DCoE Blog

• Tips for Encouraging Your Loved One to Access Mental Health Services

  Posted by Corina Notyce, DCoE Public Affairs on January 2, 2013

  

  Below is a blog post from Military Pathways, written by Dr. Steven L. Sayers, a psychologist and director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Coaching Into Care program.
  
  

  It happens every year. We visit friends and family who we only see occasionally and are often surprised at their condition. For the family of a struggling veteran, this can be especially difficult if that veteran doesn’t want to seek treatment. Fortunately, there is a program specifically for those trying to help a veteran who won’t seek treatment. The program will “coach” you through working with your vet.
  
  Family members are key resources for service members and veterans. They know when something is wrong and can encourage each other to seek help. Unfortunately, sometimes misunderstandings, disagreements and conflicts get in the way of helping. Here are some suggestions for working with your service member or veteran when you think he or she is troubled and experiencing depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or another mental health concern:
  

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  Categories: Stress , PTSD , Families , Veterans , Resources , Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Frontline Psych with Doc Bender: The Reality of Depression

  Posted by Dr. James Bender , DCoE psychologist on October 25, 2012

  Dr. James Bender is a former Army psychologist who deployed to Iraq as the brigade psychologist for the 1st Cavalry Division 4th Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Hood, Texas. During his deployment, he traveled through Southern Iraq, from Basra to Baghdad. He writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on psychological health concerns related to deployment and being in the military.

  Depression has been referred to as “both the common cold and cancer of health care.” It’s like the common cold in that it can affect anyone at any time (depression affects approximately 17 million American adults annually). It’s like cancer because it can be deadly. Take, for example, someone who is clinically depressed and commits suicide. Depression also increases the chances of someone experiencing a heart attack.

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  Categories: Families , Veterans , Resources , Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health   |   Comments (9)

• After Service, Find afterdeployment.org

  Posted by Jayne Davis , DCoE Strategic Communications on October 15, 2012

  

  Photo courtesy of U.S. Army

  Getting started is often the most difficult step in any process. If you’re a service member struggling with depression, sleep difficulties, posttraumatic stress, traumatic brain injury or any number of challenges to living a healthy, balanced life post-deployment, taking that first step toward improvement can be daunting. As simple as it seems, even clicking on a website that offers help for your concerns requires a leap of faith in yourself and the website.

  That’s well understood by the developers of afterdeployment.org, an interactive wellness resource. Created specifically for service members, their families, veterans and health care providers, it takes into consideration the unique combination of issues service members could encounter post-deployment and guides their self-discovery through an engaging, media-rich experience.

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  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury , Collaborations , Resilience , Stress , PTSD , Families , Veterans , Resources , Substance Misuse Treatment , Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health , Deployments   |   Comments (0)

• National Depression Screening Day: Do This for the Ones You Love

  Posted by Dr. Pam Murphy on October 11, 2012

  

  Graphic courtesy of Military Pathways

  It’s always the other guy. Poor sap — he’s got a drinking problem. She’s got to start standing up for herself. Those folks are in serious need of Parenting 101.

  Have you ever noticed how easy it is to spot other people’s problems but not our own? Some problems are easier to see than others. You may realize you drive too fast when you get a speeding ticket. You figure out you’ve gained weight when your jeans don’t fit. Speeding and weight gain are easy to recognize because they have clear-cut signs or signals. But it gets tricky when you consider such problems as depression, anxiety or combat stress. The signals for these problems can easily be misinterpreted or ignored as unimportant. So what if you’re unable to sleep through the night or lose your appetite? It’s just something going around. Sure you’re irritable and angry all the time but you have a good reason. What’s the big deal if you don’t want to hang out with your friends anymore?

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  Categories: Community Support , Families , Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health   |   Comments (4)

• ‘Military Medicine’ Supplement Focuses on Psychological Health, TBI

  Posted by Dino Teppara on September 19, 2012

  

  DCoE develops special medical journal supplement to highlight advances in psychological health and TBI. (DCoE photo)

  What’s the impact of multiple deployments and repeated traumatic stressors on service members? Why are a significant number of military personnel experiencing psychological injuries following their deployments? What treatment options are available? What’s being done to help advance the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health?

  If these questions are on your mind, consider reading the special edition of “Military Medicine.” Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) subject matter experts and others share updated research to better understand current psychological health and TBI conditions affecting the health, occupational and personal functioning of service members and veterans. Published by The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), the journal identifies effective screening tools, diagnostic technologies and treatments for major areas of concern like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance use disorder and TBI.

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  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury , Research , Collaborations , Stress , PTSD , Veterans , DCoE , Substance Misuse Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Frontline Psych with Doc Bender: How Well You Perform Physically May Depend on How Fit You are Mentally

  Posted by Dr. James Bender , DCoE psychologist on September 13, 2012

  

  U.S. Army photo by Spc. De’Yonte Mosley

  Dr. James Bender is a former Army psychologist who deployed to Iraq as the brigade psychologist for the 1st Cavalry Division 4th Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Hood, Texas. During his deployment, he traveled through Southern Iraq, from Basra to Baghdad. He writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on psychological health concerns related to deployment and being in the military.

  When most people hear the words “psychologist,” “mental health” or “shrink,” they think “mental illness.” After all, why should you talk to those guys unless you have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression? It’s unfortunate that some people think that way, because in addition to helping with serious conditions like PTSD and depression, behavioral health specialists can offer much more. A big part of psychology concerns itself with improving physical performance.

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  Categories: Resilience , PTSD , Veterans , Depression , Psychological Health , Deployments   |   Comments (7)