Mental health

PTSD Treatment for Combat Veterans by Colin Harrison

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

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PTSD is a major problem for veterans today and is going to become a bigger problem over time. That’ s not speculation it’ s a fact, based on the enormous number of troops that have been in combat in recent years.

In fact , more than 2 . 0 million American and coalition troops have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003, with thousands deployed multiple times. Recent surveys found that 20% of soldiers who served in Afghanistan now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression.

However , alarming these figures may be, it’ s comforting to know that diagnosis for PTSD is getting better and numerous treatments are available. So what treatments are available for suffers of PTSD?

Medication

One of the most common symptoms of PTSD is difficulty sleeping, which can be a major problem and have a disruptive effect on one’ s ability to concentrate and focus. A drug called Prazosin is often prescribed for nightmares and has been used for a long time in the treament of hypertension.

Anxiety and depression is another common issue and many drugs are available to treat this symptom. The one thing to consider with any medication is that side-effects are often associated with their use and dependency can also become an issue. Working closely with your doctor should help you find the right medications and manage any side-effects that are experienced. Ideally, medication will help out in the short-term and provide a route into more sustainable and natural treatments.

Psychotherapy

A number of forms of therapy are available for suffers of PTSD, and whilst in the past many people have been reticent to consider ‘ seeing a shrink’, therapy is one of the most effective ways to tackle the condition.

It’ s possible to enter into a one-on-one or a group therapy programme. Group therapy has benefited many people facing challenging mental or physical situations and the power of connecting with people who have been through similar experiences should not be underestimated.

Some types of therapy used in PTSD treatment include:

Cognitive therapy. Talking about self-destructive thoughts and what causes this can help you develop strategies to change these notions.

Exposure therapy. This is a behavioral therapy technique to help you face up to the things that you find upsetting so you can learn to deal with it.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This seems like an unusual approach, but combining Exposure Therapy with a programme of guided eye movements can help sufferers deal with traumatic memories. This is because there is a strong connection between eye movement and the function of the memory.

A combination of these approaches will likely be the best route, and working with your healthcare professional should allow you to find the best approach for you. Just remember that there’ s no need to deal with the symptoms of PTSD on your own and effective treatment can have a massive difference on the quality of your life.

Once a Warrior–Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home–Including Combat Stress, PTSD, and mTBI

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 Shock Waves: A Practical Guide to Living with a Loved One’s PTSD

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 Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD: A 10-Week Program for Healing After Trauma

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Music’s Healing Power — The Perfect Therapy

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Music’s Healing Power — The Perfect Therapy

You’re about to be wheeled in for surgery. You’re very nervous, and nothing anyone says is going to make you feel better. Finally, someone turns on some incredibly soothing music. You finally feel the peace wash over you and you know everything is going to be okay. Is it just a feeling, or does music actually have any
influence over your health?

The evidence is stacked up strongly in favor of music’s healing
power! A positive link has been found for those suffering from things like autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Tourette’s.

Why Does Music Have a Healing Effect?

There are neuroscientists who are working to discover exactly why music
has healing powers. After all, it’s pretty amazing that it can stimulate certain areas of the brain, speed healing, and decrease anxiety and increase optimism.

There are different components to music that can have an effect. Pitch, harmony, frequency, melody, and rhythm all effect the brain in different ways. We know that some of the brain locations are involved in helping to heal and soothe the body as well.

The brain can be taught and stimulated to perform better — and it seems that music is the
perfect vehicle to do that.

Musical Therapy

There are around 5,000 registered musical therapists in the United States. Their services are used to soothe people, stimulate recovery, and more. As we now know from scientific evidence, music has an actual physical effect on the body as well.

What Can Music Heal?

Music can be beneficial in just about every circumstance. However, scientists are looking into some specific uses where it has been found to be particularly effective.

Those who have had strokes often have trouble with their speech. It’s thought that the act of
singing or chanting can increase their fluency! It also has a strong effect on optimism and a positive outcome in
recovery overall.

In fact, the same effect has been seen with those who stutter. Music and singing can completely take the stutter away for a time. This is a great relief and a definite boost for someone who is tired of stuttering.

Parkinson’s disease affects movement. The rhythm of music can be a great help because it can stimulate the brain to allow more movement. It can help a person with Parkinson’s disease to move smoothly and vibrantly!

