Newly Discovered PTSD Study Of Fear Conditioning In Men vs Women Veterans
A VA PTSD study we just found on VA.gov had the goal of showing that, in veterans with PTSD, women soldiers may respond to their symptoms differently than their men counterparts.
The PTSD study was among the first of its kind, asking how fear responses are different between genders. They hope to uncover what the medical community can do for all of its returning veterans to promote healthy living, in and out of uniform.
Dr. Sonja Batten, the former Deputy Chief Consultant for Mental Health, had this to say about VA research at the time:
In the general population, women are twice as likely… to develop posttraumatic stress disorder. But among recent returnees seeking care at VA, PTSD rates among men and women are the same. Statistics such as these suggest the need to better understand the role of gender in PTSD, particularly as it may impact our veterans seeking care.
It is entirely possible that civilians with PTSD have other, gendered factors that cause the imbalance in cases, e.g. more victims of domestic abuse and sex crimes are women. These traumas are both gender-imbalanced and prevalent in our society. Still, it merits investigation that men and women soldiers – men and women in general – might develop PTSD differently.
According to the VA.gov report, Dr. Sabra Inslicht, a staff psychologist at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, set out to discover potential gender differences in the process of fear learning. She hopes that the PTSD study results in “more targeted treatments that are geared more precisely to the unique needs of men and women.”
Initial testing centers around two major elements of fear: the fight-or-flight response, and a process known as fear extinction. Fight-or-flight response changes when exposed to potentially fearsome situations is prolonged (like it is when you’re on active duty). The current body of knowledge about fight-or-flight by gender is scant, to say the least.
RELATED: Was Army PTSD Misdiagnosis Scheme A Fraud?
Fear extinction is an important factor to watch out for when treating PTSD. According to Inslicht, “when you are gradually exposed to the previously learned danger cues… you gradually come to realize that the cue will not be followed by a stressful or potentially traumatic event.” In other words, it’s the impulse that tells you things will be okay, even though the situation you’re in used to mean trouble (a situation like an agitated crowd).
The PTSD study was still in its preliminary stages at the time of the VA.gov report. It’s also important to note that all participants in the study had PTSD already. The process of developing the disorder is nearly impossible for a scientist to observe.
Future lines of research in this field may include the brain chemistry and hormone profiles of the posttraumatic brain across genders. Most importantly for Dr. Inslicht, she says, is that focus on fear extinction.
RELATED: Facebook Deletes Veteran PTSD Awareness Group Page
“This line of research may result in advances for treatment. “There may be ways that we can enhance extinction learning — perhaps through medications or with other modifications to existing behavioral treatments.” Preliminary research can be hard to get excited about… but just consider the possibilities, given this study’s goals alone.
If there were a suite of medicines for PTSD as fine-tuned and reliable as we now have for depression, that would be a powerful weapon in the fight for top-notch mental health. In a future not so far from this one, civilians and soldiers alike will have more options for improved quality of life. That includes us.
Source: https://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2013/April/PTSD-Study-Men-Versus-Women.asp
Who me? OK, all I want to be able to do, is to cultivate (grow) the Cannabis strains that best suit my needs. No harm, hurt, or destruction. Don’t understand that, I can’t help you above my paygrade.
VA tries Ecstasy, Pressure Chambers. WTF? Good for you, go for it.
More wet crap thrown on the dried crap for later use of something.
Under military and VA medical care, I have taken medication ranging from Benzodiazepine Sedative/Hypnotics to Anxiolytics to Anticonvulsants to Hydantoins. Some of these worked for a short period. Most did not.
I weaned myself (with assistance) off of anti-depressants a few years back. Somewhat to extremely difficult, but not unmanageable. And I have adjusted to the idea that I will have to settle on being content, rather than happy. Don’t laugh very much anymore. That is OK.
As WyldeChylde sagely observed, “You can live without happy thoughts. You can’t live without a liver.”
