MetaFilter posts tagged with PTSD

Moral Injury

the man of twists and turns — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:43:21 -0800

A New Theory of PTSD and Veterans: Moral Injury

But as clergy and good clinicians have listened to more stories like these, they have heard a new narrative, one that signals changes to the brain along with what in less spiritually challenged times might be called a shadow on the soul. It is the tale of disintegrating vets, but also of seemingly squared-away former soldiers and spit-shined generals shuttling between two worlds: ours, where thou shalt not kill is chiseled into everyday life, and another, where thou better kill, be killed, or suffer the shame of not trying. There is no more hellish commute.

'I can't forgive myself ... and the people who can forgive me are dead.' Beyond PTSD to 'Moral Injury'. TIME Magazine writes: Moral Injury: “A Profound Sense of Alienation and Abject Shame”. The VA writes about Moral Injury And The Context Of War. For Troops Needing Psychological Help, Asking Can Be the Toughest Hurdle.

Routh told them “he traded his soul for a new truck”

dubold — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:29:31 -0800

Chris Kyle, former Navy Seal, killed at a Texas shooting range. Kyle's decorations include two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation. Chris Kyle was the author of "American Sniper", which describes his 150+ kills over four tours of duty. Kyle and Chad Littlefield were shot by Eddie Ray Routh, who is also a veteran and suffers from PTSD. According to police records, Routh has been hospitalized twice in the last four months for threatening to kill himself and his family. Press release from FITCO Cares, a nonprofit founded by Mr. Kyle to help veterans with PTSD. Chris Kyle's last interview: “I would love for people to be able to – when they think of me - think ‘Here’s a guy who stood up for what he believed in and helped make a difference for the vets.”

A world accidentally full of triggers

mippy — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:28:37 -0800

Rhiannon Lucy Coslett, one of the women behind The Vagenda, writes on the phenomenon of the trigger warning.

"We Just Witnessed a War Crime"

Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:33:02 -0800

The first thing we learned about war re-enactment is that it's fucking terrifying having guns fired at you, even ones loaded with blanks. The second thing we learned is a common re-enactor's dilemma called "The G.I. Effect", which is basically that people playing Americans don't like to die. So sometimes they just don't.

It's Like Vietnam All Over Again, pt 1. Part 2

MDMA's Therapeutic Benefits

bookman117 — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 02:18:47 -0800

Ecstasy found to help veterans with PTSD "In a paper posted online Tuesday by the Journal of Psychopharmacology, Michael and Ann Mithoefer, the husband-and-wife team offering the treatment — which combines psychotherapy with a dose of MDMA — write that they found 15 of 21 people who recovered from severe post-traumatic stress in the therapy in the early 2000s reported minor to virtually no symptoms today. Many said they have received other kinds of therapy since then, but not with MDMA... And news that the Mithoefers are beginning to test the drug in veterans is out, in the military press and on veterans’ blogs. 'We’ve had more than 250 vets call us,' Dr. Mithoefer said. 'There’s a long waiting list, we wish we could enroll them all.'"

Living Under Drones

homunculus — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:09:50 -0800

Living Under Drones: Death, Injury and Trauma to Civilians From US Drone Practices in Pakistan. An extensive new study (PDF) by human rights lawyers from Stanford and NYU examines the impact of drone strikes on civilians in Pakistan, including the strategic effectiveness of the policy as well as the psychological impact on those living in constant fear that they might come under attack. [Via]

Crossing a line?

sendai sleep master — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 10:00:34 -0800

"Video games have for so long been like, 'Look, war is when you go in and kill people who deserve to die, because they are destroying the things that you love—and have fun.' It was such a strange disconnect for us going into this project that we had allowed war to become such a spectacle-based entertainment, and we wanted to make a game in our medium that spoke to the truth of war just like every other medium had done." Warning (,although all the linked articles state as much, all links include spoilers for the videogame Spec Ops: The line) Spec Ops: The line is a videogame that attempts to tackle the subjects of PTSD, justified war, player/player-character connection, and the problematic way that videogames have tackled violence in general. The guys over at Extra Credits think it may be one of the first triple-A titles to focus on the dramatic exploration of an idea rather than spectacle. Yahtzee, of Zero Punctation, believes that such an un-fun yet engaging game may be videogames finally growing up (fart sounds not included).