Memory is one of the biggest areas of study for music’s healing power. Research in the area of Alzheimer’s disease has been particularly promising. While it doesn’t take away or lessen the disease, it can help to stimulate memories for the patient.

It’s apparent that music has a special place in both our hearts and our minds, since even those who have nearly completely lost touch with reality can recognize and sing songs they have loved throughout their life.

Music has also been tested to be an amazing de-stressor. You’ve probably seen its effects yourself! You can come home and pop in your favorite CD at the end of the day and the worries that troubled you during the work hours instantly melt away.

The Science Behind Music’s Healing Power

However, there is science behind this and its healing power. Dr. Mike Miller of the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, set out to study this.

He used high-tech imaging to measure blood vessel size while listening to music. What he found was that the lining of the blood vessel relaxed and opened up. It also produced chemicals that help protect the heart.

There is a catch here. It has to be music the person enjoys! If they do not, the vessels close up. This is a stress response — the opposite of what we want.

Music can heal indirectly as well. You see, stress can have terrible effects on the body and mind long term. It can cause the blood vessels to become rigid, which does not allow the blood to flow freely. Arteries can harden as well. Blood pressure can rise overall. All of this is a recipe for heart attack and stroke!

Stress has a negative effect on the immune system as well. People who are stressed tend to get sick far more often. Those who are stressed often experience fertility and performance issues. Stress can even lead to anxiety and depression. It’s an all-around bad mixture for the body!

That’s why we see such positive effects from calm music. Music can make you feel great! When your mood improves, the stress gets chased away. It follows, then, that listening to music consistently can improve your health because it eliminates the factor of stress and its effects on the body and mind.

Hospitals Recognize Music’s Healing Power

Many hospitals and doctors are starting to recognize the wonderful healing effect music can have. They know that it can reduce stress and anxiety. It can help improve the recovery period — and it’s incredibly cost effective.

You can try this as well! There are so many ways you can integrate music into your daily life. Whether you have a condition you feel could be helped by music or not, music can positively affect your mood and overall health.

Researchers do note that you should change up the music you listen to. That way, it is kept fresh and alive, and the effects remain strong. You are now in a great position because you know that music can be so beneficial. If you should ever need surgery or to overcome an illness, you’ll be well aware of the amazing
benefits music can hold for you.

It’s a great thing that music’s healing power is not only being studied, but utilized. We’ve used music to heal since the beginning of time — it’s part of who we are. We will come to learn much, much more as scientists dedicate their time to this important area of study. Even more important, however, is that you make
music therapy a part of your everyday life.

Share it with those you love! If you know someone who is stressed or healing, the chances are high they could use some healing power. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to the wonderful effects music can have on your body.

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8 Tips to Ensure Life Success

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Personal goal setting is one of the best things you can do if you truly desire to be successful in life. Sadly, only a small percentage of people actually make goals for themselves regularly. But those are the most successful people you will meet!

Following are eight tips to help you use personal goal setting to achieve those things that are truly important to you.

1. Put your goals in writing – this will solidify them and make them very real. It also is the first step, and taking action is a key factor in reaching your goals. Writing them down also makes them more real. Unwritten goals with no game plan are really nothing more than wishes. And wishes don’t get you very far – but written goals will!

2. Prioritize them – When it comes to personal goal setting, it is essential that you prioritize your goals. Decide which ones are the most crucial for you to achieve. Those are the ones on which you want to devote the most energy. Those that end up at the bottom of your list may not be truly important to you, and they can be addressed at a later date in time if needed.

3. Write your goals down as positive statements. For example, rather than “lose 20 pounds” or “stop overeating”, you might write “reach the healthy weight of ____ pounds” or “eat only until I’m satisfied”.

4. Make your goals very clear and specific. With personal goal setting, if your goals are vague, you won’t likely succeed because you’re not really aiming at anything specific. An “iffy” goal is like throwing darts blind-folded (which I don’t recommend!). You might, by chance, hit the dart board but it is highly unlikely. Vague goals would be things such as “lose weight” or “make more money”.

Make them more specific; for example “make $10,000 per month”. That way you can measure process and you will know exactly when you have reached your goal. (After all, “make more money” could mean that you’re earning $5 more per month – which probably isn’t what you are striving for – right?)

