thedrifter
04-19-07, 06:55 AM
Vets battle day-to-day life
Local VA outpatient clinic provides benefits to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder
Published Thursday April 19 2007
By LORI YOUNT
lyount@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5531
The nightmares that kept Leon Brown up at night came from his days in the infantry in 1966, but it wasn't until 30 years later -- when he returned from the Gulf War -- that he even began to realize he had a diagnosable disability: post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Vietnam vets did not have the resources," said Brown, who served three years active duty in the Army and 20 years in the reserves. "One day you're in the jungle, and the next you're stateside. I felt safer in combat than on the streets. In combat, I had a weapon and knew who my enemies were."
In 1993, friends and medical professionals started telling Brown he should seek help, but he said he remained in denial for another couple of years until he went to an intensive inpatient group therapy program at a Veterans Affairs hospital, where he spoke with other veterans who understood his pain.
"It was so overwhelming; my life just changed," he said. "I didn't want to leave the group because I felt so secure in that environment."
But Brown can't seek refuge in the inpatient programs indefinitely, so he makes it a priority to attend group counseling sessions for combat veterans in Beaufort every Thursday to find solace and camaraderie.
"I thought it was just me feeling that way," Brown said of his time before treatment. "But I can explain things to them I couldn't explain to somebody who just wasn't there."
Group therapy has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, said psychologist Larry Hayes of the Savannah VA Outpatient Clinic, and that's why he's continued for 10 years to travel to the 1905 Duke St. building every other week to hold counseling sessions. "They need that support," he said. "PTSD is a chronic psychological condition."
The disorder, which affects people who have undergone traumatic experiences, including combat and sexual assault, has been formally recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis since 1980, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Anyone who attends the counseling sessions, which are hosted by the Beaufort County Veterans Affairs Office, has to have an evaluation that qualifies them as being disabled with PTSD, Hayes said.
About 20 to 30 local veterans gather each week, either at the Duke Street building or the Naval Hospital Beaufort, to tell war stories but mostly, to talk about life.
"When you have PTSD, the day-to-day issues are ongoing," Hayes said. "They're Vietnam veterans for the most part, in their 50s and 60s.
We don't spend a lot of energy" discussing the past.
A typical two-hour session on Thursday ran long because one of the veterans revealed he was just diagnosed with stomach cancer that had spread throughout his body and was given six months to live, Hayes said.
Hayes said he's only seen a "trickle" of veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he said isn't surprising because of the nature of the disease. "PTSD, as a rule, you go through a period wanting to put it behind you; you think you can go on with your life," he said, adding symptoms can increase with age as veterans retire and slow down. "Then you realize something's not working."
Many of the Vietnam veterans said they hadn't heard of the disorder until they were diagnosed, but John Toth, who was diagnosed four years ago, said though he was aware of PTSD, he didn't think it had anything to do with his life spinning out of control with a failed marriage and an inability to hold down a job.
"I thought of guys gravely wounded physically," said Toth, who was a helicopter pilot who shuttled soldiers in and out of combat zones during Vietnam. "I really didn't think it applied to me."
It took another year and a meeting with Hayes before he tapped into the resources available, including the group sessions in Beaufort, which Toth said have helped.
"It's just kind of making me aware of (my symptoms) and tell myself to stop acting that way," he said, adding he also does couples therapy through the VA with his current wife.
Being diagnosed with the disorder is "life-changing" because though most veterans know something is wrong, it's a shock to be suddenly classified as "disabled," said Rodger Horsey, who was diagnosed more than two years ago.
"It changes everything," said Horsey, now a filmmaker. "The medication reduces your thought process level. It makes it difficult to function. Spouses suffer a great deal. It's impossible to work a 9 to 5 job," adding his symptoms became noticeably worse in the past four to five years.
Horsey said he thinks his treatment is helping him and others work their way to being productive but doesn't think enough veterans are aware of the disorder and resources available for help. "It's a good program, but I think a lot of guys won't take advantage of it because of pride. We didn't face this stuff for years," he said.
And with thousands of service members in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan now, the number of veterans with the disorder is going to grow, experts say. Of the 1.4 million of those more recent veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs predicts
15 percent to 30 percent will suffer from PTSD.
Veterans in the Beaufort counseling group suggested everyone returning from combat should make sure they're examined by mental health professionals.
However, even with more resources and earlier diagnosis for these current combat veterans, Hayes said he doesn't know if they'll utilize them any sooner than other veterans.
"The thought is, the sooner you get to the problem, the better," he said. "But the nature of the problem is to delay coming in and dealing with it."
One Vietnam veteran in the group, who wished to remain anonymous because the stigma often associated with the illness, said he's afraid that will be true for his son, who is on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
"He hasn't said much about it," the veteran said, his eyes welling with tears. "I never question him about it. I just be looking at him, and I think that boy's going through the same ... " he said, taking off his glasses to wipe the tears away.
