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Denial, the Harmful Resilience
Humans are very resilient, in many different ways. Some of those ways are not necessarily the healthiest. We have this “Keep on trucking” attitude that usually contributes to us overlooking major issues. Therefore we can easily underestimate the individual or generational effects that trauma has on us. “Regardless of how trauma is introduced, the direct and indirect exposure can alter how the brain process information and facilitate behavior (Dr. Rousseau 2021).” The effects of trauma are apparent when looking at our weakest links; our children and unborn children. “Trauma in pregnancy has dramatically increased in the past 25 years and is now the number one cause of non-obstetrical maternal death in the United States. With major trauma, there is a 40 to 50% risk of fetal death.” (D. M. Krywko, F. K. Toy, M. E. Mahan, J. Kiel. 2021)
The unhealthy resilience in adults can cause them to band-aid their harm rather than heal it, therefore continuing to ignore the severe effects of trauma, subsequently causing more harm. It seems we are stuck on a Merry-go-round of trauma, fuelled by denial. Comparable to infants, adults usually do not die physically from trauma, but the effects are dire. More than 17,000 people in the US have died as of May 28, 2021, from gun-related violence. There were 44,834 total deaths by suicide in 2020 according to the CDC and exedra.
The same occurrences that cause adult trauma can cause trauma to an unborn baby “in utero.” and the same deadly effects can occur to both yet we choose to continue ignoring them. One would argue we need to prevent in utero trauma, another will argue that crime rates need to decrease. One will state that poverty needs to be addressed in order to lessen the trauma, and another will argue for a budget increase to police training. All of them would be correct. Writing this blog, I am realizing there is no one topic I could possibly bring to your attention that hasn’t been spoken of to death. There are many brilliant individuals who have thought of trauma prevention, healing trauma, bringing our judicial and mental health systems closer together in order to both prevent and heal trauma, exedra. Yet we find ourselves in the same place asking the same questions years later. So I end this blog without presenting more data to support a topic I may or may not actually have knowledge of. I will not distract you with insignificance. I leave you with a question. What are we missing in order for actual change to happen?
Paper or Plastic?
References:
Pregnancy Trauma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430926/
Rousseau, D. (2021). Module 3: Neurobiology of Trauma. Boston University Metropolitan College: Blackboard.
Suicides fell in 2020, early CDC data shows
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/suicides-fell-in-2020-early-cdc-data-shows.html
THE IN UTERO EXPERIENCE TRAUMA BEFORE BIRTH
The US has had 225 mass shootings in 2021 so far. Here's the full list.
https://www.insider.com/number-of-mass-shootings-in-america-this-year-2021-3
Van der Kolk, B. 2014. The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Random House. New York.
Blog post
ABSTRACT
Adverse Childhood Experiences are traumatic, but prevention and self-care can make it much better for the surviving individuals. ACE test correlates individuals with their childhood traumas seem wrong as we see it in the context of the Juvenile Justice system. the ACE test is conducted with a positive intention as part of the law in the criminal justice system. We cannot stop the ACE test from being conducted by the legal system, but we can fight ACEs in the longer run by taking certain steps. Self-care strategies practiced by the victims would also strengthen their mental health. Physical activities and meditation can play an important role in dealing with anxiety, abnormal and violent behavior following trauma. It is highly desirable to unearth the factors which are responsible for a violent behavior of an individual. ACE test, for that matter, becomes a necessity, especially for those who exhibit characteristics of violent nature. It should be optional for those who want to take it with their own will.
Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experience, ACE test, Past trauma
Criminal Justice Blog Entry
All across the world, several children are identified with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These experiences are in the form of verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, etc., comprising personal experiences, and external affairs comprising of an alcoholic, abused, divorced, or jailed parent can also affect a child's mental health. The test is conducted on legal practitioners and staff members and stands as an important test in the criminal justice system. However, this is a brutal act in the name of law as it triggers victims' traumas which he has long forgotten. The ACE test would complement the practitioners in carrying out their job. The Test will help them understand the trauma. Also, the ACE test demonstrates the deep reasons behind an employee’s violent behavior. This test makes the victims relive their traumatic experiences of childhood to give something to the legal system. (Starecheksi, 2015). The test administered on the legal practitioners to a good extent helps in unearthing the reason behind the productivity.
