Introduction
Thousands of war veterans, from recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are suffering from a host of post-traumatic stress related disorders. This alarming situation of the veterans provides for an excellent opportunity to provide much-needed “selfless service” to help those in need.
To address these situations, we have launched a special program for service to the veterans and their families. The Veterans’ Wellness Program (VWP) is based on proven healthcare strategies adapted by Sanare Center, a Los Angeles based integrative medicine facility. The Center is offering a unique mind, body health service for the veterans and their families, totally free of cost
Statement of Need
The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in countless American casualties. Whereas the various Military and Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Hospitals provide top quality medical care for their physical injuries and medical issues, there is a dearth of quality care for the soldiers’ psychological and psycho-social issues. Approximately one-third of returning war veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq treated by the VA has had mental health difficulties. In a large study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, over half of these patients had 2 or more mental health problems. The most common mental health problem was post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can further lead to depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, memory problems and many others.
In addition, depression is a largely unrecognized problem for many returning soldiers, which puts a tremendous strain on them and their families. Children of these soldiers who saw combat are at an increased risk of abuse and neglect. In fact, over 50 percent of soldiers with partners have reported severe relationship conflicts.
Although there are many treatments for PTSD that have shown varying degrees of success, such as prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, stress inoculation training, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and other forms of cognitive therapies, and of course medications, there is not enough evidence to state which treatments are more effective. A recent review of 53 studies of drugs and 37 studies of psychotherapies conducted by the Institute of Medicine concluded that there was not enough evidence to determine the effectiveness of these therapies.
People with PTSD are known to have poor outcomes in terms of occupational functioning and physical and mental health. It usually becomes a chronic psychiatric problem that can persist for decades and sometimes a lifetime. This is evidenced by the scores of Vietnam veterans seeking help on the street corners in all major metropolitan cities in the country, signifying the chronic nature of the condition. These individuals have obviously not become productive members of society after returning from the war. A vast majority of these veterans suffer from mental diseases. A similar fate awaits the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, unless effective interventions are performed in a timely manner.
Benefits of the Program
The benefits of the program are manifold, including:
• Improved and balanced mental & physical energy
• Improved mental focus and clarity of thought
• Improved ability to handle stresses
• Improved sense of well-being, self control and security
• Improved awareness and appreciation of the relationships
• Improved understanding of personal responsibility
• Positive sense of connectedness to the life around
• Discovery of life’s mission and direction
Key Components of the Program
The VWP at Singh Neurology comprises of many different aspects, all designed to help the veterans recover from PTSD and other mental and psychological issues. It is a comprehensive strategy encompassing evaluation, stress management guidance, empowerment strategies, transformational therapies, continuing self help education, purposeful life direction, home assignment tracking tools and follow-up procedures. The program features aspects of both modern scientific therapies as well as age-old healing wisdom.
The emphasis is on providing healing to the mind, body and spirit. The aim is to provide healing to clients.
For more information please contact Singh Neurology at joann_snmg@yahoo.com
