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By Charlene Rubush, September 29, 2010 10:52 pm

Over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a resource library on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I’m always happy to pass along comments and reviews on books that have proved invaluable to me. I’ve found that the “Dummies” books are generally of very high-quality, and are laid out in an easy-to-read and digest format.

Mark Goulston, MD, the author of this 2007 book, is an expert on PTSD, suicide prevention, violence intervention, and maintains a private clinical practice. He has taught or lectured at UCLA, USC, and Fortune 500 companies, as well as trained FBI  and police hostage negotiators.

While this book is now several years old, it provides an amazing array of sound ideas and proven therapies for treating PTSD, in its many forms.

This review is from:

 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies (Paperback, Copyright 2007, Wiley Publishing, Inc.)

—Outstanding Resource, from One Who Knows

This is a comprehensive look at a very serious subject. Written by Mark Goulston, MD, a top psychiatrist and life-skills coach, the book delivers invaluable information and advice for those living with PTSD.

It’s also an excellent primer for anyone interested in the subject. Dr. Goulston writes with a conversational tone that is very comforting. His primary message to his reader is “There is a road out of this terrible place.”

PTSD victims and their family members have to be reminded of this at every turn, for the depression and isolation that usually comes with PTSD, too often leads to suicide. We are seeing this more and more in combat veterans.

While Dr. Goulston notes that PTSD is a major, life-altering disorder, and an “invisible epidemic” affecting at least 13 million Americans of every age, he also asserts the good news today, is that PTSD is highly treatable.

PTSD is a complex illness, and there are many manifestations of it. The author explains that there are two primary types of PTSD: Simple and Complex. Simple PTSD usually follows a single event, while Complex PTSD can occur after repeated traumas. Goulston gives insights into the amazing array of available treatments that now offer relief and healing.

He addresses the challenges and stresses facing the loved ones of those with PTSD, as well as nearly every facet of this “Anxiety Disorder.” He also manages to infuse the book with flashes of humor, a much-needed tool for fighting PTSD.

This book will help anyone interested in PTSD, and that should be all of us, as we’re all just one traumatic event away from it. As our war veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, this vital resource can provide great hope and understanding.

Don’t be mislead by the “Dummies” label. This book is chock-full of scientific facts, and proven remedies. A very important work on PTSD. Highly, enthusiastically recommended!!

• To read more reviews, go to http://www.amazon.com/books

Note: This book also contains “Cheat Sheets” in the front, such as “Simple Stress Busters,” “Truths to Hold Onto,” and “Important Numbers to Have on Hand.” There is also an informational section titled “Are Your PTSD Meds Working for You?” which tells you the things to watch for, both positive and negative, while taking these meds.

I’ll get on my soapbox again. Where were books like this when we, of the Vietnam generation, needed them? I guess the answer is– they were waiting to be born.

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By Charlene Rubush, September 27, 2010 9:22 pm

There are many wonderful books available to help our returning combat vets. Here’s another of my reviews on an outstanding resource:

This review is from: After the War Zone: A Practical Guide for Returning Troops and Their Families (Paperback) by Laurie B. Slone, Ph.D and Matthew J. Friedman, MD, Ph.D.

This important work provides a broad array of information that will help returning soldiers, their loved ones, friends, and community to understand the challenges of reintegration to civilian life.

It provides education and advice for neighbors, coworkers, employers, and service providers who assist returning vets and their families.
Actually, the book is for anyone who wonders what to expect when a service member returns home from a war zone. It shows all of us how to help when the going gets tough (and it will).

For those like me, who were personally affected by the Vietnam War and its aftermath, we know how vital understanding and support is for our latest generation of combat vets and their families.

You’ll find eye-opening facts on p.25, about Operation Enduring Freeedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The authors point out that unlike the Vietnam War, when the draft meant that most Americans were directly affected by the conflict, the modern “all volunteer” military has left participating families feeling a sense of isolation from the rest of society.

Another fact: The top two reasons returning troops seek care at VA Medical Centers are pain from musculoskeletal problems and mental health problems.

This book addresses every aspect of reintegration one can imagine, such as:

• anticipation of return
• the post-deployment stage (honeymoon period)
• special issues for reservists and women soldiers
• reactions of children
• problems with PTSD
• communication problems
• what it’s like to be a loved one left at home
•  issues for the extended family, the need for social support
•  separating myth from reality, finances, relationships, and much more.

The Resource Section alone is worth the price of the book, plus there is an excellent index. Kudos to authors Laurie B. Slone, Ph.D. the Associate Director for Research and Education of the VA National Center for PTSD,and to Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD, the Executive Director of the VA National Center for PTSD and a Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmocology at Dartmouth Medical School.
This book is broad in scope, and will change lives for the better. Very highly recommended!

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By Charlene Rubush, September 17, 2010 1:29 pm

There are now so many wonderful books being written by our returning soldiers. I’ve decided to share this book review I wrote (which is posted on amazon.com) after reading Jeremiah Workman’s searing memoir. I often wonder where such author’s gain the strength and insight to be able to revisit their trauma and share it with the reading public. I’m just glad that they do.