The ACE test cannot be stopped from being taken as it is part of the solution to a particular case study. One thing that can be done is the practice of giving remedy to the individuals who suffered from Adverse Childhood Experiences in the past or not letting ACEs propel in the first place. Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris, a Californian Surgeon, is working hard to create awareness against Adverse Childhood Experiences, concluding that someone’s adversity is not their destiny. Moreover, specific ways can be used to determine a family’s internal conditions without interfering with any of them. One of them includes the FLAT (Family Law Adversity Test) scan, which will administer a screening survey that provides insight that could help the generations refrain from ACEs (Chroman, 2020).
While dealing with ACE test-taking individuals, cultural competencies must be taken into account. The in-house counselors or psychologists must be aware of the diverse culture of patients; otherwise, issues related to cultural competencies intervene with the test results. Likewise, the judiciary, litigation, and collaborative communities need to build an inter-disciplinary approach at an early level to fight ACEs. One measure can be making collaboration and mediation standard policies to help fight children with ACEs. The families who are scanned positive in the FLAT scans must be engaged with regular check-ups. The Centre proposed some strategies to fight ACEs for Disease Control and Prevention. These include giving economic support to families, promoting violence-free norms in society, engaging youth with trusted adults, intervene to cure long-term traumas. (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2020) All these strategies need to be taken in order to fight the perceived issue.
As a measure of self-care and treatment approach, specific tools used by the victims themselves can prove to be effective in preventing the after-effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the longer run. These include building a healthy relationship by spending quality time with your loved ones. Meditation and exercise can help significantly to let go of past traumas acting as a form of catharsis. Better nutrition and sleep patterns would help maintain health and keep your mental health and subjective well-being healthy. For self-care, communication is the key. Building fit and effective communications with your loved ones keep you in good mental proportions. Likewise, being mindful of your surroundings emotionally and physically strengthens oneself. All these measures, if taken effectively by the ACE diagnosed individual, can improve his mental health.
References
Chroman, K. (2020). Making The Case for ACEs: How the Legal System Can Further Help Children and Take Meaningful Steps to Address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) . LACBA, 1-9.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2020, September). Adverse Childhood Experiences. Retrieved from Centre for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/pdfs/priority/ACEs-Strategic-Plan_Final_508.pdf
Starecheksi, L. (2015, March 2). Take The ACE Quiz — And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean. Retrieved from NPR: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean
Self-Care
Self-care is sometimes completely overlooked by everyone. We are so centered on our every day lives that we forget to take a moment to breath and to focus on ourselves. It is so important to focus on our mental health and our physical health but it is very easily overlooked and forgotten about. Self-care is very different for every individual it can sometimes be anywhere from "getting enough sleep, or filling up a bottle of water before heading out to work in order to stay hydrated throughout the day. Simple little things that keep our physical health taken care of can make a significant, positive impact on our mental health as well" (Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, 2018). A majority of people believe that drastically changing something in their routine is going to cause an impact on their mental health and while that might be true, little things as preparing your clothing for the next working the night before could improve our mental health.
Mental health is so important and it truly can shape our future. The way that we look at ourselves, the way that we create relationships and the way that we interact with people all stems from our mental health. If someone is upset, has had a bad day, they are more likely to snap at people, be angry at themselves and continue to put themselves under stressful situations which will eventually lead the individual to burn out. I know that meditation is incredibly helpful to people, reading, exercising, going to bed earlier or later, cooking, baking and even taking a walk will improve someone's mental health. Every individual has a special niche where they can sit and focus on other things, a hobby or even a book that calms one mind can be incredibly beneficial.
Crisis center of tampa bay. (2018). The importance of self-care is maintaining positive mental health.