My experience with VA Mental Health Meds is that they maybe would be semi-effective for one problem, but usually induce new problems into the mix. Bad juju. Best to learn to live as best as one can with their difficulty, rather than introduce new self-caused medical conditions requiring continued treatment into their lives.
Sad that after so many years studying it, and so many taxpayer dollars spent – – – the VA still basically throws all veterans into one PTSD pot. Will they never learn? I once had a good therapist. She introduced herself, then said: ‘I can see you are depressed, anxious, (other symptoms here), what do you think you need to begin to overcome your demons?” I told her, and she actually listened! Started helping me to regain a sense of my “old self”. At six months, I was showing remarkable improvement. Then, she left the VA in 1997 because she wanted to go into private practice. Before she left, she gave me a greeting card that I still have today.
Since that time, I have had naught but pill pushers. Last therapist I saw would say “How you doing?” then proceed to DUMP all HIS problems on me! He will never know how many times he very narrowly escaped very violent assault. After that A-Hole, I will never go back. Still works there today ‘helping’ veterans.
One day, when America wakes up – – – and is interested in solutions, things will begin to get better in our nation. Hope I live to see it. But not counting on it.
I’ll agree.
Here’s my dirty bird.
..|..
I think the point of the argument that is most terrifying to me has nothing at all to do with gender. Not one bit.
The most terrifying aspect of today’s article is the notion that we are empowering a federal agency known to be corrupt, inept, misguided, unrestrained, egocentric, and outright criminal with research money that they intend to use to learn how tp “tailor” the fear response in their customers…. by show of middle fingers now, who votes this is a BAD idea? Think Darth Vader here…Death Star…Princess….special droid….
Besides, they can already tailor the fear response in veterans at VA without new drugs. It’s called the Disruptive Behavior Committee. Protocol T4 in shorthand.
First off, THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL!!
Each and every one of them will screw up a vital organ and /or another system. Knowing those potential drawbacks, and having consistant monitoring by a caring professional would be the most important of considerations before taking ANY medication, and especially over an extended period of time. That one group of factors is a huge part of what makes the VHA style of prescribing very dangerous. Add to that the often heard in some version, “I’m prescribing this for you, and we’ll see you in a YEAR, okay?”!! Also, they may or may not know/care about the INTERACTIONS with other meds that are on your list, or be able to prescribe off formulary for your individual case.
Before I even begin on the second point, I know there are way more individual experiences than I could even imagine in my worst nightmares. Each and every experience is as individual as the person having gone through the event(s). I see where certain events can be similarly treated by either reliable and professionaly delivered veteran centric or civilian care. I can not for the life of me, understand how VHA can find a valid reason for expecting a fresh-faced female, 20-something’s life (long) experience with shopping and fb friending, to identify with a medical perspective on the life experience of a combat veteran, …of ANY combat era.
BINGO !!!
“The Constitution Is Not Neutral: Courts of Justice Should Not Act Like Courts of Order”
By John W. Whitehead
July 02, 2018
“https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/the_constitution_is_not_neutral_courts_of_justice_should_not_act_like_courts_of_order?utm_source=The+Rutherford+Institute&utm_campaign=54fddb92a0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_02_08_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d7ffde3304-54fddb92a0-42108713”
A lot of this is happening locally. Oh, but this one must not have greased the proper mafia families and gubbermint officials in charge.
“https://www.ibj.com/articles/print/69453-nursing-home-exec-burkhart-handed-stiff-sentence-for-federal-kickback-scheme?utm_source=ibj-health-care-reform&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2018-07-02”
They are really beating the dead horse of bragging rights over the Trumpster having so many Hoosier filth in his cabinet. Pity no news links for it available. Around 32 or more secretive ones.
