Fighting Back: Responding to the Increased Need for PTSD TreatmentThe continuous deployments and rotations of our armed service members are taking a heavy toll on their lives. This stress manifests itself in both drug and alcohol treatment abuse and mental health disorders. In the past year, we have experienced a 34 percent surge in inpatient admissions of veterans, and a 15 percent increase in active duty members seeking help. Estimates from numerous recent studies predict 35 percent of our fighting forces will suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This is compared to the recognized rate of 4 percent in the general public. We see PTSD more frequently in our military patient population. It is not always directly connected to the soldier’s experience in combat. In one case, a patient’s severe childhood physical and sexual abuse trauma occurred before he entered the Army and was exacerbated on a tour of duty in Iraq, which later became extremely debilitating. We have responded to the increased need for PTSD treatment by providing a specialized group therapy option during their inpatient stay that continues to our outpatient level of care in the partial hospitalization or IOP. Clinical continuity is maintained by having the same clinician at all levels of programming. The PTSD service can be accessed at any level of care. Alcohol still appears to be the abused drug of choice here in our location in Las Vegas. Once treatment is successfully started, we are finding more and more PTSD issues needing to be addressed. Our troops appear to need us more, necessitating for longer duration of treatment. Our voluntary supportive Aftercare program has seen increased participation by our service members, as well. The difficulties are not just taking a toll on the military personnel. Family members are also suffering. We have seen an increased number of soldiers being returned home through the American Red Cross because they have family members here in treatment at Montevista. It has been said when a young man or woman joins the military, they are signing a blank check payable to the United States of America for a value up to and including their lives. The PSI Patriot Support designed initiative is to ensure that the check is never cashed due to lack of treatment for their psychological or chemical dependency challenges. William Bauer, M.D. |
