DCoE Blog

• Eat, Drink and Be Merry… Responsibly

  Posted by U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Cmdr. David Barry, DHCC clinical psychologist on December 20, 2012

  
  U.S. Marine Corps photo

  Family dinners, work parties, happy hours, New Year’s festivities and many other social gatherings are prevalent during this time of year. Typically a joyous time with family and friends, these activities often lead to overeating and indulging ourselves in unhealthy foods we normally would resist, as well as drinking more frequently and potentially abusively.
  
  Whether the drinking environment is centered on grandma’s brandy eggnog or other holiday alcoholic drinks, we live in a culture that tells us it’s OK to drink during the holidays. Throughout the season, there is an increase in availability of alcohol at parties and family functions we attend, which may make it more difficult for those trying to avoid drinking too much. Additionally, many holiday drinks are mixed, making the strength of the alcohol content relatively unknown. A drink like this is often stronger than a standard drink, and can get the unwary drinker into trouble.
  
  

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  Categories: Women , Community Support , Families , Veterans , Resources , Substance Misuse Treatment   |   Comments (4)

• Top 5 Reasons to Seek VA Care

  Posted by Dr. Emily Gilmore, Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider on November 15, 2012

  

  Carol Rogers, center, a volunteer at Roudebush Veterans Affairs Hospital in Indianapolis, ushers Soldiers of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team through a post mobilization health reassessment. Rogers along with hundreds of other staff hosted the brigade as a part of an ongoing initiative to address health concerns of returning veterans. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Lesley Newport)

  Dr. Emily Gilmore is a psychology postdoctoral fellow in the Trauma Recovery Program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Maryland Health Care System

  It has been my pleasure to serve veterans and service members as a VA provider for the past three years. As a service member, reservist, National Guard member or veteran, you may wonder, “What can the VA offer me?” Here are five reasons why you should consider seeking VA care:

  1. Exclusive dedication to providing quality services for veterans and service members. It’s all we do. VA patients are serving or have served in the military and so has many of our staff. Our health care providers are nationally recognized leaders in treating polytrauma, chronic pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). For example, we have dedicated centers like:

  • National Center for PTSD
  • VA Polytrauma System of Care

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  Categories: Women , Collaborations , Families , Veterans , Resources , Treatment   |   Comments (6)

• Hidden in Plain Sight … A Perspective on Suicide

  Posted by U.S. Public Health Service Cmdr. Sarah Arnold on September 6, 2012

  	DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin J. Steinberg

  Cmdr. Sarah Arnold is a physician trained in family medicine and preventive medicine. She served in the Navy for 14 years and completed two tours in Iraq. Five years ago, she lost her friend to suicide and was compelled to write about it, in part because she was the last person to see her colleague and friend before she died and also for her own healing.

  Two police officers stood at my front door. As I invited them in, they asked if I knew the whereabouts of my friend Dawn (name changed) because she was missing from the hospital. Dawn, a Navy nurse, and I, a Navy doctor, at the time, worked together. We went our separate ways, as we all do in the Navy after a tour is over. I was now in a residency program, and she was stationed at another clinic. That’s why I was surprised to see her one day at the hospital where I was working.

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  Categories: Women , Suicide , Personal Stories , Community Support , Families , Veterans , Psychological Health   |   Comments (2)

• Healthy Aging: Mind and Body

  Posted by U.S. Public Health Service Cmdr. Susan Jordan , DCoE program manager for health behaviors and promotion on August 27, 2012

  	Air Force 1st Lt. Dave Earl participates in an event at the annual Squadron Fitness Challenge at Langley Air Force Base, Va., May 24, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kayla Newman)

  Thanks to modern medicine, people are living longer. But this now begs the question: how do we gracefully age with our physical and emotional health intact? In other words, how do we embrace healthy aging for the mind and body? Well, perhaps with the right approach and mindset toward physical activity, we can accomplish both.  
  
  You may be wondering; what is healthy aging, and how do I achieve it? 

  Healthy aging is simply the notion of avoiding health problems, living independently, and finding enjoyment in life as we age. Unfortunately, there’s no pill for healthy aging. However, there’s one surefire strategy that will provide you with a healthy mind and body as you age, and it’s this:
  
  Engage in physical activity now.

  Exercise is the single most important element to achieving healthy aging for the body and the mind. A practical approach to thinking about exercise as we age is to consider activities we want to participate in not only now, but also in 10 or 20 years down the road. Remember, there’s no substitute for the strength and stamina necessary to play with your children or grandchildren.

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  Categories: Women , Resilience , Stress , Families , Veterans , Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Do Women Differ From Men in their Psychological Health Needs?

  Posted by Dr. Kate McGraw , DCoE clinical psychologist on June 7, 2012

  	Spc. Brittany Williams, 7th Signal Command (Theater), prepares to reassemble her rifle for the react to contact lane, during the Signal Command’s Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competition in 2010. (U.S. Army photo)

  Do you know a woman who is in the military or is a veteran? Wonder if her psychological health needs are different than those of men? Researchers are focusing on gender differences related to military psychological health, identifying interesting results. For instance, let’s look at posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as it relates to military women.

  PTSD is a psychological health disorder that gets a lot of attention in the military community. It includes the experience of a traumatic event, followed by symptoms that impair an individual’s ability to function. These include re-experiencing the traumatic event, persistent avoidance of things associated with the trauma, feeling numb, and new feelings of increased physiological arousal (such as increased startle reflex, difficulty with sleep or irritability).

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  Categories: Women , Research , PTSD , Veterans , Psychological Health , Deployments   |   Comments (2)

• Healthy Coping Skills for Families

  Posted by Corina Notyce , DCoE Strategic Communications on May 2, 2012

  	Gunner Butt, son of Sgt. 1st Class Walter Butt, stands with his family waiting for the return of their deployed Soldier from Afghanistan, at Stout Field, Ind. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John Crosby)

  For a family experiencing deployment for the first time or one with multiple deployments behind them, it’s always good to remember tips to make it easier to power through a deployment. The DCoE April webinar reminded us of how parental deployment can impact children’s psychological health as well as the health of the non-deployed parent.

  Presenters acknowledged that it can be tough being a military kid — adding the stress of a deployed parent increases the risk for adjustment problems as well as emotional and behavioral challenges. Likewise, additional responsibilities managed by the parent or caregiver at home can result in higher stress levels. To support children and families navigating deployment and reintegration, include these resilience and coping strategies in your mental toolbox:

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  Categories: Women , Resilience , Families , DCoE , Reintegration , Psychological Health , Military Children , Deployments   |   Comments (4)