“Navy Vet Good Samaritan Shot, Killed By Police While Breaking Up Fight ”
by Martin Walsh
“https://conservativedailypost.com/navy-vet-good-samaritan-shot-killed-by-police-while-breaking-up-fight/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=PostUp&utm_campaign=2_July-1”
The communist and anti-Americans will go out and protest for illegals and criminals but not for veterans, censoring, local corruption, no real media, etc. Present was the Catho-lick church, St Mary’s college Fem-Marxist and new co-ed activist, PINK, NOW, Antifa, mom’s against borders, fascist “Teens for Action, MoveOn dot org scum, Eugene V. Debbs socialist/commies, unions, differing “Mom groups,” One peoples project, La Raza, Azteca, ADL of BB, etc. How nice. But media will not support people like me, the Constitution, or report about the many negatives and corruption going on here. And justify using kids or pushing kids across the border just for the votes and lying games being reported. Pity journalist won’t dive in for the specifics and all the who, what, why, how this border charging got started and when. Hundreds? Act all nice and smiling showing love signs but the first ones to attack others against the fascist ways and their group think demands. Also why local VSO to state officials don’t care to be involved in veteran issues or about the corruption.
No health care or rights for vets but everything for illegals.
‘Locals aim to make difference in “families belong together” protest ‘
“https://www.wthitv.com/content/news/Locals-aim-to-make-difference-in-families-belong-together-protest-487065271.html”
I have a new study going on right now, that maybe the vA might participate in, it called How Many Times in History did the vA Lie to Veterans and Why They Did?
Looks like Dr Mickey, has a new study.
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Sunvale, that was an excellent idea!!!
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┃┃╭╯╰╮┈VA┈┃▎▃╰╮
╯┣╯┈╭╯CASH╰╭╯╭▌
╱┃┈┈╰╮COW╮┈╰┳┻╯
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VA Cashcow grazing on Cash.
“It is entirely possible that civilians with PTSD have other, gendered factors that cause the imbalance in cases, e.g. more victims of domestic abuse and sex crimes are women.”
Maybe if they did a viable study of male rape victims and male domestic abuse that they would be able to come to a valid conclusion by comparing it to women rape victims and women domestic abuse.
Until then, this is a crapshoot because you can not compare apples to oranges that way. How many cases of PTSD from female Vets are caused by MST -vs- Combat stressors? Same goes for male MST -vs-Combat stressors. Drilling down is the scientific method, and the only valid means of drawing conclusions on the affects and effects of the causes of PTSD. The same thing goes with cases that are dissimilar to Combat like vehicle accidents, PTSD caused by pharmaceutical reactions and dozens of other causes. You cant just suggest a base cause exists, you have to have it studied and analyzed and then allow the scientific community to re-study and re-analyze it before it is a legitimate theory. Anything short of that is junk science.
Just throwing everyone with PTSD into the Veteran pot will not work. To rule out the very possibility that the genders acquire PTSD differently requires that all other valid causes are ruled out before you can make the conclusion.
sounds like another “Cash Cow” developing, feeding of the VA dollars.
The vA wants to study us again, big pharma need more money.
I stopped taking “anti-depressants” about 5 years ago. I’ve been on more than a few different pills in my life from Lithium and Prozac during my separation all the way up to Seroquil and everything in between.
I can’t see taking a pill that is going to “maybe” trade in one set of problems for an entirely new set.
To put this in layman terms. You can live without happy thoughts. You can’t live without a liver.
Everything I’ve been on has either simply not worked, forced my emotions further and further away from me, which is something I really don’t need, or have actually made me worse to the point that my anger is a tightly coiled spring and I’m ready to go.
