ptsd Evidence-Based Psycotherapies

[Jazona]

I know this topic is about claims but wanted our brothers and sisters about something new the VA is cooking up for us. Just had this pulled on me and wanted to warn those of us that had not heard of it before. It basically entails writing down all of the very specific details of all the horrors that we have been trying all these years to forget. According to their logic (there's an oxymoron) re-experiencing the worst of it over and over makes one "used to it" and thereby, by they're reasoning, lessening the impact on us.

I've already had one friend say that if they made him do something like that...it just might push him over the edge. I was subjected to the "Cognitive processing therapy" technique. It requires one to write down increasingly detailed narratives and reciting these before the group. By the third session, I dropped out, thereby providing the VA with the ability to proclaim that I was "refusing treatment". My anxiety was beyond any control and it affected my eating, sleep and general well being.

I did a search of the American Psychiatric Assoc. website and found nothing. A general search, turned up a number of hits from foreign governments but nothing from ours. The VA propaganda bulletin likes to use the terms, "significantly reduces symptoms", "imporve quality of life", "treatment gains well after treatment ends". I suggest that it will eventually be touted as a cure.

So, those of us with PTSD might do well to keep a close eye on this. We all know that the VA would love to come up with something that they could call a cure and take us off the payroll. I will concede that this could be effective for our new Veterans for for us guys that have been carrying this ball and chain for decades, I doubt it's affectiveness.

I invite you to do your own searches and decide for yourselves. I just might have not looked in the right places.

jaz

[carlie]

jaz,

There is nothing new about this - it is called "exposure therapy".

[RonP]

Today is the Birthday of the USMC, as I remember every night I spent in NAM, and every other day, almost every night I am able to sleep 4 hours with 3 different drugs, I think this therapy module

should be wrapped with Pepto-Bismol. It just does not work. I have tried it, on my own, tried writing it down. The Boogy Man and friends still come, The only one that have escaped this never ending dream are now dead.

My 2 cents....NamVet 67&68 Still proud to have served, but pained by it result.

Good Luck to you.

RP

I know this topic is about claims but wanted our brothers and sisters about something new the VA is cooking up for us. Just had this pulled on me and wanted to warn those of us that had not heard of it before. It basically entails writing down all of the very specific details of all the horrors that we have been trying all these years to forget. According to their logic (there's an oxymoron) re-experiencing the worst of it over and over makes one "used to it" and thereby, by they're reasoning, lessening the impact on us.

I've already had one friend say that if they made him do something like that...it just might push him over the edge. I was subjected to the "Cognitive processing therapy" technique. It requires one to write down increasingly detailed narratives and reciting these before the group. By the third session, I dropped out, thereby providing the VA with the ability to proclaim that I was "refusing treatment". My anxiety was beyond any control and it affected my eating, sleep and general well being.

I did a search of the American Psychiatric Assoc. website and found nothing. A general search, turned up a number of hits from foreign governments but nothing from ours. The VA propaganda bulletin likes to use the terms, "significantly reduces symptoms", "imporve quality of life", "treatment gains well after treatment ends". I suggest that it will eventually be touted as a cure.

So, those of us with PTSD might do well to keep a close eye on this. We all know that the VA would love to come up with something that they could call a cure and take us off the payroll. I will concede that this could be effective for our new Veterans for for us guys that have been carrying this ball and chain for decades, I doubt it's affectiveness.

I invite you to do your own searches and decide for yourselves. I just might have not looked in the right places.

jaz

[Philip Rogers]

I was involved in a study of what was called "flooding," back in 1990-1991 time frame. During the study we were required to looked at still photos of combat action. The first time without sound and the second time with sound. The sound was that of small arms, grenades, machine gun and mortar fire. I'd do this for about an hour and a half and then get sent home. It took me weeks to get rid of the feelings that therapy brought up. They eventually scrapped that therapy idea. Sounds like they're bringing it back, tho!!! I'd stay away from it.

pr

[clw4514]

i just did 16-17 weeks of it @ the memphis VA. its called prolonged exposure. there seems to be a big push on it. all i can say is the solution of today is the problem of tomorrow....

[john999]

This is the kind of therapy they do for phobic conditions. If they did it for PTSD it would need to be done by very skilled therapists. That rules out the VA. Being afraid of elevators is different from searing experience of combat. I was watching some show on c-span with some WWII vets talking about war experiences. They were as vivid today as they were 60 years ago. These images are burned into the brain. Governments are concerned about vets with PTSD, but underneath is the cost factor. That really concerns them.

[Wings]

x

x

x

What's the point? Are they trying to normalize an otherwise abnormal or insane chain of events? I mean, who could ever predict what would happen in combat --and did your military training ever fully prepare the soldier for the horrors of war?! ALSO, how in hell's name would this type of "therapy" ever play out for rape? I think I'd rather have a labotomy. ~Wings