Mentally ill troops denied pay-out by the Army's approved insurers
Thousands of traumatised British military personnel have been denied payouts because a Government-approved insurance scheme does not cover long-term psychological illnesses. Troops medically discharged from the military after developing mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not receive compensation from the Pax insurance scheme, which is described to soldiers as "your best defence against the unexpected". Pax is owned by Aon Ltd, one of the five biggest insurance companies in the world. An MoD spokesman said: "It is up to each service person to determine whether they need insurance and to decide which schemes best meet their needs... all service personnel are made aware of the importance of having sufficient insurance cover to meet their particular circumstances." Sean Rayment reports for the Sunday Telegraph.
April 2007

Deep stress could signal cry for help
In the aftermath of the killings at Virginia Tech, mental health experts claim most traumatized survivors of the tragedy will recover on their own. Psychologist Richard McNally of Harvard University, who has studied post-traumatic stress disorder comments "It's perfectly normal for many to feel shock, sadness and anxiety and to find themselves ruminating after an event like this but most people are going to be OK." The problem comes when such reactions show no sign of waning more than several weeks after a violent event, he says. For those who do need more help, treatments for post traumatic stress disorder such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and medication can help. Marilyn Elias reports for USA Today.
April 2007

Cyclone Larry children suffering stress
Australian psychiatrists claim more than 300 children suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder in the months after Cyclone Larry ripped the North Queensland coastline in March last year. A team of researchers from Brisbane's Mater Hospital assessed 3000 children from 27 schools after the category five cyclone. Professor Brett McDermott, director of the Mater's Child and Youth Mental Health Service, said his team found that 11 per cent of primary school children surveyed showed signs of PTSD. The research, which was presented at the annual conference of the Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists at the Gold Coast yesterday, found that girls were most affected be PTSD. Kath Hart reports for The Australian.
April 2007

New drug aims to treat veterans' trauma
Researchers in the US are developing a controversial new drug treatment that could potentially help post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers by reducing the intensity of traumatic memories. Researchers have been investigating how the brains stores memories, and they have discovered that some drugs have the potential to interrupt the process. One of the drugs they have used is Propranolol, originally developed to treat high blood pressure, which affects the hormone adrenaline. "We're optimistic about the theoretical potential, but the data are very preliminary. This is far from a sure thing," said Dr Roger Pitman, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who has been carrying out research on trauma victims at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital. Andrew Buncombe reports for the Independent.
April 2007

Armed forces' suicides surpass combat deaths
More servicemen and women have committed suicide over the past two decades than have died in military action, according to Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures released this month. The latest death toll for those in the armed forces who have taken their own lives has risen to 687 in the period between 1984 and 2006 compared with 438 killed during active service. Male soldiers aged 20 to 24 and those aged under 20 have the highest rates of suicide, with 18 deaths and 16 respectively per 100,000 troops. Charities, including Combat Stress and the Royal British Legion, warn that figures of mental illness could rise and that doctors are poor at recognising conditions such as combat stress. Sophie Goodchild and Jonathan Owen report for the Telegraph
March 2007

Disgrace of war vets left to wait on NHS
UK veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder are being told to wait 18 months or longer for treatment on the National Health Service. Many of the ex-servicemen should be given priority under government guidelines, but are being told that they must wait for treatment, in some cases for up to four years. The charity Combat Stress, says it is being overwhelmed with ex-servicemen who have been unable to get treatment on the NHS. It says that the number suffering trauma has doubled in six months, as soldiers in Britain's overstretched forces are sent back to combat zones without enough time to recuperate. Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Michael Smith report for the Times.
March 2007

Experts want new definition of torture
Prisoners who endure poor or degrading treatment suffer much of the same long-term psychological distress as do captives who are tortured, suggests a study published this month. The study based on interviews with victims of ill treatment and torture while imprisoned in the former Yugoslavia suggests the need for a broader definition of torture. The researchers said they found that aggressive interrogation techniques, humiliating treatment, verbal abuse, threats against a captive's family and being forced to watch an acquaintance being tortured produced much of the same long-term mental trauma as physical torture. The implications of such a narrow definition of torture have raised serious concerns in the human rights community. William. J. Kole reports for the Guardian
March 2007
The full original article (Basoglu, M., Livanou, M. and Crnobaric, C. (2007). Torture vs Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment: Is the Distinction Real or Apparent? Archives of General Psychiatry, 64, 277-285.) can be accessed at Archives of General Psychiatry (subscribers only). The abstract is summarised in the "Recent Publications" section of this website. »

Virtual Iraq images treat stress disorders
A "virtual Iraq" simulation that allows soldiers to relive and confront combat trauma has produced promising results for the first handful of patients treated in the US. The trial of the software, which recreates the sights, smells and sounds of the battlefield, has been extended to a few dozen service personnel who have suffered PTSD. The treatment consists of two sessions a week lasting up to 90 minutes. In between sessions patients are asked to listen to a recording of their version of events during the therapy. So far, four of those treated have had their symptoms reduced. James Randerson reports for the Guardian.
February 2007

Terror stress effect 'widespread'
The US Army's first survey exploring multiple war zone rotations revealed that soldiers serving repeat deployments to Iraq are 50 percent more likely than those with one tour to suffer from acute combat stress, raising their risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. More than 650,000 American soldiers have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001, more than 170,000 have served multiple tours. The findings support the claim that some soldiers are returning to battle while still suffering from the psychological scars of earlier combat tours. BBC News reports.
February 2007

Ecstasy trials approved
Authorities in Switzerland have approved the use of illegal drug ecstasy, officially known as MDMA for trials in the treatment of PTSD. It is the first time consent has been given for the controversial treatment. Around 12 volunteers will take part in the trials, which will end next year. Peter Oehen, who is leading the scheme, said the drug would "produce a change of consciousness, a feeling of wellbeing, reduction of fear and help them face up to the very difficult feelings associated with trauma, such as anxiety". SKY News reports.
February 2007

Soldier scarred by war admits killing his family
A Gulf War veteran has admitted brutally killing four members of his own family with a silenced 7.65mm handgun when mental health problems related to his military service, caused him to "flip". David Bradley admitted four counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after two psychiatrists agreed the ex-soldier was mentally ill at the time of the killings. He pleaded guilty on the morning that his murder trial was due to begin at Newcastle Crown Court. Ian Herbert reports in The Independent.
January 2007

Study Links Heart Health and Post-Traumatic Stress
A recent study of 1,946 US male veterans of World War II and Korea is the first to document a link between post traumatic stress disorder symptomatology and future heart disease. Veterans completed a questionnaire measuring PTSD symptoms in 1986 or 1990. Over the 10 to 15 years after completing the questionnaires, the veterans with more PTSD symptoms were more likely to have heart attacks, even after the researchers took into account known heart disease risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use and high blood pressure. Nicholas Bakalar reports for the New York Times. Registered users only, registration is free.
January 2007