A Tweet by Tweet Account of Madness and Pathos in the Air

Huplescat — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:54:55 -0800

How To Deal With An “Unruly Passenger” On A Cross Country Flight An independent film producer on a flight from New York to L.A. shares his conversation with a man who was so unstable that the plane had to land early in Denver.

Let There Be Light

bluefly — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:56:48 -0800

"A post-World War II documentary, banned by the military in 1946 but lately released online, is one of the earliest depictions of psychotherapy." Let There Be Light, a film by John Huston. The film was restored by the National Archives and released in May. (Archival record here). It is the third of a trilogy of films Huston made during World War II. Report from the Aleutians (containing, at the time, controversial scenes of soldiers' monotonous lives) and The Battle of San Pietro (also controversial for containing scenes of dead soldiers, but defended by General Marshall himself for use as a training film) were the first two.

"Captains Courageous"

the man of twists and turns — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:54:37 -0800

'While they never met, they had some things in common. Both were Army captains, engaged in important work for the nation, their costly educations paid for by U.S. taxpayers. Ian Morrison, 26, returned to Fort Hood, Texas, last December after nine months flying 70 combat missions over Iraq. Dr. Michael McCaddon, 37, was an ob-gyn resident at Hawaii’s Tripler Army Medical Center. The pilot and the doctor shared one other thing: they found themselves in a darkening, soul-sucking funnel that has trapped some 2,500 military personnel since 9/11. Like them, each died, at his own hand, on March 21, nearly 4,000 miles apart.' 'As of 3 June, 2012 active-duty suicides reached 154, compared with 130 in the same period last year, the Pentagon confirmed to the BBC.' 'Suicides Outpacing War Deaths for Troops.' Suicide in the US military has been growing for years - CBS(Youtube) did a report in 2007. There are two parts. Anthony Swofford(previously) characterizes them as an 'epidemic'.

One reason for veteran suicides (and crimes, which get far more attention) may be post-traumatic stress disorder, along with a related condition, traumatic brain injury. Ryan suffered a concussion in an explosion in Iraq, and Michael finally had traumatic brain injury diagnosed two months ago.

Death isn't the only thing that follows them: 'It would be so much easier, Maj. Ben Richards says, if he had just lost a leg in Iraq' 'Beyond the Battlefield: From a Decade of War, an Endless Struggle for the Severely Wounded.' 'Mad, Bad, Sad: What Really Happens to US Soldiers.' IED blasts are blamed for the increase in PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury), a contributing factor, while military culture can prevent people from seeking help. Is PTSD A Product of War, or Of Our Times? Attempts to identify people susceptible to PTSD are underway, while new treatments become available. The government needs to do a better job of assessing and reviewing PTSD treatment. This is made more difficult with the counter-intuitive warning signs of suicide. Previously on Metafilter: The Downward Spiral

Now I’m home and I’m blind and I’m broke/What is next?

spitbull — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:13:50 -0800

"Hell Broke Luce" -- a surreal anti-war video from Tom Waits for his powerful song based on the harrowing story of Lance Corporal Jeff Lucey, a 23-year old Iraq war Marine veteran who committed suicide in 2004. From Waits' 22d album Bad As Me (2011, AntiRecords) Lucey was also one of the subjects of a Frontline documentary called "The Soldier's Heart." (His case significantly complicates our current understanding of the horrors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for veterans.) Song lyrics at LyricsWiki. Commentary on "Hell Broke Luce" at Common Dreams. An alternate video to the song using images from Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. And from the first user comment on YouTube: I'm an Iraq vet. This song evokes an amazing emotional reaction in me. So much of this is directly applicable to my experiences. Shit, Tom. Shit. Thank you so much for this. NPR First Listen on Bad As Me. Sasha Frere-Jones on Bad as Me. Of course, this is not Waits' first powerful anti-war song. (I recommend reading the description under this YT video.)

Call of Apathy: Violent Young Men and Our Place in War

bumpjump — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:35:16 -0800

People need to realise that their wars are not fought by the guy on the news that lost a leg and loves his flag — he was the FNG [f--king new guy] that got blown up because he was incompetent, who left the fight before it turned him into one of us. A private military contractor and former infantryman talks about the military PR complex. viareddit

fuggedaboudit

Obscure Reference — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:15:49 -0800

The forgetting pill: Can it erase painful memories forever? What about politically inconvenient memories? Will the act of remembering will become a choice?

