The ‘Shadow’ Population of Forces’ Veterans who suffer PTSD without Help

Many UK armed forces’ veterans are suffering from the effects of military trauma but are going without any official diagnosis or help, according to a new survey.

Unknown and untreated, this ‘shadow’ population receives no appropriate medical or counselling support, says charity PTSD Resolution - www.ptsdgive.co.uk. These veterans may number as many as are diagnosed with PTSD through the NHS and healthcare organisations for former servicemen and women.

The latest findings are from a new survey by charity PTSD Resolution, and are a major concern for security industry and other employers.

The charity has a national network of 200 counsellors to help forces’ veterans suffering from military trauma. Resolution successfully treats eight out ten veterans who complete its programme of counselling, it says, but has been turned down for support by Government, NHS and the established forces’ charities and is running out of funds from voluntary donations, says Piers Bishop, director of counselling.

Key findings of the survey are:-

1.     Half of respondents suffering from the symptoms of military trauma – which include nightmares, flashbacks and episodes of anger or terror – have no diagnosis of PTSD, whilst the other half do.

2.     The distribution of symptoms is the same in the diagnosed and undiagnosed groups: they appear to be suffering to the same degree. So in the case of those with a diagnosis, treatment has either not been provided or has not worked effectively

3.     The undiagnosed group have suffered symptoms for an average of 15 years. Many have had meetings with medical practitioners but still never received a diagnosis or an offer of treatment. They are more likely to drink above guideline levels, and to have a diagnosis of alcohol dependency

4.     The PTSD diagnosed group are highly likely to have other diagnoses, generally for depression and other anxiety disorders

5.     All those with either a diagnosis or with probable PTSD are significantly more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those veterans with a sub-clinical level of post-traumatic stress.

Piers Bishop assesses the results of the survey:

“ The diagnosed group are persistent enough, or have social support, or have sufficiently severe symptoms to get a diagnosis of PTSD. The second group may not wish to acknowledge they have a problem perhaps, or do not have social support to go through the pathways to diagnosis: some we have found do not leave their room, or just find it easier or less frightening or humiliating to go to the pub, and attempt to self-manage their symptoms with alcohol.”

There is a population of veterans that are desperate for help with the effects of trauma, concludes Bishop: disturbingly, even the help that is available is often inadequate

“ Unlike with the PTSD support generally available to veterans, PTSD Resolution can offer help that is fast, with an average of just five counselling sessions required on an outpatient basis. No referrals are needed. We’re a very lean organisation: there are no salaried staff or premises. But our funds are running out and the future is very uncertain for the charity - and the veterans we have yet to help.”

The PTSD Resolution survey received completed replies from 472 respondents. The survey can be found at www.ptsdresolution.org/survey.html. It included an IES-E, a self-rating scale for post-traumatic stress.

For further information: PTSD Resolution www.ptsdgive.co.uk. Tel 0845 021 7873. e-mail sb@ptsdresolution.org

The BBC Panorama Programme (BBC One, 15 July) highlights the terrible consequences of  military trauma for our forces’ veterans and the deficiencies of current support in the UK.

PTSD Resolution is the only charity – the only organisation nationally - in the UK to provide counselling to veterans and reservists and then publish the clinical results.  It is the only care provider with a proven record of success, at 78 per cent, (defined as where, for those who complete the programme, both the counsellor and counselled state that no further treatment is required).

Despite this record of success, Government and the NHS refuse to acknowledge or support PTSD Resolution, and the charity has to rely on donations from the public. Moreover, the charity has been refused membership to UK services’ charity organisation COBSEO, and therefore access to mainstream charitable funding without any satisfactory explanation.

PTSD Resolution offers exceptional value for money too. The cost per treatment is £400 – this compares with the cost by the largest charity in the sector which is as high as £25,000 per treatment (from analysis of the records registered with the Charity Commissioners, as no results’ data are published).

PTSD Resolution meets all the requirements of the Veterans Pathway, NICE guidelines and other national clinical and care standards - and meets many unmet veterans’ needs:-

1.    The PTSD Resolution national outreach programme has over 200 counsellors.  It is private, confidential, local, and one-to-one. No referral is needed, so reducing any sense of stigma. Counselling is brief and effective – an average of five out-patient sessions are required.

2.    PTSD Resolution treats veterans who cannot be seen by other care providers because, for example, they have alcohol or drug problems, are on the sex-offenders' register, or are in prison.  At Resolution there is no such bar on providing help.

3.    The ex-military prison population with post-traumatic symptoms is in particular need of help. This is because prison medical services do not generally employ specialist psychological trauma therapists on their staff. Resolution can go into prisons to help veterans – but there is no national recognition of Resolution by the prison authorities or Home Office, which restricts availability.

4.    The counselling methodology of Resolution is a form of Trauma-Focussed CBT. It is therefore entirely compatible with the NICE guideline on PTSD treatment. It therefore could be, but is not made available through GP Primary Care, hospital referral or other NHS networks. 

The methodology and organisation of Resolution are fully open to independent inspection and further validation. We welcome the opportunity to work with any Government, COBSE or NHS-related organisation.

Most of all Resolution requires fair access to funding, including the many millions of pounds that are channelled through COBSEO and the NHS to other service charities and care providers, but without any supporting evidence by them that their treatment works; or the percentage of veterans that are effectively treated; or any demonstration of value for money..

From:-

Colonel Anthony de Gauvain (Retired)

Chairman, PTSD Resolution, charity (No. 1133188)

www.ptsdresolution.org

Woolwich

The terrible event at Woolwich reminds us starkly of the mental as well as physical trauma to which our forces' personnel are exposed. For those who are injured, and those who serve along side them and their families, the trauma can last sometimes a lifetime.

