Editor’s Note: Found below is a very moving letter from Maj. Ben Richards and the benefits he received from being treated by Hyperbaric Oxygen from Dr. Paul Harch. The letter is quoted in its entirety.
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In the spring and summer of 2007 I (Maj. Ben Richards) had the privilege of leading Bronco Troop, 1-14 CAV, a Stryker-equipped cavalry troop, during intense combat operations in and around Baqubah, ...
As most Veterans are aware, “the VA does not provide service dogs for physical or mental health conditions, including PTSD.” While acknowledging that dogs can be useful in treating the symptoms and conditions of PTSD, they have concluded that there is not sufficient clinical research to justify the use of service dogs.
Specifically, the VA says the following about the use of service dogs in treating PTSD:
Continue Reading →Clinically, there is not enough research yet to know if dogs actually help ...
Severe depression and a heightened sense on anxiety tend to be symptoms of PTSD in returning Veterans from our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, these symptoms and how veterans cope with these issues in their everyday life vary significantly. In fact, many returning veterans (see video below) can be oblivious to the problem until friends and family point out that their reactions to everyday frustrations seem well out of proportion to the circumstances.
There are countless stories of Veteran men and women who suffer from PTSD who receive substantial benefits from the companionship and care of animals. Many charitable programs have sprung up around the country to help Vets deal with the “silent wounds of war.” SFTT is proud of its association with the EquiCenter in Rochester, New York which offers several types of programs for Veterans, including its acclaimed therapeutic equestrian training.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Offers Hope to Vets Bearing ‘Invisible’ Battle Wounds “I got my life back,” Major Ben Richards US Army (Ret), Director, SFTT Warriors’ Task Force
[Greenwich, CT – June 18, 2014) Eilhys England Hackworth, Chair of STAND FOR THE TROOPS (SFTT), announced today that a member of the SFTT PTS/TBI Rescue Coalition has 50 slots available to treat veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that have not responded to the standard counseling and medication. These candidates have an ... Continue Reading →Dr. Henry Grayson, one of SFTT’s distinguished members of its medical task force always points that there are no two identical cases of Post Traumatic Stress. In effect, each individual brings a set of prior conscious and unconscious experiences – dare I call it “baggage” – that is often triggered in totally unpredictable ways during periods of great stress. Many veterans have suffered traumatic events in combat and this battlefield stress is almost impossible to overcome when these brave warriors ...
Continue Reading →Thomas Catan’s article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “For Veterans with PTSD, A New Demon: Their Meds” is not news. The over-use of drugs as routine part of battlefield medicine has been noted since the first days of our military deployments to Iraq in the spring of 2003.
Over-reliance on the miracles of modern pharmaceuticals has became just Standard Operating Procedure in the US military.
And, likewise with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs medical system.
Even the casual observer will note ...
Continue Reading →People complain that the F.D.A. takes far too long in approving “new” drugs, but they seem to be equally obtuse in pointing out the dangers of using drugs they have already approved. According to a new article appearing in the New York Times, the F.D.A seeks tighter control on prescriptions for class of painkillers. I suppose we should be grateful that the guys and gals in the white robes in D.C. have finally come to their ...
Continue Reading →As the VA struggles to deal with the overwhelming number of cases of Veterans suffering from PTS, new approaches are beginning to manifest themselves. From Equine therapy to Transcendental Meditation, no approach is being dismissed lightly given the clear evidence that prescription drugs have not proven to be successful in providing a long term cure.
SFTT is thrilled to count on the assistance of Yuval Neria (see below) is a Special Advisor to SFTT’s Medical Task Force. We ...
Continue Reading →It is pleasing to see that CBS decided to feature one of the 120 or so Veteran Treatment Courts in the United States on one of its most popular investigative programs: 60 Minutes. Found below is a brief summary of this very moving and disturbing report:
Continue Reading →Two and a half million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan; many of them, more than once. The VA tells us about 20 percent come home with post-traumatic stress disorder, known as ...