by Kate Hendricks Thomas, PhD, MCHES
I used to think strength meant presenting an image of strong silence and always looking like I had everything together. I was a Marine, a leader, and could never make a mistake.
I became a Marine to serve, and loved being part of the Corps. As with anything I have ever loved intensely, the military changed and shaped me. To the casual observer looking in, the world seems brutal and intense. That outsider ...
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Written by Fatima Cook and Gregg Cook
Let us begin with the basics.
What Is The Endocannabinoid System?
First documented in the 1990s, this system is a relatively new discovery and is an internal (endo-) receptor for cannabidiol, serving as a modulator and communicator between all the other systems in the body. These receptors are found in the brain and gut as well as the immune, cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems, and even in the nuclear membrane of cells. When this enormously ...
Continue Reading →War produces many unforeseen consequences. Not all of these “consequences” are detected – let alone understood – at the time they occur, but the long term effect can be quite unsettling to society for many years after a “war” has ended.
While it has long been known that trauma occurring in combat can create radical changes in a person’s behavior, it has only been in the last few years that behavioral scientists and those in the medical profession have actively been identifying ...
Continue Reading →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 ...