David Cifu and Cory Blake work at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Polytrauma Center (one of only four in the country) providing intensive rehabilitation care to veterans and service members who experienced injuries to multiple organ systems. This type of injury

A comprehensive guide for service members, veterans, and their families dealing with the all-too-common repercussions of combat duty, including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, chronic pain and musculoskeletal injury, and substance abuse. Written by two doctors at the forefront of treating veterans and service members, Overcoming Post-Deployment Syndrome is a wellness handbook filled with evidence-based advice, exercises, and approaches for healing from post-deployment syndrome (PDS), preventing combat stresses from having a lasting negative impact, and returning to activity and wellness. Offering a practical blend of state-of-the-art traditional and holistic medicine to help physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing, Overcoming Post-Deployment Syndrome provides: Personal vignettes of servicemembers who are going through the process of successfully reintegrating into their families, workplaces, and communities. A twelve-week basic training in self-directed healing arts. A wealth of community and government resources, tips, and suggestions. The means to integrate traditional and complementary medicine techniques to treat common symptoms.

Recounts a psychiatrist's experiences in Iraq of treating soldiers who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder with a computer simulation of combat, discussing the advantages and limitations of the treatment.

The U.S. military has been continuously engaged in foreign conflicts for over two decades. The strains that these deployments, the associated increases in operational tempo, and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the people who depend on them and who support them as they support the nation â€" their families. Family members provide support to service members while they serve or when they have difficulties; family problems can interfere with the ability of service members to deploy or remain in theater; and family members are central influences on whether members continue to serve. In addition, rising family diversity and complexity will likely increase the difficulty of creating military policies, programs and practices that adequately support families in the performance of military duties. Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society examines the challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families, as well as lessons to be learned from these experiences. This report offers recommendations regarding what is needed to strengthen the support system for military families.

This volume brings together the leaders in the field of PTSD research to present an up-to-date summary and understanding of this complex disorder. All of our current knowledge and controversies concerning the diagnosis, epidemiology, course, pathophysiology and treatment are described in detail. The evidence for efficacy for each of the different forms of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is reviewed. Particular attention is paid to at-risk groups, including minorities, and coverage of PTSD throughout the world is reviewed as well. The authors present state-of-the-art findings in genetics, epigenetics, neurotransmitter function and brain imaging to provide the most current and comprehensive review of this burgeoning field.

This document provides information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and war-related stress for veterans & their families. It begins with background on PTSD and traumatic events, then describes common symptoms of PTSD and why they develop. The next section reviews problems associated with PTSD, such as depression, anxiety, and impacts on work & family. The final sections provide suggestions on coping with the disorder and describe treatment methods.

As U.S. service members deploy for extended periods on a repeated basis, their ability to cope with the stress of deployment may be challenged. Many programs are available to encourage and support psychological resilience among service members and families. However, little is known about these programs' effectiveness. This report reviews resilience literature and programs to identify evidence-informed factors for promoting resilience.