5. Create specific timelines for reaching each of your goals. Not having a clear time frame in mind is very similar to having vague goals – you may never reach it because you take forever getting there. Creating a timeline gives you a sense of urgency, and will help spur motivation. Urgency and motivation are two important factors in personal goal setting.

6. Make sure your goals (and timelines) are realistic. For example, if you weight 250 pounds and your goal is to reach 150 pounds, you probably want to give yourself more than a month or two to reach your goal! Unrealistic goals and timelines are a quick path to failure when it comes to personal goal setting.

A note of caution here: there’s a delicate balance between being realistic and keeping your dreams alive. No one believed the 4 minute mile barrier could be broken – until Roger Bannister showed everyone that it could. And soon after his victory several people began running the mile in less than 4 minutes – most likely because now they believed it was possible.

So, go ahead and dream big – dreams are what make us feel alive and can fuel us with the motivation to achieve what may have seemed impossible (or what others tell us is impossible).

7. Break big goals down into multiple smaller, more doable goals. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by a really big goal. It may seem absolutely impossible – until your break it down into small steps. This is very important when it comes to personal goal setting!

For instance, if you’re just starting college and your goal is to become a surgeon, you may quickly become discouraged at the very long road ahead. However, if you break it down into sub goals (and then sub goals for those sub goals), the task won’t seem so daunting and you will be more likely to succeed.

8. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal (or sub goal). It is important that you acknowledge and reward your successes along the way, as success breeds more success. Treat yourself to something nice. It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive. But it is important that you celebrate each success along the way. You will be more likely to remain motivated and it will make the process a lot more fun!

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Solitude

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This is a subject that is one of perception. Think if you will the last time you actually did not have any distractions from the radio or TV or the telephone and you just set still closed your eyes and let the world come to you.
A great philosopher said “don’t do something, just sit and let the world come to you”. After all of these years I realize this person meant to let the world come to my inner self, or as Napoleon Hill puts it “your other self”.
Your other self consist of those things and dreams that have been buried inside of you because of all the external input that we allow to come at us on a daily basis. The other self is the dreamer who has goals and a vivid imagination of how his or her future will be. The other self directs the subconscious by the words and physiology that we use to maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. To know that the only limits we have are self imposed by us and our references. Be still and know that the inner voice will guide you and when you have an intuitive thought ACT ON IT!!! Don’t hesitate.
Remember when you where a child you always could play “make believe”. Well, I am here to tell you that you can have make believe now and by believing you will receive. The subconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is real or imagined. This is one of the greatest secrets that I have learned. Any mistakes I have made in the past I go to my memory bank and relive them in solitude by visualizing the way I wanted them to come out. Then I can feel that emotion of happiness, joy, laughter, or prosperity.
The choice is yours Pain or Pleasure. I think we all have experienced enough pain in our lives to want pleasure. It is human nature to move from pain to pleasure don’t fight it when you fight it this only leads to frustration.
Remember Imagination without eventual mobilization leads to massive frustration. So act your way into right thinking only after you have looked inside for that beautiful creative “other self”

Things to remember

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Things to remember
by Timothy Kendrick

All wealth begins in the mind.

Learn to like the difficult (surprises). When you were a child didn’t you like surprises?

Learn to like the unusual.

Learn to like the unknown.

Be grateful. Wallace Wattles said “Many people order their lives rightly. In all other ways are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude.” It’s impossible to bring more into your life if you are feeling ungrateful about what you have. WHY? Because the thoughts and feelings you emit are negative emotions and negative emotions block the good coming to you.

Most of all DARE TO TAKE A CHANCE!!! Mistakes aren’t mistakes, they are education. It’s all how you are programmed to look at it. We are the source of all of our emotions. The body will always show what the mind is thinking.

Soundtrack That Plays in our Mind

/ Timothy Kendrick / 1 Comment

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(excerpt from PTSD)

Someone once said that we all have a musical soundtrack that plays in our mind. Where did this come from? My guess is years of programming from everything from commercials to music. Everything we have ever seen or heard is in our brain somewhere. Have you ever wondered why a song is in your head and you cannot seem to get rid of it?
My research and questions to people have found that it may pertain to our emotional and psychological state at the time. I wake up and hear a song that may be a “trigger” or an “anchor” to something from my past. Sometimes it is about a girl, other times it will take me to places I do not wish to go.

