PTSD RESOLUTION

Colonel Tony Gauvain (Retired)Chairman

The Hidden Injury

The dead - remember The visibly injured - repair and support The invisibly injured – ignore and forget

Invisibly injured – the challenge

Numbers 5 million Veterans, + 20,000 each year 20% with MH problems = 1 million cases + Reservists and families = another million?

Time “ticking bomb” – ‘late onset’ – 2030….?

Why invisible?

Ignorance – “I thought there was something wrong but I didn’t know what”

Denial – “There’s nothing wrong with me” Avoidance – “I’ll run away, hide, lock myself up…” Guilt – “Why did I survive and not him?” Stigma/shame – “I’m not meant to be like this”

The Journey

Diagnosis

Treatment Compensation

Event

Carry on

Sleep problems

Alcohol

Job problems

Relationship

The Law

Trauma resolution

PTSD status

What’s wrong with the present ‘system’?

Diagnosis is hard to get – time, distance Symptoms pathologised separately GPs often prescribe meds for anxiety etc Psychiatrists often prescribe meds and/or in-

reach IAPTs, Combat Stress - delays, distance,

poor results Families lost in the NHS, not acknowledged

Non diagnosis

Deterioration of emotional control – anger Damage to relationships at work and home Co-morbidity not treated – one symptom at a

time Increasing despair and distress Self medication on drink and drugs Resort to crime for funds, anger, revenge Courts, prison

Self diagnosis and referral

Self awareness Family awareness Employer awareness Early intervention Self referral

What’s needed? One number to ring or address to email Immediate and intelligent response Early therapeutic engagement Local to home As few sessions as possible Privacy, no referrals required Humane, no re-living or re-telling Cheap, or free to those who cannot afford All symptoms dealt with incl drink

What’s needed? (Contd)

Hope Psycho-education Involvement of Families Involvement of work colleagues if necessary Better understanding in the judicial system Recognition that PTS changes people and

should be taken into account when sentencing

Sample PTSD Resolution data

1212 Cases since 2009, 7 per week 150 sample cases evaluated CORE10 and IES-E measures both used 4 females, 146 males Mean age 43, range 23 - 85 Mean no. of treatment sessions between 5 and 6

PTSD Resolution evidence of effectiveness - snapshot

Using the IES-E scores:• 131 cases had a valid pre-treatment score• 122 had a valid post-treatment score (93% data

capture)• For these 122 cases, pre-treatment average score was

54 and post-treatment average score was 24• 79 of these 122 cases were above 50 pre-treatment• 66 of these 79 (83%) were below 50 post-treatment• 59 of these 79 cases (75%) had improved by 20 points or more

Call to Action

One number 0300 302 0551 200 therapists UK wide Sustainable funds NEEDED for therapists Trauma Awareness OFFERED

for employers for families

Charity Support needed– volunteers, trustees www.ptsdresolution.org Thank you