145691539592462042010-01-16T18:16:00.024-06:002010-04-07T23:11:51.821-05:00

Time for a little breather? After clicking off on the ad as the clip begins, this YouTube video turns into a relaxing and fun break (esp. for those of us in the north with snow on the ground). I always get a hankering to get away somewhere warm right about now. Virtually drifting off to Florida to listen to the ocean waves and watch the birds play on the beach is...ahhhhh!&nbsp;Related Posts

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22307985.post-85675546239554640672010-01-14T14:57:00.025-06:002010-04-07T23:16:25.030-05:00

"When the freedom they wished for most was the freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again." -- Edith Hamilton (1867-1963), USAPresident Obama and our military have begun humanitarian ops in Haiti, and roughly 10,000 troops will be stationed in the area by Monday. While the strain on forces and milfamilies needs to be relieved (and this isn't going to help)

Ilona Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867386558261264623noreply@blogger.com