Family Acceptance Project
In honor of Pride month, I wanted to highlight a policy initiative to help prevent physical and mental health risks for LGBTQ+ youth, such as suicide, homelessness, drug use, and HIV/AIDs: Family Acceptance Project. The Family Acceptance Project's goals are to address these risks through research-based and "culturally-grounded approach to help ethnically, racially and religiously diverse families learn to support their LGBTQ children" (Family Acceptance Project). This project is based at the San Francisco State University, but offers training to any agency, institution, congregation, or community. Cultural and ethnic differences affect how a family may approach their LGBTQ+ child's coming out and determine the initial responses (Bhugra, 2016). It is incredibly important to try to meet families where they are culturally and find a way, within their home culture, of integrating the new knowledge to help minimize the harm a harsh familial response could cause a child. This project is important, but also relies on organizations coming to them for training. A nationwide initiative based on this model would be ideal so families have access to counselors, as often family rejection is the first step to negative outcomes (Katz-Wise, Rosario & Tsappis, 2016).
Bhugra, D. 2016. Cultural variations in LGBT issues. World Psychiatric Association, London. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.982
Family Acceptance Project. Family Acceptance Project ® | (sfsu.edu)
Katz-Wise, S., Rosario, M., & Tsappis, M. 2016. LGBT Youth and Family Acceptance. Pediatric Clinic North America. 2016;63(6):1011-1025. https://doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2016.07.005.
Dealing with Trauma and Stress During a Global Pandemic
When COVID-19 first made it's appearance in America in January of 2020, most thought it was just a flu going around and that there was nothing to worry about. Two months later March 2020 came around, and the world literally stopped. Businesses and restaurants were forced to close down, and some have never reopened. Schools made history by shutting down and students learned completely virtually. And the unemployment rate skyrocketed. It's been a year and a half since a global pandemic started and finally, things are opening up. States are lifting their mask mandates as well as their capacity limits, and the job market is plentiful. What no one predicted from a pandemic was the impact it would have on the human psyche.
The stress that adults feel came from the financial stress of either having lost a job or received less hours due to the pandemic, emotional stress from having not seen loved ones since the quarantine started as well as the feelings of being isolated. The stress that children feel are starting to worry children's psychologists. The pandemic has left children feeling unsafe and out of control, and the complete shift in routine such as a disruption in school and family gatherings and an isolation from loved ones can have very dangerous consequences. It is unknown exactly how many people are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, but children who are watching the news a lot are showing more symptoms from the repeated exposure to the trauma of a pandemic. As for adults, their trauma most likely comes from having understood what COVID-19 can do to the human body, with the most common effect being death.
Long term consequences of these traumas and stresses not being addressed are: a decreased physical health, a higher risk of suicide or self harm, and a greater risk of substance abuse. To treat symptoms of dress, psychologists recommend seeking psychotherapy and counseling. When it comes to children, they say the parents really need to prioritize their children and have age appropriate discussions about the pandemic because it is very important for children to know about the virus and what it does. Parents also should teach their children relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
Loma Linda University Health posted several tips on how to deal with stress during a pandemic such as: 1) Step away from negative news and negative social media. Instead, think about and focus on the positive things. 2) Get enough sleep, exercise, eat well, and avoid too much alcohol or substance use. 3) Find things that make you happy! Video chat with loved ones, plan a virtual game night, paint, or even garden.
The year has been filled with a lot of negatives, with a pandemic taking the lives of thousands, of police shootings, riots, etc. Not everything is negative though; there are still good people out there trying to make the best out of everything. Look around; you can feel the positives in the woods when the breeze blows through the trees and you can even see the positives right in your own neighborhood as the teenagers help an elderly couple mow their grass.
Resources
Campbell, L. (2020, September 8). The World Is Experiencing Mass Trauma from COVID-19: What You Can Do. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-world-is-experiencing-mass-trauma-from-covid-19-what-you-can-do.
Understanding the long-term collective trauma from COVID-19. News. (n.d.). https://news.llu.edu/health-wellness/understanding-long-term-collective-trauma-from-covid-19.
The Ferguson Effect Leading to Trauma/Stress for Officers
Stress/trauma in law enforcement has been growing throughout the years as many would agree to profession becomes increasingly difficult every single day. One reason discussed is that police officers are potentially less likely to pursue crime and conduct proactive policing due to the ever–growing national scrutiny on police officers during justified or unjustified uses of force. This argument suggests that officers could be less willing to conduct proactive policing, which can create the opportunity for more crime to take place – such as gun violence that leads to murder. Officers are less willing to conduct themselves in this manner for many reasons, but one mainly being the trauma/stress from legal litigation resulting from proactive policing which lead to a use of force incident. This argument has been deemed “The Ferguson Effect,” in reference to the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, (Davey, Smith. 2015).