Ben I don’t know if we live in different realities I have yet to see “A suite of finely tuned anti-depression medications”
I stopped taking vA antidepressants myself, or like Seymore calls them FIA pills, which i think is a really great analogy of the antidepressant class drugs, something bad happens, awe F it, something good happens awe F it. And antidepressants can be H to get off of, and the vA will not admit it, or help in my case. Bottom line is antidepressants did not work for me and in some ways made life worst because i didn’t give a crap, the drugs emotionally flat lined me. Screw the Va, its their cure all pill for everything. So many people in this country are on antidepressants no wonder half the population doesn’t give a carp about anything. And once the vA puts you on antidepressants, they will never take you off of them, or if you tell them your going to stop taking them they don’t want to treat you anymore because they don’t have or will not use anything else in their formulary that could be effective, like something that would specifically target anxiety, in my case they refused me any meaningful treatment for anxiety. I have severe anxiety but they treated/treat me for depression, it did not work for me and they left my life deteriorate. Just because one has ACCESS to vA mental health care does not mean you will be treated or treated properly. The vA will give a veteran a drug that is know to produce suicidal tendencies for months before it starts to help, if it ever does, and then say see ya in 3 month, and if your still alive and make it back in 3 month i guess they think its working, wtf. The vA wil not admit i have ptsd, but will admit i have severe anxiety, but they may be forced to change that if certain things go my way and it looks like it may.
I think if the VA tries to enroll me in any type of mental un-health program I’m probably going to laugh at them
If tried looking around to see if you get compensation do they have the right to force you into VA medical treatment. So far I can’t find anything.
Speaking of psycho meds…I have to get going to my dispensary.
Every time I smoke a bowl it puts a smile on my face. It also makes Jeff Sessions cry, which pleases me. 😀 😀 😀
I have a little problem with the vA’s finely tuned suite of antidepressants too. Your spring analogies was a good one, i sometimes view myself as a big capacitor that stores up anger (i have a tendency to stuff stuff). And when that stressor comes along (and it could and does come from anything that could be life threatening in any situation or circumstance or even an old army field jacket at a flea market) the terminals short.
One more thing WC, That capacitor i was telling you about, sometimes its actually discharged so hard, i’ve blacked out, does/did the vA ever do anything about it no, does the vA want to talk to my family no, or talk to an employer no, talk to my neighbors no, they just try to discredit me.
I’ve been there. I’ve been forced into the nut house. I’ve done the thorazine shuffle. The one thing I’ve learned as time goes by is that the fire I walk through is useful in shaping the tools I wield. When I first started stumbling with this fucked up disease my PTSD was a club and every situation was a fucking nail waiting to get pounded. Of course I was young and stupid and that made me dangerous. Self control and self restraint where words I wanted no truck with. Time passes and we get older and slower and we realize we’re not bullet proof, at least those of us who make it this far anyways. I still have that club, it’s never far from hand because I’m always looking to hit a motherfucker if the need arises, but my toolbox now also has other tools that are usually more useful in a given situation than that club. Self restraint and self control have become watchwords because it’s so easy to get in over your head now a days.
I was going somewhere with this but THC concentrates and well you know 😉
At least this one has minimal identification of differences between patients. The CTP (cognitive therapy program) as it is being used now is beneficial to a few and partially beneficial to more but in its one size for all mode the CTP is a bust It only serves to deny veterans’ compensation because they don’t do their assigned homework and are kicked out of a CTP group.
Perhaps this study is a method of addressing the injustice of the CTP without attacking it as a whistleblower. In any course it is a small step in the right direction. The step in recognizing individual differences from background and exposure to organicity. The difference between combat PTSD and personal assault PTSD and the individual differences of those exposed to exactly the same PTSD event.
Allow me to toss a truckload of cogs into the VA’s men vs. women PTSD responses: (hold-on, bumpy ride)
Did their studies take into consideration that the male Vet may in-fact be a woman trapped in a man’s body or conversely, the female Vet is a male trapped in a female’s body? What then? Do we do brain transplants between the male/female Vets to get an evened response or will there be Billion$ involved in a new PTSD lobotomy drug that will do that in one dose?
How about this study: Do male & female AFGE VA employees taste just like chicken to Sasquatch?
Both would probably taste a little gamy. If a study was done by the vA, the vA would top load it to say they taste like chicken, but in reality they would taste more like sasquatch, which would probably have a much more fishy dirty ass taste that comes from their environment.
Apologies namnibor, I read it as chicken or sasquatch. Anyways apologies to Sasquatch also, they both really do taste like chicken, now go take a chunk out of their ass.
