Veterans Get Relief Regarding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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The Pentagon is planning to spend $300 million on research about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), making it the most money spent on military medical research since a 1993 study about breast cancer. This is great news for veterans and active service members, offering a ray of hope for those who have been suffering from PTSD.
About Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the MilitaryPTSD is an anxiety disorder that develops after disturbing events or situations causing physical harm. Assaults, accidents, natural disasters, human disasters and military combat are the most likely traumatic events to cause PTSD. Essentially, victims of PTSD must deal with emotional numbness, sleeping problems and persisting memories of the event.
According to the Department of the Navy, in 2007 there were 2,114 diagnosed cases of post-traumatic stress. A study published by the think tank RAND Corp. approximates that 300,000 active and post military combat troops have PTSD, TBI or depression.
PTSD and Post Military Service MembersMany veterans who come back and suffer from PTSD experience a highly negative stigma, mainly that they will appear weak and unable to handle the severe pressures of being in the military. This stigma has greatly affected the chances of PTSD victims seeking help, something that all branches of the military are looking to correct.
Some claim that military leaders should be taking charge of the situation and looking for signs of PTSD among their troops. In the Marines, there are new efforts to assign regional training coordinators to varying bases and expand mental health groups deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. With this new Pentagon initiative, PTSD victims and future military personnel will better understand the effects of post-traumatic stress and develop ways to alleviate the pain and erase the stigma.
How PTSD Research Will Help VeteransThe $300 million will not only benefit those out of the military, but also civilians who have gone through harrowing experiences. Research will include development devices that can detect brain injury through movements in the eye.
Studies will also focus on discovering new forms of therapy for PTSD victims, including extensive tests on 20 types of TBI medication and methods for regenerating damaged brain cells. Overall, the money spent on finding out more about PTSD and TBI is a sign that the military values veteran health.
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