While I believe that most officers in these high crime rate cities have pure intentions, I believe they could be afraid to pursue crime aggressively due to the chance of possible public pushback and national news coverage, should their pursuit result in a use of force incident. This national news coverage would create massive trauma/stress as well as a chance of PTSD for the officers involved as well as the whole department involved. From this theory officers are conducting less stops and interviews and being less aggressive in their policing in hopes of not being part of situations which would lead to trauma for all involved.
While many states currently have legislation attempting to take away qualified immunity from officers, I believe that trauma and stress in law enforcement is at an all time high and has risen since the incident in Ferguson and the effect it has left. Officers are less likely to conduct proactive policing fearing the trauma and stress that could take place from any routine motor vehicle stop or interaction. The murder of George Floyd led to weeks of rioting and malicous assaults on police officers nationwide. Many departments went into a strictly reactive rather than proactive approach in an attempt to keep their officers safe both mentally and physically. While I do not believe there is a way for police to do their jobs without stress, I believe that officers receive a very large amount of unwarranted criticism from the media and civilians from justified uses of force. When unjustified uses of force occur instead of focusing on the one officer who committed these crimes like in the case of the murder of George Floyd it led to weeks of rioting, violence, and destruction of property. This all has a massive impact on the overall health and wellness of law enforcement officers.
Works Cited:
Davey, Monica, and Mitch Smith. “Murder Rates Rising Sharply in Many U.S. Cities.” The New York Times, 31 Aug. 2015.
Comparison to the Holocaust vs. Incarceration
Genocide is an atrocity on humans. The fact that it is dependent on the complicity of ordinary people was best shared by Zimbardo and Milgram in their experiments. The Stanford Prison Experiment by Philip Zimbardo and Stanley Milgram’s experiments on obedience to authority. Zimbardo’s experiment studied why guards and prisoners become compliant and authoritarian. The participants were 11 guards and 10 prisoners who also were college students, who volunteered for this experiment. The guards were told that they must maintain “Law and order” in this prison. These were the instructions for guards only, and the first thing they did was dehumanize the prisoners by taking their clothes and replacing their names with a number, just like in Auschwitz. “Philip Zimbardo (2007) himself decided that his Stanford Prison Experiment was unethical because it violated two of these principles. Participants “did suffer considerable anguish…and (the experiment) resulted in such extreme stress and emotional turmoil that five of the sample of initially healthy young prisoners had to be released early” (Van Der Kolk, p.68).
In Milgram’s study, “Milgram had recruited community members to participate in his experiment at Yale University. His research was stimulated by the success of Germany’s Nazi regime of the 1930s and 1940s in enlisting the participation of ordinary citizens in unconscionable acts of terror and genocide. Milgram set out to enlisting the participation of ordinary citizens in unconscionable acts of terror and genocide under which ordinary citizens will be obedient to authority figures’ instructions to inflict pain on others” (Van Der Kolk, p.68). Milgram’s experiment was by asking subjects to deliver electric shocks (fake) to students supposedly learning a memory task. Those getting shocked were actually members of the research team and would eventually cry out in simulated pain. Many participants still complied with the authority and he then debriefed the participants and followed up later on their well-being. Nobody has suffered long-term harm, and Milgram’s experiments adhered to the ethical guidelines.
