In This Issue

Feature Topic

Veterans Day 2015: PTSD and Veterans

On Veterans Day, we take this opportunity to express our humble thanks to all who sacrificed for us and our country. For those Veterans who served and are still serving, and each and every one of their family members...thank you.

Out of the estimated 22 million U.S. Veterans living today, 16.5 million, or 75%, served in Wartime and just over 7 million Veterans are of the Vietnam Era. Servicemembers are at high risk for exposure to traumatic events, especially during times of war. Going through a trauma does not mean that you will develop PTSD, though. The number of Veterans with PTSD varies by service era:

• 11-20% of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) Veterans have PTSD in a given year.
• 12% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans have PTSD in a given year.
• 30% of Vietnam Era Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.

Learn more about Veterans and PTSD:

• Follow the history of PTSD in Veterans from Soldier's Heart to what we know as PTSD today.
• Hear from Veterans who live with PTSD every day and find out how treatment turned their lives around.

Veterans with PTSD: Get Help

Whether you just returned from a deployment or have been home for 40 years, it's never too late to get professional treatment for PTSD. Receiving treatment as soon as possible can keep your symptoms from getting worse.

• Get help for Veterans with PTSD and learn about resources available to Veterans and families.
• Check out our Returning from the War Zone guides for military personnel and their families.

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For Providers

PTSD Lecture Series for All Providers

New! We are excited to announce that free continuing education credits are now available to providers outside of the VA.

• Non-VA Providers: Get more information and register at the TRAIN website.
• VA Providers: Please continue to use TMS.

Next Lectures in the Series

• 11/18 at 2 pm ET - Jessica Hamblen, PhD and Sonya Norman, PhD on Overview of PTSD

Mark your calendar for the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2 pm ET.

Consult with PTSD Experts

The PTSD Consultation Program offers free PTSD consultation to any provider who treats Veterans in any setting. This program is now open to Community Providers.

Have a question about PTSD? Contact us:
Call 866-948-7880 or
Email PTSDconsult@va.gov

Online Resources

• Read more about the Epidemiology of PTSD
• View a course on military culture and learn more about how to assist Veterans with trauma following war and other events.
• Check out our toolkit for community providers featuring support for mental health providers caring for Veterans.

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Research at the Center

Lifespan outcomes of military service

Investigators are analyzing data from an online survey of women Veterans’ preferences for brief counseling. Findings will inform a larger project to evaluate a model of brief counseling for women who screen positive for IPV in VAffiliated investigators are building a research infrastructure to improve the study of risk and protective aspects of military service across the lifespan. The initiative will advance the understanding of the long-term effects of military service on Veterans' health and well-being.

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PTSD in the News

Fear itself: A mental illness caused by trauma may be one of the first to be understood in physical terms. Dr. Matthew Friedman, Senior Advisor to and former Executive Director of the National Center for PTSD, contributed to a story in the October 24th edition of The Economist on the physical aspects of PTSD and potential new treatments for this mental health disorder. Read more.*

Could PTSD Be Prevented Post-Trauma? Dr. Matthew Friedman was quoted in a story posted November 10, 2015 on the U.S. News & World Report website about potential post-trauma interventions to prevent the later development of PTSD. Read more*

PTSD Center Official Receives Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Paula Schnurr, Executive for the National Center for PTSD received the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Lifetime Achievement Award on November 5th.

Be sure to forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

Thank you,

The Staff of VA’s National Center for PTSD

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