Stress and PTSD can take a toll on our bodies, minds, and spirits, resulting in damage that can age us before our time. That’s not an opinion − it’s been proven scientifically. It’s no secret that I love learning about telomeres, which are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that keep them from deteriorating. […]
Leading Psychiatric Doctor Claims Re-labeling PTSD as PTSI will bring "Unintended Consequences"
Will re-naming Post Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD) to Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) help to reduce patient stigma?According to Matthew Friedman, MD, PhD, the answer is no. In our last post, I talked about whether or not we should drop the “disorder” from PTSD. Now, let’s get into the discussion the American Psychiatric Association is having. In […]
Mind-Body Medicine Helps Military Personnel Heal
There is a new and surprising supporter of complementary and alternative medicine − the United States military. Working with soldiers can be challenging – especially since we are often not familiar with their environment. After getting countless emails we realized this video has touched many people, and so we wanted to repost it. And actually, […]
When a Pencil is Still a Weapon: Torture and Untreated PTSD
Have you heard of the film that has recently come out, called “The First Grader”? It’s based on the real life story of an elderly Kenyan man, Maruge, who in his youth fought with the Mau Mau during the rebellion that precipitated Kenyan independence from the United Kingdom. The Mau Mau rebellion is generally recognized […]
Recognizing the Risk of PTSD in Our Patients
When we think of PTSD, many practitioners automatically think of soldiers, rape survivors, or childhood abuse survivors. Few of us think about other groups of people, particularly the patients in our hospitals, with a high risk of developing PTSD. According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons […]