Blog posts with the tag "Service Members"

Staff Perspective: Technology and Relationships - Finding the Balance in an Electronic Life

More and more people are becoming aware of the impact of smartphones, tablets, and easy Internet access on our ability to think, maintain relationships, and remain productive.  It has even been proposed that overuse of technological media can change our brains structurally in ways that will, over time, rob us of the ability to think deeply and utilize our cognitive horsepower!  This is a controversial topic, and undoubtedly people will have varying opinions, but no one can argue that various forms of technology are changing how we interact with each other. So, how does this apply to mental health, and the military specifically?  Well, we know that healthy relationships contribute to good mental health, and conversely, troubled relationships create risk for mental health problems.  Perhaps some of today’s relationship woes and mental health problems are a by-product of our increasing use of technological gadgets.
To learn more about this possibility in a military context, I interviewed Lt. Col. Kirk Rowe, an Air Force neuropsychologist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. 

Staff Perspective: Transitioning from Military Service to Civilian Life

In my role at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP), I was recently asked about transitioning from military service to civilian life. The specific question asked was how case managers can identify a normal reaction to mourning the loss of identity due to leaving military service versus behavior that could be indicative of a clinical problem/disorder. I think it is a great question and one that many case managers, providers, and even Service members may have.    

Staff Perspective: June is PTSD Awareness Month

Even though PTSD is an important topic year-round, it takes the forefront this month as June is National PTSD Awareness Month. In 2010, Congress designated June 27th as PTSD Awareness Day.  Since then many organizations, including the Center for Deployment Psychology, have attempted to highlight PTSD and provide resources for behavioral health providers, as well as those in need. Below you will find links to a variety of resources and organizations that may assist in the treatment of PTSD.

Staff Perspective: “Gifts of the Heart” Review

Provider sustainment is a challenge facing many military mental health and other health care providers. The book, “Gifts of the Heart,” written by Dr. Hassan A. Tettah, is a tale of how a Navy surgeon sustains himself through and after his arduous deployment in the Helmand Valley of Afghanistan. While this story is not an autobiography, it was influenced by real life events. The author was a Navy surgeon who first deployed to the Persian Gulf in 2005 and then later deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. 

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