FDA Approval and Recommendations in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines: How Can They Differ?

You’re likely familiar with PHCoE’s Psych Health Evidence Briefs, which summarize available scientific evidence and clinical guidance on treatments for psychological health conditions commonly experienced by service members.

Department of Defense Releases Annual Report on Military Suicide

The Department of Defense (DoD) has released its annual report on the occurrence of military suicide for calendar year 2016. PHCoE’s DoD Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) team is currently preparing the 2017 report and we’re also collecting information on cases that, unfortunately, have occurred in 2018. 

Reducing Self-stigma: Mental Health is as Important as Physical Health

One of service members’ most frequently cited barriers to mental health care is stigma, perceived shame or disgrace attached to something regarded as socially unacceptable. Nearly 60 percent of service members who have mental health symptoms do not seek care. While they may readily see a physician if they have a physical ailment, they often do nothing when it comes to their mental health.

The Mind, the Body, and Trauma: A Place for Complementary and Integrative Health Practices in the Treatment of PTSD

Complementary and integrative health (CIH) practices have gained traction in recent years as ways to support coping in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Broadly, CIH approaches focus on the connection between mind and body, and include practices such as:

Treating Post-traumatic Nightmares in the Military: Imagery Rehearsal Therapy

Nightmares and PTSD

Nightmares are one of the hallmark symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), though post-traumatic nightmares may exist independently and do not equate to a diagnosis of PTSD. Post-traumatic nightmares may be described as lengthy, detailed dreams in which the story line evokes intense fear, anxiety or other negative emotions. Many patients report that these nightmares involve trying to avoid or cope with some horrific danger that closely resembles a specific traumatic event.