@nam just don’t bite into my chunk. Mine is currently worth 150k and climbing 😀 😀 😀
“If there were a suite of medicines for PTSD as fine-tuned and reliable as we now have for depression, that would be a powerful weapon in the fight for top-notch mental health.”
That’s funnier than my VA joke yesterday…
I’ve got a new study I’d like the VA to undertake.
How to transfuse a veterans wallet with life saving cash in a timely fashion.
For both Men and Women in the Civilian population. Restorative Justice has been a very effective means of minimizing the negative effects of PTSD on individuals. Not only reducing the serious negative mental and physical health effects caused by PTSD, but Restorative Justice enables the individual to get on with leading a happier more productive life.
While Veterans with PTSD are predominantly faced with a system designed to withhold Justice and stack new injustices on those Veterans who seek treatment through the VA for the negative mental and physical health consequences of PTSD.
Leave it to the VA to continue to seek a new “Fuk-it-All” treatment, or pill, to treat Veterans who are suffering the injustices of VA Care for PTSD and the additional health consequences caused by the unjust health care system.
Exactly
Some of y’all don’t like the Alex Jones Show or Infowars. Today I received a video, about 10 minutes long, of where he had a “Veterans Call In Show” concerning “forced vaccinations in the military”! It also concerns how the VA isn’t taking care of the vets!
Lots of callers in just the short time it played!
Try to find it! Very informative!
The First hour of the show you are talking bout is at: “https://youtu.be/XY9An28K_so?t=245”
It is a good show and Infowars is a great website.
LOL Got the third hour vet call in program.
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlopRwmAmIU”
CNN Founder Ted Turner Time Warner Behind Alex Jones – Infowars – Prison Planet
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7N3OnNm0TE”
He’s OK for people just starting to go down the rabbit hole …6 min. vid
Trying to watch the new VA Sec on CSPAN and had to stop due to the long winded stupid BS, ignorant worn out questions and wait n’ see stuff. Oh and all the good things about the VA and what the DoD is doing to show the way. And the stopping of pain meds and depending more on over the counter pain meds that in reality can cause issues with vital organs and do nothing for chronic pain. Just Tylenol? Ha ha. But this new jerk claims physical therapy, “movement therapy,” etc., is the new key to treatments? Out goes some assholes…. in comes another front man, yes man, for phony studies, claims, collective punishments, the trash and idiots at ‘the top.’ What are the idiots going to do for those of us who were told to never take over the counter meds again (among other commonly used dope for conditions that create more issues), ever, but stay on narcs for pain? Oh, go die or suffer while no head meds or physical therapy in the past has never done any good at all. But keep playing the game… for years to appease the new VA ways and gubbermint.
Are anti-depressants and head meds really that fine tuned or a fix for all? Not what I’ve seen and experienced. The majority of shooters, kids doing suicides are already taking that stuff and meds to calm down over active males in school to appease the teachers. They have to act like little girls instead and act like zombies.
Is that like constantly telling the public city water is safe but yet it kills plants to aquarium fish but safe for humans? Better add more chemicals to neutralize the others or the lead. Or that Flouride isn’t dumbing down the public enough or God only knows what they put in the water. In combo with all the other chemicals and sprays we have to be around daily. The reports have stopped about people having to move far out into the country or caves to live to get away from the cell or power lines, microwaves, RFs, and all the chemicals that ruined their health or know as ‘environmental illnesses’ the VA won’t test for or even acknowledge.
Fear extinction? Take away needed gut instincts, female intuition, ability for situational awareness in today’s social climate of violence, illegal invasions, tyranny, and evil? All I see around me is brain numbing fear of speaking out, confronting corruption, the corrupt, etc. Isn’t that enough ‘fear extinction?’ VA retaliation by those who can get by with murder and torment? Oh and followed through with the civvy world of life.
“https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/07/07/cannabis-a-lost-history.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=artTest_C6&utm_campaign=20180702Z1&et_cid=DM218893&et_rid=353306790”
Odd how things that do work or by using natures own plants is illegal but dope by corporations is good. Kratom or whatever else that works. Numbing and dumbing down seems to be the plays for today in circus maximus. Along with keeping us censored and info spreading damn near illegal or dangerous.