Both experiments showed how ordinary people can be manipulated. “Between those who acted of conviction because they shared values of the regime and its policies on the one hand, and nominal compliers who acted against their will under supervision but did not obey orders when not being watched, there were other possibilities. Many accepted and internalized the role expectation that soldiers must be tough and obedient and carry out state policies regardless of the content of specific orders. Soldiers and police often willingly obey orders and implement policy that they do not identify as commensurate with their own personal values, even when not supervised, in the same way that soldiers and police officers often willingly follow orders and are killed in the line of duty, though they do not want to die” (Browning, p.219). Browning finds Zimbardo more relevant I believe, because his experiment was first dehumanizing the prisoner, which is what they did at the “camps”. The whole experiment was in a prison setting like the camps. The similarity overlaps and It can be believed that humans can become sub-humans under certain circumstances. These were ordinary men, your neighbors, your butcher, your schoolteacher, or any ordinary human in your town. But genocide is the most terrible crime to conceive. God forgive us if it should occur again, but unfortunately it still occurs in other countries to this day.
In continuation there were a group of men barely mentioned in the books, but important enough to be included. These are the “Musselmans” of the camps. They are the ones who moped around. “Experience showed that only exceptionally could one survive more than three months in this way. All the musselmans who finished in the gas chambers have the same story, or more exactly, have no story; they followed the slope down to the bottom, like streams that run down to the sea” (Levi, p.90). We as a society cannot become like those men. We can’t give up on hope, and the good that is in most people, and try not to let this happen again. We have no right to eliminate a race by blaming them for something “we think” they did. This was bullyism in the extreme.
I also wanted to point out the correlation of “the Trauma of the Incarceration Experience”, where Mika’ il DeVeaux spent 32 years as a prisoner. 32 years is a lot longer than 5 or 6 years the Jews had to spend during the Holocaust. DeVeaux stated, “The experience of being locked in a cage has a psychological effect upon everyone made to endure it. No one leaves unscarred” (DeVeaux, p257). DeVeaux stated, “Isolation did not help my state. More than anything else, I recall feeling sad and depressed. I felt caged, alone, and helpless” (DeVeaux, p.267). I couldn’t stop relating concentration camps to our prisons. I also couldn’t stop thinking about the suffering my great grandparents went through each and every day during the Holocaust. They were very fortunate they were able to escape and start a new life here in the United States of America.
Some wise words from Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. “When I give presentations on trauma and trauma treatment, participants sometimes ask me to leave out the politics and confine myself to talking about neuroscience and therapy. I wish I could separate trauma from politics, but as long as we continue to live in denial and treat only trauma while ignoring its origins, we are bound to fail. In today’s world your ZIP code, even more than your genetic code, determines whether you will lead a safe and healthy life. People’s income, family structure, housing, employment, and educational opportunities affect not only their risk of developing stress but also their access to effective help to address it. Poverty, unemployment, inferior schools, social isolation, widespread availability of guns, and substandard housing all are breeding grounds for trauma. Trauma breeds further trauma; hurt people hurt other people” (Van Der Kolk, p.350). We have to open our eyes to trauma and talk about the trauma we face, because if not, it might happen again.
Work Cited:
Browning, C. R., & Mazal Holocaust Collection. (1992). Ordinary men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the final solution in Poland (1st ed.). HarperCollins, Chapters 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 18 and the Afterword.
DeVeaux, M. (2013). The trauma of the incarceration experience. Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, 48(1), 257-278.
Levi, P. (1996). Survival in Auschwitz. Touchstone Books.
Van Der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body keeps the score brain, mind and body in the healing of
trauma. Penguin Books.
Implementing Yoga on Military Installations
Throughout a majority of this course, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been a significant topic of discussion. After serving in the military for several years, I have personally met many Soldiers who suffer from PTSD. Many of the aforementioned Soldiers, who are clearly suffering from PTSD continue to live their daily lives and leave their symptoms untreated while their personal lives suffer immensely. After reviewing the arousal and reactivity symptoms in Module 4, their symptoms almost serve as a “rite of passage” within the military; which include being easily startled, feeling on edge or tense, difficulty sleeping, and angry outbursts (Rousseau, 2021). Unfortunately, some of the Soldiers who left their symptoms untreated and suffered from PTSD are not around to speak about their experiences today. Upon returning from Afghanistan, several members committed suicide, were arrested from numerous Driving While Intoxicated arrests, involved in Domestic Violence incidents, etc. Similar to many volunteer workers and former military members who have taken the extra steps in order to help veterans who suffer from PTSD, I have sat here wondering; what can we do to help?