Ellie
Local VA outpatient clinic provides benefits to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder
Published Thursday April 19 2007
By LORI YOUNT
lyount@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5531
The nightmares that kept Leon Brown up at night came from his days in the infantry in 1966, but it wasn't until 30 years later -- when he returned from the Gulf War -- that he even began to realize he had a diagnosable disability: post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Vietnam vets did not have the resources," said Brown, who served three years active duty in the Army and 20 years in the reserves. "One day you're in the jungle, and the next you're stateside. I felt safer in combat than on the streets. In combat, I had a weapon and knew who my enemies were."
In 1993, friends and medical professionals started telling Brown he should seek help, but he said he remained in denial for another couple of years until he went to an intensive inpatient group therapy program at a Veterans Affairs hospital, where he spoke with other veterans who understood his pain.
"It was so overwhelming; my life just changed," he said. "I didn't want to leave the group because I felt so secure in that environment."
But Brown can't seek refuge in the inpatient programs indefinitely, so he makes it a priority to attend group counseling sessions for combat veterans in Beaufort every Thursday to find solace and camaraderie.
"I thought it was just me feeling that way," Brown said of his time before treatment. "But I can explain things to them I couldn't explain to somebody who just wasn't there."
Group therapy has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, said psychologist Larry Hayes of the Savannah VA Outpatient Clinic, and that's why he's continued for 10 years to travel to the 1905 Duke St. building every other week to hold counseling sessions. "They need that support," he said. "PTSD is a chronic psychological condition."
The disorder, which affects people who have undergone traumatic experiences, including combat and sexual assault, has been formally recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis since 1980, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Anyone who attends the counseling sessions, which are hosted by the Beaufort County Veterans Affairs Office, has to have an evaluation that qualifies them as being disabled with PTSD, Hayes said.
About 20 to 30 local veterans gather each week, either at the Duke Street building or the Naval Hospital Beaufort, to tell war stories but mostly, to talk about life.
"When you have PTSD, the day-to-day issues are ongoing," Hayes said. "They're Vietnam veterans for the most part, in their 50s and 60s.
We don't spend a lot of energy" discussing the past.
A typical two-hour session on Thursday ran long because one of the veterans revealed he was just diagnosed with stomach cancer that had spread throughout his body and was given six months to live, Hayes said.
Hayes said he's only seen a "trickle" of veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he said isn't surprising because of the nature of the disease. "PTSD, as a rule, you go through a period wanting to put it behind you; you think you can go on with your life," he said, adding symptoms can increase with age as veterans retire and slow down. "Then you realize something's not working."
Many of the Vietnam veterans said they hadn't heard of the disorder until they were diagnosed, but John Toth, who was diagnosed four years ago, said though he was aware of PTSD, he didn't think it had anything to do with his life spinning out of control with a failed marriage and an inability to hold down a job.
"I thought of guys gravely wounded physically," said Toth, who was a helicopter pilot who shuttled soldiers in and out of combat zones during Vietnam. "I really didn't think it applied to me."
It took another year and a meeting with Hayes before he tapped into the resources available, including the group sessions in Beaufort, which Toth said have helped.
"It's just kind of making me aware of (my symptoms) and tell myself to stop acting that way," he said, adding he also does couples therapy through the VA with his current wife.
Being diagnosed with the disorder is "life-changing" because though most veterans know something is wrong, it's a shock to be suddenly classified as "disabled," said Rodger Horsey, who was diagnosed more than two years ago.
"It changes everything," said Horsey, now a filmmaker. "The medication reduces your thought process level. It makes it difficult to function. Spouses suffer a great deal. It's impossible to work a 9 to 5 job," adding his symptoms became noticeably worse in the past four to five years.
Horsey said he thinks his treatment is helping him and others work their way to being productive but doesn't think enough veterans are aware of the disorder and resources available for help. "It's a good program, but I think a lot of guys won't take advantage of it because of pride. We didn't face this stuff for years," he said.
And with thousands of service members in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan now, the number of veterans with the disorder is going to grow, experts say. Of the 1.4 million of those more recent veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs predicts
15 percent to 30 percent will suffer from PTSD.
Veterans in the Beaufort counseling group suggested everyone returning from combat should make sure they're examined by mental health professionals.
However, even with more resources and earlier diagnosis for these current combat veterans, Hayes said he doesn't know if they'll utilize them any sooner than other veterans.
"The thought is, the sooner you get to the problem, the better," he said. "But the nature of the problem is to delay coming in and dealing with it."
One Vietnam veteran in the group, who wished to remain anonymous because the stigma often associated with the illness, said he's afraid that will be true for his son, who is on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
"He hasn't said much about it," the veteran said, his eyes welling with tears. "I never question him about it. I just be looking at him, and I think that boy's going through the same ... " he said, taking off his glasses to wipe the tears away.
Ellie