Remembering things and forgetting them constitute two ways that our subconscious protects us. For some reason Veterans like us find ourselves vividly remembering incidents, people, places, and things that may have warped our thinking and judgment. Sometimes this will manifest itself negative ways, we may become isolated, have panic attacks or bouts of confusion. The practice that works for me is replacing those old songs with something new and different until I can handle them. Sometimes it takes leverage (pain) to take action on these situations. If we are in enough pain, we will respond with whatever action is needed for change to take place.

Create new memories with these songs or replace the words with something that makes you feel good. My neighbor burns his trash on his farm, I can smell it a mile away, and it takes me back to Somalia just about every time. Alternatively, another personal favorite of mine is when he shoots one of his cows in the head when he sells one. Just the gunshot makes my mind move into fight or flight mode. The other day I opened my truck door to let my dog out when we went to the park. Just the way the handle “popped” put a ringing in my ears and I was instantly back to a place I did not want to be. By practice, taking action and using trial and error I have learned to change my state in a split second and move to a more comfortable place.

I have become a firm believer in “garbage in, garbage out.” I replace those songs (old ways of thinking) with other motivational material or with new songs (new ways of thinking) and I create a peaceful fun environment for my subconscious. Remember that our subconscious cannot distinguish between reality and fiction. It will only do what our conscious mind tells it to do.

If we say, “I can’t” the conscious mind tells the subconscious “okay boys; he says he can’t do it so let’s prove him right.” If we say, “I can” the conscious mind says “okay boys he says he can so let’s make it happen.”

Things to Remember

/ Timothy Kendrick / Leave a comment

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All wealth begins in the mind.

Learn to like the difficult (surprises). When you were a child didn’t you like surprises?

Learn to like the unusual.

Learn to like the unknown.

Be grateful. Wallace Wattles said “Many people order their lives rightly. In all other ways are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude.” It’s impossible to bring more into your life if you are feeling ungrateful about what you have. WHY? Because the thoughts and feelings you emit are negative emotions and negative emotions block the good coming to you.

Most of all DARE TO TAKE A CHANCE!!! Mistakes aren’t mistakes, they are education. It’s all how you are programmed to look at it. We are the source of all of our emotions. The body will always show what the mind is thinking.

It is important that your environment reinforces your identity!

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It is important that your environment reinforces your identity!

Take charge of your life, if you don’t there are several people and institutions that will do it for you. Conquer your fears and SET GOALS.
Many people sleep through their life without a definite purpose.
Setting goals plants seeds in your subconscious that will manifest regardless of what you consciously do. When you place goals into your subconscious they move you in the direction you want to go, sometimes effortlessly. Remember it is who you become on the journey.
I have said before that “normal” is a setting on a washing machine. The “normal guy” goes nowhere and does nothing. Leaders are different from the group. You can’t be “normal” and be a leader.
Be different from other people and you will go farther than you ever dreamed. On an average day we spend almost 2 hours talking with someone else. This is roughly 10,000-20,000 words. This seems like a lot. Here is the kicker this is only .05% of the words you speak to yourself on a daily basis.

The words you speak to yourself will create the world that you live in!

As a man thinketh so is he, always think why you CAN do something not why you can’t.

Anxiety and Marijuana Use

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Marijuana use is now confirmed to be less than enjoyable for many ever since a brand new set of reactions have begun to plague those who choose to smoke. Many who have smoked marijuana for years in the past find the experience to be presently quite different, as they now experience a host of intrusive side effects.

The follow complaints have been noted from recent polls concerning marijuana use:

– Intense Anxiety

– Panic Attacks

– Rapid Heartbeat

– Lightheaded

– Insomnia

– Dizziness

– Sweating

– Shaking

– Breathing Difficulties

– Feelings of Unreality (depersonalization/derealization)

The above sensations are usually experienced after using stimulants, which is quite interesting, since marijuana use previously triggered the opposite effect.

Nonetheless, the complaints are increasing, as are the symptoms. Even after the marijuana is out of the system, many find the symptoms continue or even escalate. This is not difficult to overcome once one has a full understanding of this difficulty and learns how to approach it correctly.

Understanding

It’s important to understand precisely what is occurring in order to achieve fully recovery from this form of traumatic sensitization.

