By Mary O’KEEFE

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, frightening or dangerous event, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

“It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This ‘fight-or-flight’ response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger,” according to NIMH.

In 1980, PTSD was recognized as a disorder. It was first linked exclusively to veterans; however, more research into PTSD has found the disorder does not discriminate and many civilians of all ages have been diagnosed. But the majority of the cases are those who have served in the military.

According to NIMH, Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Sidran Institute and the organization PTSD United, PTSD affects about 7.7 million adults in America in any given year; however, military veterans are diagnosed in greater numbers. It is estimated that 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, about 10% of Gulf War vets and about 30% of Vietnam vets have experienced PTSD. Consequently, the need for treatment continues to grow.

“I am a Vietnam veteran,” said Captain Cliff Ishigaki, U.S. Marine Corps (retired), board president of Wellness Works in Glendale.

Ishigaki is recovering from PTSD and is an advocate for more support and understanding for those with this disorder and for continued treatment. Recently the Veterans Administration in Westwood announced its plan to “revitalize” the West LA Campus. The plan, according to the VA website, is to create a “one-stop shop” location where each zone will host a specific type of health care, employment information and other services. That change has not been welcomed by all, especially a group of veterans who are worried that their longtime meeting room where they worked through PTSD issues as a group will be affected in a negative way.

Ishigaki has joined these veterans who have voiced their concerns about moving this tight-knit group of veterans. The room in which the veterans have met for decades is more than just a room, it is their home. It is not easy for many PTSD-afflicted veterans to admit there is an issue, let alone walk into a room for help. There is a real concern by some veterans that others will not return if the room is moved.

This move is part of a bigger issue, according to Ishigaki. It comes down to understanding the mind of a veteran dealing with PTSD.

“The military trains its men and women in units and, when veterans return from conflict, there is an assumption that if we reduce the symptoms of PTSD, they will automatically know how to assimilate with their families, colleagues, friends and others. We assume that they will know how to be a member of the civilian ‘unit’ again,” he said.

He adds many veterans have difficulty with transferring from a military unit to a civilian one.

“This is where groups are crucial in creating the supportive bridge to a civilian life. How do we measure the effectiveness of these groups? They do not fit the models of time-based programs that are designed to show improvement on specific symptoms at the conclusion of treatment. Measuring healthy membership in the civilian world requires both observational and personal feedback from the veteran. It requires more labor.

“The crucial question for those managing PTSD programs is whether symptom reduction is their goal, or whether they want to focus more broadly on integrating veterans back into the civilian world with healthy bodies, emotions, minds and even spirits,” he wrote in a recent editorial letter.

Ishigaki said in addition to working on PTSD system reduction the VA would focus more on stabilization.

“That is a whole different chapter including reintegration. To learn to deal with the [veteran’s] family again, to get a job and deal with social networks,” he said.

He added he applauded the VA’s effort to get veterans to stabilize the symptoms of PTSD, but that symptom reduction, which may look good as results on paper, will not show how veterans will deal with the outside world.

“These groups are labor- intensive,” he said.

Ishigaki said it was important for those who are working through or recovering from PTSD to have a place where they can talk with others who share similar issues, where they feel safe and comfortable.

“That is the challenge,” he said. “The people I know, whether they are coming into Wellness Works or other centers that deal with trauma, understand that the center never turns anyone away.”

He added that many veterans groups like Wellness Works are providing healthcare and mental healthcare that addresses all aspects of PTSD including introduction back into the civilian world.

His hope is that veterans, especially those concerned about the room move at the West LA Campus VA will be heard and that, as the VA moves forward with more PTSD groups, the goal will be to treat the entire issue from symptom reduction to stabilization.

Wellness Works is located in Glendale at 540 W. Broadway. It is a non-profit organization that provides programs and support for veterans and their families. For information, visit the website at www.wellnessworks4veterans.org or call (818) 247-2062.

  Mary Okeefe