An old documentary came out years back about, I think it was, MDA. Some rogue scientist were out in a old missile silo/compound that had made the stuff to be used for all kinds of specific ailments. The feds found out about it all and confiscated it including his notes and formulas. With or without the highs. Nope they were curing and helping too many people so it had to be stopped and shut down. Just like some claims for cancer cures in the past that the feds shut down. Also odd is the number of homeopath MDs that have died over a short period of years. Over seventy I think until those reports ceased too. Mostly claimed to be suicides but were happy healthy specialist.
Hell they can go use mice. They claimed they could use them with TBI testing or simulating IED damage and such. Dumb down the mice enough to see if they’d forget the fear they may have for cats/snakes or predators like we have to deal with on a constant basis. Stand by and allow some lefty freak play the ‘knock out game’ on us, or a women gang raped by the MS-13 while we are so dumbed down, smile, and feel good about it all. No worries.
Odd stuff. They want to induce and produce fear and fear tactics, then want to flip that to fear extinction? Will DC use it to stop all the wars and lies to create wars and conflicts? The main fear mongers. Or will they be exempt from things as usual.
“movement therapy,”…..LOL…..Maybe good for the Turd that lays around all day, Or a politician that never stood in line at a grocery store…
My very own “movement therapy” each and every morning is successful if I’ve had a bowel movement based upon the VA’s reported malfeasance.
Today’s article gave me an equilibrium movement therapy of two turds named yin and yang. Loose, very loose form-factor.
I was listening to Wonka Whack a Mole Wilkie but didn’t give me much hope for those trying to use the VA or get quality care. More of that ‘collective punishment’ attitude and nothing about us being individuals and needing individual styled care instead of that socialist Draconian one size fits all shit. Except for the differences in male and female gender type care.
I’ve done tried all the phys therapy stuff. Wasted a lot of money and time trying it. Bought the hat, T-shirt and DVDs attempting Tai Chi for seniors and chronic pain and joint issues. Sensi (?) had me stop due to pain, cramps, puddles of sweat on the floor and sugar drops and other metabolic ‘fun.’ Couldn’t get past 15 minutes in class then after a few attempts he said to just buy the DVDs and do it at home since I couldn’t keep the pace with others in class. And being told to not do it with high levels of pain it may create or cause. All my phsy therapy people in or out of the VA said to cease it when pain increased, not to over-extend, or totally stop when certain pain levels were felt. And never changed over time, just more pain then spending days doing bed rest or licking more damages done by it all. Now I guess they want to go back to Tylenol in massive doses and ‘no gain without pain’ so we can ruin ourselves more or do more damages. Plus since phys therapy folks aren’t chiropractors that means more money to get things popped back in that therapy caused to pop out. And another of my hard found good chiros have left the state. Back to square one all around.
Shows some of the powers of corrupt and connected Indiana. Can’t blemish the reputation or images of the ones connected locally and who can use their networks of evil to ruin lives that try to expose all the filth that exists here locally… and to ‘the top.’
“https://www.ibj.com/articles/69431-dozens-of-hoosiers-shape-policy-in-washington-as-members-of-trumppence-administration?utm_source=eight-at-8&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2018-07-02”
“https://www.globalresearch.ca/how-21-trillion-in-u-s-tax-money-disappeared-full-scope-audit-of-the-pentagon/5638534”
VA and SEIU, SEIU & other interests and the VA. AFGE. Circus.
“So in other words the cronies that live off of local taxes were afraid that an initiative that empowered taxpayers would cut off their supply of local taxes. As such they threw in with the soda industry, ensuring the flow of funds to the big soda companies while protecting the SEIU and its effort to extract ever more taxes from taxpayers.”
Got their noses in many things apparently.
“https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/66839/california-shields-big-soda-from-local-taxes-and-the-seiu-helped-broker-the.html”