Page 675 - Total War on PTSD

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The second, and often under-utilized, thing we can do is to put proper funding and research into alternative therapy methods. As the various authors of the previous chapters outline, there are many, many ways to improve the health and well-being of someone suffering from PTSD and may be struggling with suicidal thoughts that do not involved pharmaceuticals.
Unfortunately, a series of pharmaceutical breakthroughs in the early-2000s led to an over-reliance on medication as a quick fix for mental health ailments. Many of those suffering wanted instant relief, which pharmaceuticals can provide. However, some of these pharmaceuticals also had unwanted side effects, and others were addicting. And, like mental health itself, some came with a stigma that caused those who could potentially benefit not to take them at all. Various alternative therapies not only have the ability to reduce dependence on pharmaceutical medications, but they may also motivate those reluctant to receive traditional therapy such as counseling to seek help, and may also enhance the results of traditional treatment methods by making patients more engaged and more compliant.
Although both the VA and the DoD have begun to embrace alternative treatments, the government moves slowly, and that can be detrimental to a suicidal Veteran who needs immediate relief. “Not all people who have PTSD present with the same needs or the same symptoms, and no one prescriptive approach works for everyone,” says Karen Soltes, LCSW, MAED, E-RYT, a founding member of the organization, Warriors at Ease, which works with yoga and meditation teachers to specifically work with service members and Veterans. Suicide prevention is similar; it does not present in the same
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