Fortunately, we have come a long way from learning about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, considering in 1917, PTSD was referred to as “not yet diagnosed” (Rousseau, 2021). By World War II, PTSD was referred to as “war neurosis, battle fatigue, or combat exhaustion” (Rousseau, 2021). After reading The Body Keeps the Score, very little was understood about PTSD as Dr. Van Der Kolk explains when referring to the VA (veterans affairs) they originally stated, “It has never been shown that PTSD is relevant to the mission of the Veterans Administration” (Van Der Kolk 2014, page 19). Years later, we know now that the VA spends a significant amount of its time and resources aiding veterans who suffer from PTSD.
I have personally reviewed a significant amount of literature throughout the last several weeks which discusses many of the different programs that are available to active duty and retired military members. I can say from firsthand experience that there are numerous programs available to military members who suffer from PTSD; however, getting the military members to obtain and attend necessary treatment can be an incredibly difficult task. Asking members who serve in the world’s premiere fighting force who are trained to kill the nation’s enemies on a moment’s notice are not exactly quick to obtain treatment and or counseling. Military members who self-report their symptoms are in fear of being viewed as “weak” or may lose their position to one which is less involved (in which we have discussed in Module 6). Often times, military units are often busy focusing on a myriad of other tasks, that the symptoms which affect military members truly becomes an issue within the unit when it is “too late.” As a result, taking a proactive approach and getting far ahead of the potential threat could have extremely positive results.
After watching the film Healing a Soldier’s Heart by Stephen Olsson in 2013 for our course “film review”, which involved Vietnam veterans who spent a majority of their adult lives suffering from intense symptoms of PTSD, the previously mentioned veterans utilized prolonged exposure therapy by returning to their old combat zone thirty-two years later. At the end of the film, one of the Soldiers, Terry Bell, who served as an Infantry Officer in the Vietnam War, was witnessed utilizing Yoga after his trip and stated, “I have significantly improved my relationship with my family, and a lot of my defenses just dropped away” (Olsson, 2013). After watching the film Healing a Soldier’s Heart and from firsthand experience, I believe that utilizing Yoga on military installations could be incredibly beneficial for the military members. Every morning (6:30 AM to be specific) physical training is mandatory for active-duty members. Therefore, making Yoga mandatory for active-duty members, and supervisors holding their subordinates accountable would serve as an effective way to maximize participation. Considering that Yoga, as Dr. Rousseau explains, is “used for pain management, as well as for people with a variety of psychological diagnoses, including PTSD” (Rousseau, 2021), implementing it on military installations could be a very achievable task.
Within the dissertation written by Dr. Robin Cushing titled Yoga for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she stated that “15 to 20% of Veterans are returning from deployment with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (Cushing, 2017). Additionally, in Dr. Cushing’s dissertation, she explained that, when comprising a study of 18 veterans with PTSD who participated in a six-week intervention of 60-minute Yoga classes, that, “All of the participants demonstrated significant reductions in PTSD as a primary measure of anxiety, depression, insomnia; and demonstrated significant an overall reduction in PTSD symptoms” (Cushing, 2017). Needless to say, I believe that more research should be completed regarding how to implement Yoga within military installations which can reduce PTSD symptoms and potentially reduce suicide attempts for our combat veterans.
References:
Olsson, Stephen. Healing a Soldier’s Heart. Cultural and Educational Media. 2013, the Video Project. Alexander Street. Retrieved from: https://video-alexanderstreet-com.ezproxy.bu.edu/watch/healing-a-soldier-s-heart/cite?context=channel:the-video-project
Van Der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.
