War doesn’t always stop when the battles are over. The trauma of fighting can carry on for many years, even a lifetime, playing out in the hearts and minds of our veterans. It’s a reality that hasn’t changed since the earliest days of civilization.
But what has changed is how we approach treatment. Various techniques, forms of therapy and medications have proven effective in recent years. And some of the thousands of veterans dealing with such challenges as post-traumatic stress disorder have found relief. But alternative treatments are proving effective, too. And in some cases, they work even better.
Meditation is one of those alternative techniques now used to help with PTSD. And it works well, researchers say. In one recent study done by the Department of Veterans Affairs, meditation proved more effective than group therapy, a long-practiced treatment method. And it’s a good alternative to some medications, such as antidepressants, which do little to cure PTSD.
An early study from the 1980s revealed that seven out of 10 veterans who practiced meditative techniques with the VA felt so much better they no longer needed mental health services. The other three kept going to the VA for treatment but also continued with the meditation. Veterans in that study reported a decrease in the sense of tension, rage and guilt they had once felt.
Other veterans say meditation has helped them heal by putting them in touch with a safe, still place within themselves that allows them to deal with emotions.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure how meditation works, yet. But what they do know is that it helps ease stress and anxiety. It also causes certain regions of the brain to grow and develop new neural pathways. And it even affects how genes express themselves, boosting the body’s immunity and slowing down the aging process.
And there’s even more good news. Many Texas VA locations have outpatient programs that teach a type of meditation known as mindfulness meditation. Click here to find the VA closest to you. The VA also has a program that reimburses veterans for courses in Transcendental Meditation™ (TM). Click here for more information on that. And click here to find a TM teacher close to you.
