• The Old Grain Store, Redenham Park, Near Andover, Hampshire, SP11 9AQ
  • 01264 771658
Veterans in Action

Understanding PTSD and PTG

Veterans in Action - PTG

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can affect individuals who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events. Common symptoms include:

  • Intrusive thoughts or memories of the traumatic event
  • Avoidance of situations that remind one of the trauma
  • Negative changes in thoughts and mood
  • Heightened reactivity to stimuli

Traditional approaches to treating PTSD often involve therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and may include medication. These treatments are crucial for many veterans in managing their symptoms and processing trauma.

Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG)

PTG is a concept that recognises the potential for positive psychological change following trauma. It’s important to note that PTG is not an alternative to PTSD therapy or medication, but rather a complementary approach that can fill the gaps between therapy sessions and support overall recovery.

PTG acknowledges that while trauma causes distress, some individuals may also experience personal growth as a result of their struggles. Areas of growth can include:

  • Improved relationships with others
  • New possibilities for one’s life
  • A greater sense of personal strength
  • Spiritual development
  • Enhanced appreciation of life

VIA’s Approach to PTG

Veterans In Action (VIA) has embraced PTG as a cornerstone of its support for veterans, viewing it as a complement to traditional PTSD treatments. VIA’s approach recognises that PTG can work before, during, and after any therapy that veterans may be undergoing. This comprehensive strategy ensures continuous support throughout a veteran’s recovery journey.

Key aspects of VIA’s approach include:

  1. Pre-Therapy Support: VIA’s programmes can help veterans build resilience and coping skills even before they begin formal PTSD therapy. This preparation can make veterans more receptive to treatment.
  2. During-Therapy Reinforcement: While veterans are undergoing PTSD therapy, VIA’s activities provide practical opportunities to apply coping strategies learned in therapy sessions. This real-world application can enhance the effectiveness of formal treatment.
  3. Post-Therapy Continuation: After completing PTSD therapy, VIA’s ongoing projects offer veterans a supportive environment to continue their growth and maintain the progress made during treatment.
  4. Continuous Engagement: VIA’s long-term approach allows veterans to engage in growth-promoting activities at their own pace, providing consistent support that complements the more structured, time-limited nature of traditional PTSD treatments.
  5. Holistic Support: By focusing on skill development, peer support, and meaningful contribution, VIA addresses aspects of a veteran’s life that may not be directly targeted in PTSD therapy, supporting overall well-being.
  6. Bridging the Gap: VIA’s programmes provide valuable support between therapy sessions, helping veterans maintain momentum in their recovery and growth.

By integrating PTG principles throughout the recovery process, VIA’s approach aims to enhance the effectiveness of traditional PTSD treatments while providing additional avenues for personal growth and healing. This comprehensive strategy recognises that recovery from trauma is a multifaceted journey, requiring support on multiple levels and at various stages.

In conclusion, VIA’s PTG-oriented approach is not a replacement for professional PTSD treatment, but rather a valuable complement to it. By offering continuous, growth-focused support before, during, and after therapy, VIA helps veterans maximise their potential for recovery and personal development.

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Veterans In Action is a Registered Charity No. 1128026
LOCATION
Veterans in Action
The Old Grain Store
Redenham Park
Near Andover
Hampshire
SP11 9AQ
CONTACT
  • 01264 771658
  • info@veteransinaction.org.uk
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I needed focus I needed something to fill my time, well maybe not fill my time but something to focus on like a target, a needed to get back my drive.

I started to help VIA ‘Veterans In Action’ and found something that I could do, use the old skills that I learnt in the army and more since I left which I did not register I had.

I had been missing that motivation to do something that I wanted to do and gain that level of self-gratification and achievement.

Everybody has a skill set, but it’s the motivation to use it we can lose, VIA have various projects on the go all the time, hopefully I have found my niche to help them and myself to gain personal gratification by being  a member of a team again and a job well done.

After discussions I realised that it’s this which advances my mental well-being and my ongoing fight against depression and the feeling of worthlessness.

I have woken up, helping hand in hand with fellow soldiers suffering from labelled disorders finding strength from weakness, realising what helps them generally does helps me, the recognition has been an awakening.”

Ian ‘Chalky’ White former 17th/21st Lancers and B Sqn 22 SAS

Veterans In Action have been filming our expeditions for many years for our YouTube Channel, Veterans Expeditions Overland, and through this experience of not only running the expeditions but also capturing footage that enables veterans who have taken part in a place of reference to recapture how they felt by taking part.

The Veterans In Focus project enables veterans to learn new skills and record not only the expeditions we run but also the day-to-day work on all projects connecting them all together so everyone feels involved in all aspects of the work we do.

VIA take a long-term approach to helping veterans who suffer to enable them to grow within a project working alongside their peers. All this can be achieved within this project which can be ongoing and would allow veterans to learn new skills or to pass on skills learned during their time in the services

Some of the outcomes of the project are a sense of purpose, regaining confidence and working in an environment alongside other veterans where they can instantly feel relaxed, chilled-out, secure, and safe.

Veterans can work at their own pace, stop thinking negatively, concentrate, learn new skills, be part of building something, and most importantly where problems are understood this will positively impact mood and stress levels.

For those involved in the project, they can also get involved on an expedition HERE

I became involved with VIA in 2010 after my life took a turn for the worse and was invited along to do some fundraising with them.  This helped me no end and in time my life got back on track.  I completed a Union Flag Walk with them from Cape Wrath to Land’s End which again helped as walking and talking with other veterans with similar stories was a great help in understanding how I was feeling.  I gained control of my life again.

In 2019, I took part in an overland expedition travelling through the Spanish Pyrenees and whilst away my life took a turn for the worse again due to family problems back in the UK.  On my return I had to start again and rebuild and focus on the future and with the help of Veterans In Action I got back on track and took control.

I now own and run my own courier business.

Mark Colman former Royal Engineers

To date, we have travelled 25,000 miles travelling through 30 different countries and some of them several times both on overland expeditions for humanitarian aid through the pandemic and more recently supplying medical humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

It is important to note that to take part in one of our overland expeditions we insist that veterans get involved in the BUILD IT part of the project. The reason for this is part of the Post Traumatic Growth process which is our method for helping veterans so that veterans can grow within a team of their peers, learning new skills and relearning old skill sets that may have been forgotten after service.

Leading up to an expedition involves expedition training which will include off-road driving, navigation, camp setups, camp cooking and daily maintenance, something most veterans will understand from their time in the services.

It would be unfair for any individual to turn up on the day of an expedition who hadn’t previously been involved as everyone else would have been working together over a long period of time so due to the very nature of the mental health problems of those we take out on expedition turning up on day 1 for any individual could become very difficult to find where they fit in no matter how welcoming everyone was.

It is the involvement long-term on building the vehicles that enable veterans to grow that gets them to a place where they fully enjoy all aspects of the expedition experience starting from the minute that an overland expedition sets off.