Our work at PTSD Resolution is to counsel those veterans who are affected by military trauma. The alternative for them is often extreme daily anguish, nightmares, even substance abuse and family breakdown. And worse.

Nearly 8 out of 10 times - in 78 per cent of cases - we achieve an  effective resolution - so that the counsellor and counselled believe that no further help is required, after an average of five one sessions. They can go on to lead normal work and family lives, like you and me.

To achieve this the charity needs money, frankly. We get no Government, NHS of H4H funding.
We counsel each veteran at a cost per treatment of £373.  The main charity in the military mental health area treats veterans at an average cost per treatment of £2,836. But we are the only charity that reports on its results.

All our money is used to pay and manage our counsellors network. We have no salaried staff or assets, not so much as a stapler. All Trustees are volunteers.
Help us if you can , or just tell people about what we do.

Thank you - http://www.ptsdresolution.org/

16 May, MPs are holding a special debate on mental health

* We've just heard that this Thursday, 16 May, MPs are holding a special debate on mental health in the House of Commons, and this is your chance to tell the Government what matters to you right now.

Many MPs have no understanding of mental health problems. We need you to email your MP and share your experience or point them to our work so they can speak about mental health on your behalf at the debate - visit http://is.gd/n2OmXu

You could tell your MP about your own experience, or if you prefer you could simply point your MP to PTSD Resolution.

This is our message:

" The Government should make wider access available to Veterans, Reservists and their families with mental health or well being problems by supporting service charities in addition to Combat Stress - such as PTSD Resolution, which can demonstrate a track record of providing immediate, local, brief, private, treatment at a fraction of the cost and at 80% effectiveness."

You can watch the debate live on the BBC Parliament Channel or on the Parliament website from about 11.30am on Thursday.

Please Share or Like this message to pass it on to supporters of battle to beat military PTSD

Thanks!

Why we help veterans and TA in prison and with addiction problems.

The PTSD Resolution outreach programme - with 200 counsellors - includes visiting and helping TA and veterans in prison, as well as those with alcohol and related addiction problems. This probably makes us unique in the military charity sector, as the only organisation prepared to help in these situations.

Our policy is that the very sad circumstances in which a traumatised veteran may find him or herself is probably symptomatic and related to the effects of the original trauma anyway. Therefore it is only humane to include these people, all veterans in the counselling programme.

The help we provide is limited by the funds that we have available to meet the costs of providing counsellors - we have no funds from Government, MoD, NHS or other organisations, and rely on donations from the public and one or two private Trusts that help.

We have no salaried staff or fixed assets - funds are used to provide counselling and a small informational campaign.

Taking the Trauma out of a Crisis: Trauma Training for Employers

Even staff who are professionally trained to respond to and deal with CBRNE events have their own personal stress thresholds. Beyond a certain level of exposure to disturbing experiences, almost everyone is vulnerable to trauma, according to the organisers of TATE, Trauma Awareness Training for Employers. The next half day training event for managers from all sectors is scheduled for Autumn 2013. www.ptsdresolution.org/company_training.htm

PTSD Resolution is the charity that runs the training and is successfully dealing with military trauma amongst many UK forces veterans and reservists. The counselling programme has had unparalleled results in the UK, according to PTSD Resolution, with nearly eight out of ten armed forces’ veterans treated successfully. This was achieved in an average of five sessions: 157 ex-service personnel have completed the programme, and 78 per cent of these had symptoms reduced to below the ‘clinical level'.

“ We are trying to raise funding for additional counselling to help the other 22 per cent who do not respond and others who fail to complete the programme. The attendance fees for TATE boosts our funds, as we rely on donations, as well as increasing awareness of the issues for employers,” says Piers Bishop, director of counseling at PTSD Resolution.

Few employers can recognise the symptoms of trauma, according to Bishop, far less assist employees and find out if they need help and then arrange appropriate treatment.

This is why PTSD Resolution introduced TATE. The registered UK charity (No. 1133188) provides trauma treatment to military veterans as its core aim. However, such has been the demand for help from employers of former soldiers that the charity set up half-day seminars to help company owners, line managers, human relations specialists and other CBRNE staff to recognise and deal with the problem of trauma, however caused.

Tips on Trauma

Piers Bishop says that if as a line manager you have staff who have been exposed to violent scenes, or come across them in their current employment, you and they need to be prepared through proper training – he makes these further points:-

1. If you experience the effects of trauma, you are not going mad and this is not a sign of weakness. It is a normal reaction to events and can happen to anyone, even robust and apparently stable people. Everyone has a threshold beyond which they can be traumatised:

2. It’s ok to talk about the event and feelings of trauma, but it won’t necessarily help. Treatment is what you need. The sooner you get on with it, the sooner you’ll be able to get back to normal life. If you broke your leg, you’d get it fixed professionally – it is not so different with mental health.

3. Your doctor probably won’t be a trauma specialist. In fact you may know more about post-traumatic symptoms than him or her because of the nature of your work and the people with whom you come into contact.

4. The latest medical thinking is opposed to medication for post-traumatic symptoms, but many doctors still offer antidepressants to new trauma cases. So you should insist on seeing someone qualified in this subject. There is a strong chance that with appropriate treatment you will experience a good recovery.

PTSD Resolution has a network of 200 counsellors in the UK, and bookings can be made centrally.

For further information on TATE courses, including the next open event and private company courses, visit www.ptsdresolution.org/company_training.htm

Ends…

Author: Patrick Rea is Campaign Director for PTSD Resolution

US News: More active-duty soldiers killed themselves than died in combat. After a decade of deployments to war zones, the Pentagon is bracing for things to get much worse http://is.gd/I5XpS0 PTSD Resolution counsels UK veterans to prevent these tragedies in the UK.