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Belonging protects against postdeployment depression in military personnel.

Belonging protects against postdeployment depression in military personnel.

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Belonging protects against postdeployment depression in military personnel.

Depress Anxiety. 2015 May;32(5):349-55

Authors: Bryan CJ, Heron EA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression among U.S. military personnel has received relatively little empirical attention compared to posttraumatic stress disorder, despite evidence that depression is associated with poor psychosocial outcomes and increased suicide risk. Even less is known about factors that protect against depression in military populations.

METHODS: A sample of 168 active duty Air Force convoy operators completed self-report measures of depression, posttraumatic stress, and sense of “belonging” before deploying to Iraq, and again at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following their return. Linear growth modeling was used to test the associations of the variables over time.

RESULTS: Mean depression scores remained low and stable across the deployment and 12-month follow-up period. Increased depression severity was significantly associated with low belonging (P < .001) and with posttraumatic stress symptoms (P < .001) at every time point.

LIMITATIONS: Relatively small, predominantly male sample utilizing self-report methods.

CONCLUSIONS: A sense of belongingness may protect service members from depression at all stages of the deployment cycle, from predeployment preparations through deployment and postdeployment adjustment.

PMID: 25903038 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Preparing soldiers for the stress of combat.

Preparing soldiers for the stress of combat.

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Preparing soldiers for the stress of combat.

J Spec Oper Med. 2012;12(2):33-41

Authors: Flanagan SC, Kotwal RS, Forsten RD

Abstract

UNLABELLED: Protracted use of stressors during military training courses does not necessarily enhance a Soldier?s ability to regulate stress on the battlefield. Extensive stress during training can be a contributing factor to suboptimal neurologic and overall long-term health. Prolonged high-stress military training programs, as well as extended duration combat deployments, should be comprehensively scrutinized for opportunities to preserve health and increase combat effectiveness. Contemporary research in neuroscience and psychology can provide insight into training techniques that can be used to control stress and optimize performance in combat. Physical fitness training programs can elevate the stress threshold. Extensive situational training can also inoculate Soldiers to specific combat stressors. Training methods such as these will enable Soldiers to achieve higher levels of performance while under enemy fire and are encouraged for units deploying to combat.

KEYWORDS: combat stress, military training, military deployment, physical training, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep deprivation, stress inoculation training.

PMID: 22707023 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: recent developments and clinical applications.

Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: recent developments and clinical applications.

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Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: recent developments and clinical applications.

Evid Based Ment Health. 2016 Apr 6;

Authors: Schwartz J, Murrough JW, Iosifescu DV

Abstract

Approximately one-third of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond to existing antidepressants, and those who do generally take weeks to months to achieve a significant effect. There is a clear unmet need for rapidly acting and more efficacious treatments. We will review recent developments in the study of ketamine, an old anaesthetic agent which has shown significant promise as a rapidly acting antidepressant in treatment-resistant patients with unipolar MDD, focusing on clinically important aspects such as dose, route of administration and duration of effect. Additional evidence suggests ketamine may be efficacious in patients with bipolar depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and acute suicidal ideation. We then discuss the safety of ketamine, in which most neuropsychiatric, neurocognitive and cardiovascular disturbances are short lasting; however, the long-term effects of ketamine are still unclear. We finally conclude with important information about ketamine for primary and secondary physicians as evidence continues to emerge for its potential use in clinical settings, underscoring the need for further investigation of its effects.

PMID: 27053196 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]