Rousseau, D. (2021). Module 4 Study Guide (Notes). Boston University Metropolitan College. Retrieved from: https://onlinecampus.bu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8917440-dt-content-rid-52443752_1/courses/21sum1metcj720so1/course/module4/allpages.htm
Cushing, R. (2017). Yoga for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. University of Hawaii, Doctor of Public Health. Retrieved from: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/62760/2017-05-dph-cushing.pdf
Implementing Yoga on Military Installations
Throughout a majority of this course, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been a significant topic of discussion. After serving in the military for several years, I have personally met many Soldiers who suffer from PTSD. Many of the aforementioned Soldiers, who are clearly suffering from PTSD continue to live their daily lives and leave their symptoms untreated while their personal lives suffer immensely. After reviewing the arousal and reactivity symptoms in Module 4, their symptoms almost serve as a “rite of passage” within the military; which include being easily startled, feeling on edge or tense, difficulty sleeping, and angry outbursts (Rousseau, 2021). Unfortunately, some of the Soldiers who left their symptoms untreated and suffered from PTSD are not around to speak about their experiences today. Upon returning from Afghanistan, several members committed suicide, were arrested from numerous Driving While Intoxicated arrests, involved in Domestic Violence incidents, etc. Similar to many volunteer workers and former military members who have taken the extra steps in order to help veterans who suffer from PTSD, I have sat here wondering; what can we do to help?
Fortunately, we have come a long way from learning about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, considering in 1917, PTSD was referred to as “not yet diagnosed” (Rousseau, 2021). By World War II, PTSD was referred to as “war neurosis, battle fatigue, or combat exhaustion” (Rousseau, 2021). After reading The Body Keeps the Score, very little was understood about PTSD as Dr. Van Der Kolk explains when referring to the VA (veterans affairs) they originally stated, “It has never been shown that PTSD is relevant to the mission of the Veterans Administration” (Van Der Kolk 2014, page 19). Years later, we know now that the VA spends a significant amount of its time and resources aiding veterans who suffer from PTSD.
I have personally reviewed a significant amount of literature throughout the last several weeks which discusses many of the different programs that are available to active duty and retired military members. I can say from firsthand experience that there are numerous programs available to military members who suffer from PTSD; however, getting the military members to obtain and attend necessary treatment can be an incredibly difficult task. Asking members who serve in the world’s premiere fighting force who are trained to kill the nation’s enemies on a moment’s notice are not exactly quick to obtain treatment and or counseling. Military members who self-report their symptoms are in fear of being viewed as “weak” or may lose their position to one which is less involved (in which we have discussed in Module 6). Often times, military units are often busy focusing on a myriad of other tasks, that the symptoms which affect military members truly becomes an issue within the unit when it is “too late.” As a result, taking a proactive approach and getting far ahead of the potential threat could have extremely positive results.
After watching the film Healing a Soldier’s Heart by Stephen Olsson in 2013 for our course “film review”, which involved Vietnam veterans who spent a majority of their adult lives suffering from intense symptoms of PTSD, the previously mentioned veterans utilized prolonged exposure therapy by returning to their old combat zone thirty-two years later. At the end of the film, one of the Soldiers, Terry Bell, who served as an Infantry Officer in the Vietnam War, was witnessed utilizing Yoga after his trip and stated, “I have significantly improved my relationship with my family, and a lot of my defenses just dropped away” (Olsson, 2013). After watching the film Healing a Soldier’s Heart and from firsthand experience, I believe that utilizing Yoga on military installations could be incredibly beneficial for the military members. Every morning (6:30 AM to be specific) physical training is mandatory for active-duty members. Therefore, making Yoga mandatory for active-duty members, and supervisors holding their subordinates accountable would serve as an effective way to maximize participation. Considering that Yoga, as Dr. Rousseau explains, is “used for pain management, as well as for people with a variety of psychological diagnoses, including PTSD” (Rousseau, 2021), implementing it on military installations could be a very achievable task.
Within the dissertation written by Dr. Robin Cushing titled Yoga for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she stated that “15 to 20% of Veterans are returning from deployment with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (Cushing, 2017). Additionally, in Dr. Cushing’s dissertation, she explained that, when comprising a study of 18 veterans with PTSD who participated in a six-week intervention of 60-minute Yoga classes, that, “All of the participants demonstrated significant reductions in PTSD as a primary measure of anxiety, depression, insomnia; and demonstrated significant an overall reduction in PTSD symptoms” (Cushing, 2017). Needless to say, I believe that more research should be completed regarding how to implement Yoga within military installations which can reduce PTSD symptoms and potentially reduce suicide attempts for our combat veterans.