Longform investigative journalism remains awesome

Blasdelb — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:52:18 -0800

According to national statistics, one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes. Vanguard correspondent Mariana Van Zeller travels to Rosebud reservation in South Dakota to investigate the alarmingly high incidence of rape and sexual assaults. What happened to 19-year-old Marquita, and how can the reservation's understaffed police force keep it from happening again? Candid interviews with her family members, classmates and police reveal many of the disturbing social attitudes and behaviors that lead up to her death. It is one of many compelling guides to the kinds of lives most never see in Current TV's season before last of Vanguard. (previously) Previous episodes found here Season 4 Episode 4: Soccer's Lost Boys, Human trafficking of African boys for soccer As South Africa prepared to host the 2010 World Cup, the focus was on many of the continent’s brightest stars in soccer, including Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o. Correspondent Mariana van Zeller explores the dark side to the sport’s global popularity, what has been called “the new slave trade.” Episode 5: War Crimes, Rise of PTSD among war veterans Correspondent Kaj Larsen investigates the alarming rise in the number of soldiers who have been traumatized by war and are now accused of bringing the violence home. Of the more than two million men and women who have served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as a third of them may now have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. A growing number of these vets are being charged with violent crimes, and Kaj travels to prisons and mental health facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon to hear their stories. Episode 6: American Jihadi, American-born Somali terrorist Omar Hammami (update) Vanguard correspondent Christof Putzel explores homegrown terrorism in "American Jihadi." The show chronicles the path of Omar Hammami, a high school student from Daphne, Alabama who became a top commander in an Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group. With the help of Omar's high school friend, Christof retraces Omar's path to extremism -- from Daphne, where he converted to Islam, to Toronto where he immersed himself into the local Somali community, and finally his journey to Egypt and Somalia. Episode 7: Life and Death on the Border, Illegal crossing of the US/Mexico border Correspondent Christof Putzel travels to the U.S./Mexico border to investigate one of the most contentious issues in America today: immigration. Meeting with "coyotes," the hired smugglers who offer to take immigrants across the border for a fee, Putzel learns the methods used to evade border patrol and the dangers they face on the journey. Arrest and deportation are inherent risks, but the lack of water and scorching temperatures of the desert crossing are far more deadly. Those who do make it safely across the border face tightening immigration laws and an increasingly hostile public. Putzel ultimately crosses the border with a migrant and coyote. Episode 8: Marijuana Wars Part 1, Mexican drug trafficking organizations growing marijuana in the US Episode 9: Marijuana Wars Part 2, Taking down low-level planters and high-level financers In this two-part episode, executive producer and correspondent Adam Yamaguchi embeds with a task force working to take down Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating in the U.S. California has become one of the leading producers of marijuana in the world, and the proceeds from marijuana have become a cash cow for traffickers, generating greater profits than cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin combined. The task force surveys and eradicates multi-million dollar marijuana fields in the U.S. run by Mexican drug trafficking organizations - including grow sites in state and national parks. Trailers are available legally for episodes of the present season. Ep. 1 Gateway to Heroin Ep. 2 Sex, Lies & Cigarettes Ep. 3 Sushi to the Slaughter Ep. 4 City of God, Guns & Gangs Ep. 5 Tiger Farms Ep. 6 This (Illegal) American Life Ep. 7 Recovery High

Veterans and PTSD

homunculus — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 11:15:33 -0800

Army vet with PTSD sought the treatment he needed by taking hostages – but got jail instead. "Fifteen months of carnage in Iraq had left the 29-year-old debilitated by post-traumatic stress disorder. But despite his doctor’s urgent recommendation, the Army failed to send him to a Warrior Transition Unit for help. The best the Department of Veterans Affairs could offer was 10-minute therapy sessions — via videoconference. So, early on Labor Day morning last year, after topping off a night of drinking with a handful of sleeping pills, Quinones barged into Fort Stewart’s hospital, forced his way to the third-floor psychiatric ward and held three soldiers hostage, demanding better mental health treatment." [Via] A Novel Court Model to Aid Veterans With P.T.S.D. "But something different happened in Mr. Eifert’s case. Headed for disaster, he was spared through a novel court program and an unusual coming together of a group of individuals — including a compassionate judge, a flexible prosecutor, a tenacious lawyer and an amenable police officer — who made exceptions and negotiated compromises to help him. If he takes advantage of the chance to recover his life, he is likely to avoid incarceration and receive the care he needs to move forward."