Both mind and body experienced a mild shock or traumatic event when the adverse reaction occurred (marijuana use). The frightened mind went into self-protective mode as did the reactive body (release of adrenaline in preparation of fight or flight). This fight or flight release of adrenaline produces racing heart, sweating, rapid eye movement and tense muscles. Adrenaline also creates an abundance of energy to necessitate a rapid escape from the associated danger. Since imminent danger is not actually a factor in this case, and the flight mechanism is not in play, the abundance of adrenaline remains in the system, resulting in more symptoms.

Stimulant Use

Bottom line, it’s important to realize that marijuana, especially purchased on the street, is usually laced with substances that result in stimulation and excitability, classifying this substance in the category of stimulants. It is a known fact that stimulants trigger anxiety reactions in sensitive individuals and are best avoided.

Treatment

– It is imperative to avoid further marijuana use if sensitized and reactive.

– Replace relaxation method with meditation, breathing, yoga or outdoor activity such as walking, running, swimming, etc.

– Make use of a proper anti-anxiety nutrition plan, which maintains balanced blood sugar while naturally boosting Serotonin levels in the brain.

– Look to nature for a calm and healthy body: Nourishment, Rest, Fresh Air, Activity and Nurtured Living Plan.

– Take responsibility for your own happiness and well being.

– Begin a course in desensitization, learning to interrupt fearful thinking, combined with a specific food/nutrition plan to maintain a calm and peaceful mind and body.

In conclusion, it’s essential to know your own sensitivity levels and stay within them. Many individuals are highly reactive to outside stimuli, especially when stimulating substances are in play. Make choices that take these factors into consideration. Follow a plan that brings forth a state of calm rather than the stimulating factors that result in an over-sensitized mind and body. The goal is to feel well, relaxed and in a zone where happiness is the norm rather than falsely perceived.

Dr. R. E. Freedman
Anxiety and Depersonalization
http://www.anxietybustersblog.com
Anxiety Busters, Inc.
http://www.anxietybusters.com
Office Phone: 215-635-4700
Office Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (EST) Mon-Sun
info@anxietybusters.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._R.E._Freedman

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Wide Asleep Slumber no more…

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Wide Asleep Slumber no more…
Excerpt from book “Wide Asleep Slumber no more (Available at Amazon and Bookstores everywhere)

Why as human beings with so much untapped potential do we go through our everyday lives without even noticing a smile from a stranger?
How is it that we accept whatever happens as the norm and how is that we are so busy making a living instead of designing a life.
I hope to assist you in answering these questions and others throughout this book.
Let’s start with the obvious question? What makes me an “expert” or “specialist” on these subjects? Well, for more than 10 years I have studied my behavior along with countless others who have stumbled along the road most often traveled going where the masses go and doing what the masses do and the result was more often than not ending up in the same rut as the masses.
I found out that whether we like it or not we become the environment that we choose to be in. We accepted other B.S. (belief systems, thanks Tony). We followed the herd for fear of rejection. We are bombarded daily with mindless dribble from radio, TV and print advertising. The “weeds” in our subconscious feed off of the drama set forth from the previous examples. The weeds will grow regardless. We must learn to pull them.
We have a “gatekeeper”. It is our conscious minds ability to choose what we want to focus on. Believe me if you focus on anything with laser like precision you will bring it to you. This means success or failure.

When you Visualize, Crystallize
and when you Crystallize
you will Materialize.

What do you really want? Ask 100 people this question and 98 will not be able to give you an answer. I mean a deep down gut check, this is what I want, and this is how I’m going to get it and this is who I’m going to help so I can make it happen. The clearer the picture becomes in your mind the closer you are to achieving your goals. Write it down, cut pictures out of magazines, draw pictures, see yourself already achieving what you want. First you must know what it is.
It’s not what we want it is the feeling we get from it. I am here to tell you now that you can have that feeling anytime you want it.
Someday will never come, trust me. The average life expectancy on this earth is 25,500 days, that’s it 25,500 days. What gets you fired up and juiced with a burning passion that nothing can stop you.
If there is no passion in your life, simply put, you are not following your bliss and not doing what you are supposed to be doing. Ouch, hurts don’t it. This will help you move from pain to pleasure. This is what we do whether we wish to recognize it or not. Every action we take is an attempt for us to move from pain to pleasure from discomfort to comfort.