References:
Olsson, Stephen. Healing a Soldier’s Heart. Cultural and Educational Media. 2013, the Video Project. Alexander Street. Retrieved from: https://video-alexanderstreet-com.ezproxy.bu.edu/watch/healing-a-soldier-s-heart/cite?context=channel:the-video-project
Van Der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.
Rousseau, D. (2021). Module 4 Study Guide (Notes). Boston University Metropolitan College. Retrieved from: https://onlinecampus.bu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8917440-dt-content-rid-52443752_1/courses/21sum1metcj720so1/course/module4/allpages.htm
Cushing, R. (2017). Yoga for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. University of Hawaii, Doctor of Public Health. Retrieved from: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/62760/2017-05-dph-cushing.pdf
Horticulture Therapy: Plant Care as a Means of Dealing with Stress and Trauma?
“It was therapy, and I didn’t know it was therapy” (Wright, n.d., as cited in Chillag, 2018).
Over the past several months, I have been trying out plant care as a means of self-care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have noticed a huge difference in my mood, my routines, and overall wellbeing. In addition to traditional forms of therapy and self-care, this experience has shown me that there are a number of other approaches to dealing with stress and trauma that can produce powerful benefits, oftentimes without realizing just how beneficial they are. For example, by placing gardening and plant care into a mental health context and analyzing the results, it becomes clear why so many people choose to take up the hobby.
Plant care, also known as horticulture therapy, is most simply summarized as the use of plants to connect with the self, the community, and nature. Perhaps what makes horticultural therapy so impactful is that “a seed’s journey into a plant parallels the recovery process for those with mental health issues” (Chillag, 2018). Trauma recovery parallels the life of a plant – how plants grow, the patience and care that goes into helping it thrive - it all can be reflected back in the recovery process for individuals.
The discussion surrounding plant care as a means of therapy goes all the way back to the 1800s, and the benefits are extensive (Williams, n.d.). According to the American Horticultural Therapy Association, “horticultural therapy helps improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. In physical rehabilitation, horticultural therapy can help strengthen muscles and improve coordination, balance, and endurance. In vocational horticultural therapy settings, people learn to work independently, problem solve, and follow directions.” (Williams, n.d.). It is a form of self-care that can be adjusted to best benefit the participant. For those who are survivors of trauma, plant care can help them “to be more compassionate and empathetic towards those around them” by establishing an easy routine and giving them opportunities to connect with the natural world around them in small ways (DuBois-Maahs, 2019).
Just as it is with our own everyday lives, the realm of criminal justice is not unfamiliar with stress. Within prison and jail populations, there have been noticeably “reduced recidivism rates among inmates who participate in horticultural therapy programs” (Chillag, 2018). The Insight Garden Program was established with a similar goal in mind: to provide inmates with vocational tools, while allowing them to connect with nature and improve their emotional states through plant care (Insight Garden Program, n.d.). The program attempts to reduce some of the pain and trauma that inmates can experience going into and through the prison system, while providing them with the educational and emotional tools to improve their lives when they are released. Through this plant care routine, inmates are given some personal control in their lives in an impactful way that allows them to “engage in healthy lifestyle choices” and that sets them up for a better chance at success in life (Rousseau, 2021).
Starting with tiny plant cuttings that I received from my neighbors, I have been able to grow out vines and beautiful leaves. With each new leaf that unfurls, it feels like a reward for the work that I have put in. With this in mind, for inmates who are given limited time outside, who live under constant stress in a carceral setting, and who are dealing with the impacts of previous trauma in their lives, this use of plant care as a means of regaining control in their lives would be incredibly impactful.
References:
Chillag, A. (2018, August 3). Gardening becomes healing with horticultural therapy. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/03/health/sw-horticultural-therapy/index.html.
DuBois-Maahs, J. (2019, December 28). What Even Is Plant Therapy? Talkspace. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/plant-therapy/.
Insight Garden Program – Connection through nature. Insight Garden Program. (n.d.). https://insightgardenprogram.org/.
Rousseau, D. (2021). Module 1: Introduction to Trauma [Lecture Notes]. Boston University Metropolitan College.
Williams, S. (n.d.). About Horticultural Therapy. American Horticultural Therapy Association. https://www.ahta.org/what-is-horticultural-therapy.