I'm Gonna Need you to Fight me on This

klangklangston — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:14:10 -0800

How violent sex helped ease a reporter's PTSD Female reporter Mac McClelland deals with the trauma of reportage. May include triggers.

Green Army Men with PTSD

Tom-B — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:17:44 -0800

Green Army Men with PTSD

MDMA vs. PTSD

mannequito — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:53:18 -0800

Can a Single Pill Change Your Life? Oprah Magazine examines recent studies on the use of MDMA (the main ingredient in Ecstasy) to combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

You are alive, you have to do it.

Ahab — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 05:54:18 -0800

I've never known of a single colleague who has been tortured, or who lives with the threat of death and persecution for their work, in such a confused state of mind that they believe that working in the defence of individual and collective freedoms is an act of heroism. We know full well that it is nothing more than an exercise in survival and shared dignity. Mexican journalist, feminist and human rights activist Lydia Cacho on the motivations behind and costs of working under constant threat of death and torture.

The U.S. is Failing its Troops

dry white toast — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:58:56 -0800

For the second year in a row , the U.S. Military has lost more troops to suicide than it has to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Previous posts regarding PTSD) As the article notes, the numbers require some scrutiny, as different branches of the military use different standards for reporting, particularly as they relate to reservists and whether a suicide occurs while a soldier is on active duty. This week, President Obama announced several new initiatives to support soldiers and their families, with military suicides and veteran homelessness being specifically targeted. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ) had previously introduced a Bill requiring check-in phone calls to reservists returning from deployment every 90 days. However, efforts to include the bill in the 2010 Defense spending appropriation bill were blocked by Sen. John McCain (AZ).

The telling of The Troubles

madamjujujive — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:11:25 -0800

Taxi III Stand Up and Cry Like a Man - a short but powerful clip in which taxi drivers talk about their experiences in the Troubles of Northern Ireland. Lisa Byrne - the filmmaker Lisa Byrne: profile The Taxi Trilogy

Paws for Purple Hearts

Joe Beese — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 13:29:57 -0800

... it's terribly important for veterans to feel they are continuing a mission that held them together through the violence and stress of war. "PTSD carries a stigma, that you're broken and wounded," said Yount, "And many guys have guilt for not still being in the fight. The idea of Paws for Purple Hearts is you can be part of the war effort while you're getting treatment."

Stasis: a short film about memory

clockworkjoe — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:36:47 -0800

Statsis: A short film by Christian Swegal In the future, an Ex-Soldier is placed in virtual exercises to cure his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In the simulations, he sees glimpses of a mysterious girl, presumably someone from his past. When a Stranger appears in his facility offering answers, the Soldier finds himself once again asked to kill, this time for her... Starring Reshad Strik, Beau Bridges, Ernie Hudson, and Rachel Specter Directed by Christian Swegal Produced by Ian Colhoun Written by Benjamin Murphy Executive Produced by Adam Hendricks Cinematography by Max Goldman Production Design by Zach Matthews Costume Design by Marta Villalobos Sound Design by Jamie Hardt Edited by Christian Swegal & Tom Muldoon Music by Cyril Morin

Makes Disturbances Melt Away?

daksya — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:33:04 -0800

In a pilot Phase II study of PTSD sufferers with a median of 19 years since diagnosis, MDMA-assisted therapy resulted in 10 out of 12 patients no longer meeting the diagnostic criteria. Full paper PDF here. Mean CAPS scores in the active arm reduced from 79 to 25, and 79 to 59 in the placebo group. One requirement of the study protocol was hospitalization for 24 hours from the time of dosing. Some may find this an expensive constraint to adoption of MDMA as therapy adjunct. Check out MAPS for more details on studies involving MDMA. Previously on the Blue.

Service dogs helping both military veterans and their trainers behind bars

Wolfster — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 07:14:45 -0800

Service dogs for PTSD are changing the lives of both former veterans with PTSD and their trainers (audio/picture version and article version). More about the Puppies behind bars program here, including an FAQ about the puppies behind bars program here. (e.g, want to name a puppy?, etc.) Previously and previously