Shadow of the Sword: A Marine’s Journey of War, Heroism,and Redemption by Jeremiah Workman and John Buhning

——Intimate, Courageous Look into the Hell of War, Its Aftermath and Learning to Live with PTSD

Jeremiah Workman is not only one admirable Marine, but he’s also a tremendous human being. He has written an absolutely awesome book. Not only is the writing crisp and unflinching, the story behind it is riveting and gut-wrenching. What we ask of our soldiers!

I found this book to be among the very best that show the mental and emotional devastation that enduring fierce combat brings upon a soldier. Workman describes the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that he now lives with, (for those of us who remember vinyl records) as like a groove in a record which gets stuck, and plays the same note over and over again. Once the groove is there, it cannot be removed.

Workman shows the reader, in gory detail, what his life as a Marine has been like, from training at Parris Island, to his mind-blowing tour in Iraq, especially the battle in Fallujah that claimed so many of his buddies, and left him with severe survivor guilt. He shows us what it was like for him, as he became a drill instructor back again at Parris Island, and his PTSD shifted into high gear.

I learned so many things from reading this book. Like what the life of a drill instructor is like, and the fact that they have one of the highest divorce rates in the Marine Corps. And that the VA had only planned for 8,000 cases of PTSD, and there will be well over more than 700,000 thousand cases of it by the time the war ends.

Only now we’re also sending more troops to Afghanistan. There is truly no end in sight. What a wave of anguish is washing over our country. And yet denial continues. It continues in the American public.

And for so many reasons, it continues in our soldiers themselves, until the pain grows so severe, the problem can no longer be denied. Even then, not all of those needing help seek it from the VA. And who pays the price along with our soldiers? It’s the spouses, children and other family members.

This book has astounded me with its brutal candor. What guts this American hero and recipient of the Navy Cross, displays as he bares his soul to us. Parts of this book made me weep. I will never forget this young American soldier, or the price he and his family have paid for our freedom. May he and his loved ones, somehow find the peace they have truly earned.

Workman tells us that by joining the Vets for Freedom Heroes tour in 2008 and speaking about his experiences, he has started the healing process. In sharing, he continues to serve our country, holding up a mirror to us.

Every American should read this book, so that each citizen will be more understanding and compassionate toward our returning combat veterans. And also understand that we owe them and must provide, all the help they need. And that we will begin to truly realize that the aftereffects of war can be just as consequential, as the initial battles.

I applaud Jeremiah Workman and his family for all they have given up for us, and for the fact that he is determined to make the most of his life, in spite of PTSD. I wish them all the best.

I pray that his story goes a long way in eradicating the shame that stills accompanies those afflicted with PTSD, especially our soldiers. He has shone a hopeful light on this deadly serious subject. Very, very, highly recommended reading!!

http://www.jeremiahworkman.com.

http://www.amazon.com.

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By Charlene Rubush, September 13, 2010 5:51 pm

Sometimes I shake my head in amazement. It’s still hard for me to believe that after all these years after the Vietnam War, and what we’ve learned from those vets and their families, that there still seems to be a reluctance of today’s vets to seek out help. It seems such a shame and a waste, when there is now so much help available.

I’m glad to share this info from the Real Warriors website. They are trying to affect change and erase the stigma that unfortunately, still is associated with seeking psychological help.

“The Real Warriors Campaign is an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.

The Real Warriors Campaign combats the stigma associated with seeking psychological health care and treatment and encourages service members to increase their awareness and use of these resources. To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive Web site and social media. The campaign features stories of real service members who have sought treatment and are continuing to maintain successful military or civilian careers.

In addition, DCoE established the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center can be reached toll-free at 866-966-1020 or via e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.”

Visit http://www.realwarriors.net.

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By Charlene Rubush, September 10, 2010 10:55 pm

One of the hardest aspects I faced of dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder years ago, was the feeling of being alone. Plus the disorder didn’t even have a name. While I knew on a gut level something was terribly wrong with my life, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. There was a vague sense of unease and invariably, as I would drive to work in the mornings, I noticed a tightness in my forehead that was very disconcerting.

It was many years later, before I learned that the tightness I’d been experiencing was a sign of depression. I had no one to talk to about what I was experiencing. So I tried to ignore the way I was feeling, and just “suck it up.” It was a difficult way to try and function through daily life.

Today there is such an abundance of knowledge, and of course, much of that knowledge is shared within support groups. Meetup.com can help you find a support group for dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress. If one doesn’t exist in your area, you might want to consider starting your own.

Here is some information on the network from their site:

“Meetup is the world’s largest network of local groups. Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 2,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities.

Meetup’s mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.”

Meetup helps people connect with various interests. It doesn’t have to be PTSD. That’s just one option. To learn more, go to:

http://www.meetup.com