PTSD and Fake War Sounds

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician, Toxicologist and Pharmacologist.

Salem-News.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - When I read in the Oregonian newspaper on August 29th, about the use of “(Battle) Exposure Therapy” to treat PTSD I was flabbergasted and that does not come easy for a World War II frontline Combat Infantryman with experience as a “pointman”, scout and forward observer. I have not only seen but have been over-active in the Hell of Battle.

This program thinks that subjecting Iraq PTSD combat veterans to the terror of full-scale battle sounds can “desensitize” PTSD vets to the terrors of battle. It makes my flesh creep and the hairs stand-up on my neck; and I’m 60 years from battle.

They say “exposure therapy”, in which patients are asked to confront memories of (psychological) trauma by imagining and recounting it in painstaking detail, has long been a first-line psychological treatment for PTSD. I’m not surprised that even the V.A. itself considers their PTSD treatment a failure.

I smell a rat! It sounds to me that some really rear-echelon waffle butts dreamed up this fiasco as a good way for the Manhattan V.A. to get a federal grant of several million dollars. Don’t they realize that PTSD vets want to get as far away from the “blood & guts” of battle as they can. They seem to think “a hallmark of PTSD is avoidance which keeps the PTSD trauma alive”. Hogwash! (This is a family posting).

Avoidance of battle sounds and memories is the ONLY escape and many vets have become social hermits just to get away. I think the author of this hokum, Michael Kramer, a clinical psychologist, should try a month embedded with an Army or Marine Infantryman platoon in Iraq for a taste of combat. Just remember, those “Poor Bloody Infantrymen” do it daily for weeks on end.

He does state that “one risk of introducing ‘exposure therapy’ material to fast is that a veteran could be re-traumatized and perhaps unwilling to continue other kinds of therapy as well”. Good thinking. What a great way to get the PTSD vet out of the V.A.

He thinks some of us lack “coping mechanisms” or have substance abuse problems. One thing is certain; we don’t have weird ideas about how to treat PTSD.

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If you are a World War Two history fan, you don't want to miss it.

Watch for Dr. Phil Leveque's video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King.

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