The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD afflicts:
- Almost 31 percent of Vietnam veterans
- As many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans
- 11 percent of veterans of the war in Afghanistan
- 20 percent of Iraqi war veterans
PTSD Soldiers Lucky to be part of Reset a CAM program at Ft. Hood, Texas
Posted on 8/14/15 by Classical Reiki Pennsylvania
Lu Whitaker has participated in a 5 year program at Ft. Hood, Texas offering more than 6,000 sessions of Reiki to active duty soldiers with PTSD.
What an amazing opportunity to witness the graduation of soldiers, men and women who have been through hell in wartime, acknowledging the power of group psychotherapy, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, Massage, Acupuncture and others. Soldiers who have been armored spoke deeply about their experiences in the 180 hour program. The pride in the program and the deep and abiding relationships that were created in 3 weeks was mesmerizing. Several of the Shoden students in our class have worked in the Reset program over it 5yr time period. Lu Whitaker, Jikiden Reiki Shihan Kaku, sponsored me and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at Triapolis Wellness Center in Copperas Cove, Texas. Sadly, when I returned to Pennsylvania, I received a wrenching email. The Reiki and Reflexology programs had been cut; the hours of Cam are cut from 180 to 80 and will only include Massage Therapy and Acupuncture which was under separate contract. Bless all who have participated in this program. Imagine having been gifted with doing Reiki 5 days a week 7 sessions a day.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Once called Shell Shock or Battle fatigue syndrome, is a serious condition that can develop after a person has experienced or witness a traumatic of terrifying event in which serious physical harm has occurred or was threatened. PTSD is a lasting consequence of traumatic ordeals that cause intense fear, helplessness, or horror, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, an accident, war, or natural disaster. Families of victims can also develop PTSD, as can emergency personnel and rescue workers.
Most people who experience a traumatic event will have reactions that may include shock, anger, nervousness, fear and even guilt. These reactions are common; and for most people, they go away over time. For a person with PTSD, however these feelings continue and even increase, becoming so strong that they keep the person from living a normal life. People with PTSD have symptoms for longer than one month and cannot function as well as before the event occurred.
What are Symptoms of PTSD?
3 main categories:
Reliving: People with PTSD repeatedly relive the ordeal through thoughts and memories of the trauma. These include flashbacks, hallucinations, and nightmares. They also may feel a great distress when certain things remind them of the trauma, such as the anniversary date of the event
Avoiding: The person may avoid people, places, thought, or situations that may remind him or her of the trauma. This can lead to feelings of detachment and isolation from family and friends, as well as loss of interest in activities that the person once enjoyed.
Increase arousal: These include excessive emotions; problems relating to others, including feeling or showing affection; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; outbursts of anger; difficulty concentrating; and being “jumpy” or easily startled.
Young Children with PTSD may suffer from delayed development in areas such as toilet training, motor skills, and Language.
How is PTSD Diagnosed?
PTSD is not diagnosed until at least one month as passed since the time of a traumatic event. A doctor will begin performing a complete medical history and physical exam. If no physical illness is found you may be referred to psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professionals
How is PTSD Treated?
The goal of PTSD treatment is to reduce the emotional and physical symptoms to improve daily functioning, and to help the person better cope with the event that triggered the disorder.
Treatment is psychotherapy, medication, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, Massage, and Acupuncture.
To control the feelings of anxiety and its associated symptoms.
