Jason DiGiannantoni VA Ambulatory Care Center on PTSD.

1.       The VA has a dedicated team of health care providers and social workers that work specifically with veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn (Iraq). Each veteran receives initial screenings during his/her first primary care appointment for depression, suicidal ideation, PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), homelessness (and risk of becoming homeless), and misuse of alcohol. From there, they can be linked with psychotherapy and/or psychiatric treatment. The “talk” therapy can be in groups or individual. We also conduct outreach in the community with our mobile health unit to help facilitate easy access to VA services.2.       The majority of returning veterans do not have PTSD. Those who do typically do not report their concerns right away. Often, it is a concerned family member or friend that helps to encourage the veteran to seek care.3.       We offer evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE). Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can also be used in PTSD treatment.

4.       Sorry, I don’t have any stats for this past year involving PTSD and suicide. Some studies show a link, while others do not.

5.       Since I’m not a doctor, I can’t give an opinion about whether medication could make PTSD symptoms worse. However, the type of medication needs to be clarified, since all are not created equal. Antidepressants such as SSRIs are often the medication of choice. Research has shown that other medications like  benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, etc.) can create problems such as dependency. See attachment for PTSD treatment recommendations.

See attachment about the PTSD app, the new VA website “Make the Connection”, and the veterans crisis line. All of these initiatives have been created to educate and assist veterans as they transition home from combat.

Jason DiGiannantoni, LISW-S
OEF/OIF Outreach Coordinator
Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center
420 North James Road
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 257-5393 (office)