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| PTSD help: Can angling ease war vet trauma? | PTSD help: Can angling ease war vet trauma? |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The benefits of the great outdoors on mental health have long been known. But can an activity as simple as angling really improve the mental health of those scarred by the horrors of war? | The benefits of the great outdoors on mental health have long been known. But can an activity as simple as angling really improve the mental health of those scarred by the horrors of war? |
| Sleepless nights, flashbacks, anxiety, addiction, marital collapse - the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on combat veterans take many forms. | Sleepless nights, flashbacks, anxiety, addiction, marital collapse - the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on combat veterans take many forms. |
| Diagnosis is often far from immediate, with many former service personnel suffering in silent isolation for years before seeking help. | Diagnosis is often far from immediate, with many former service personnel suffering in silent isolation for years before seeking help. |
| And when they do seek help, the treatments offered are usually prescription drugs, talking therapies or both. | And when they do seek help, the treatments offered are usually prescription drugs, talking therapies or both. |
| Experts say combat-related stress is a condition apart, with treatments tending to prove more successful if the healthcare practitioner is themselves ex-military. | Experts say combat-related stress is a condition apart, with treatments tending to prove more successful if the healthcare practitioner is themselves ex-military. |
| So what about a completely different prescription for combat stress? How about a fishing rod? | So what about a completely different prescription for combat stress? How about a fishing rod? |
| "Wouldn't that be great?" asks Mark Wheeler, a psychologist and doctoral researcher at the University of Essex who, with other psychologists, is seeking to establish whether angling can alleviate the symptoms of PTSD. | "Wouldn't that be great?" asks Mark Wheeler, a psychologist and doctoral researcher at the University of Essex who, with other psychologists, is seeking to establish whether angling can alleviate the symptoms of PTSD. |
| What is PTSD? | What is PTSD? |
| Source: Professor Gordon Turnbull, a consultant psychiatrist | Source: Professor Gordon Turnbull, a consultant psychiatrist |
| Globally there are dozens of angling clubs for military veterans. | Globally there are dozens of angling clubs for military veterans. |
| And Mr Wheeler, himself an angler, has no doubt fishing delivers a calming mix of pleasure and peace. | And Mr Wheeler, himself an angler, has no doubt fishing delivers a calming mix of pleasure and peace. |
| What Mr Wheeler, Dr Nick Cooper of Essex University's Department of Psychology and Prof Jamie Hacker Hughes, from the Veterans Institute at Anglia Ruskin, want to know is not only if it benefits those with PTSD but, if it does, then how and why. | |
| Earlier this month, 11 veterans - all with PTSD and aged between 25 and 55 years old - went fishing for the weekend in Berkshire as part of the Essex universities' research. | Earlier this month, 11 veterans - all with PTSD and aged between 25 and 55 years old - went fishing for the weekend in Berkshire as part of the Essex universities' research. |
| Each was psychologically assessed before and after angling. They will be assessed again in a few days' time and then again three months from now. | Each was psychologically assessed before and after angling. They will be assessed again in a few days' time and then again three months from now. |
| One of them is Shaun Armsby, a former soldier who served with 19 Regiment Royal Artillery for six years until 1996. | One of them is Shaun Armsby, a former soldier who served with 19 Regiment Royal Artillery for six years until 1996. |
| Mr Armsby, who lives on the Essex/Suffolk border, was only diagnosed with PTSD last year. | Mr Armsby, who lives on the Essex/Suffolk border, was only diagnosed with PTSD last year. |
| The diagnosis followed his third suicide attempt. | The diagnosis followed his third suicide attempt. |
| His PTSD relates to extensive bullying he says he suffered in the army. His first marriage collapsed and he has suffered alcohol addiction, anxiety and extreme sleep disruption (he sleeps an hour and a half a night). | His PTSD relates to extensive bullying he says he suffered in the army. His first marriage collapsed and he has suffered alcohol addiction, anxiety and extreme sleep disruption (he sleeps an hour and a half a night). |
| Although he has received therapy and medication, Mr Armsby still struggles. | Although he has received therapy and medication, Mr Armsby still struggles. |
| "It is extremely hard for a lot of us," he said. "You've got mayhem going through your head all of the time. You're constantly checking yourself and sometimes I have a three second memory." | "It is extremely hard for a lot of us," he said. "You've got mayhem going through your head all of the time. You're constantly checking yourself and sometimes I have a three second memory." |
| The pace of Mr Armsby's speech slows a little, however, at the mention of angling. | The pace of Mr Armsby's speech slows a little, however, at the mention of angling. |
| "It relaxes me. It is a break out of my bubble. There's the pleasure of just sitting at the bank," he said. | "It relaxes me. It is a break out of my bubble. There's the pleasure of just sitting at the bank," he said. |
| And fishing with fellow veterans provides an "informal setting" for them to talk and share their experiences. | And fishing with fellow veterans provides an "informal setting" for them to talk and share their experiences. |
| "Some people opened up a little bit. I could talk to people a bit about bits that happened to me," he said. | "Some people opened up a little bit. I could talk to people a bit about bits that happened to me," he said. |
| The effects of angling on Mr Armsby? | The effects of angling on Mr Armsby? |
| "After the fishing trip I felt great and being able to spend time with other people in my situation really does help as I didn't feel alone," he said. "They get what you go through on a daily basis and nothing you say phases them like it would a civilian." | "After the fishing trip I felt great and being able to spend time with other people in my situation really does help as I didn't feel alone," he said. "They get what you go through on a daily basis and nothing you say phases them like it would a civilian." |
| As for the sleep, Mr Armsby managed a couple of extra hours than normal because he felt "relaxed and stress-free". | As for the sleep, Mr Armsby managed a couple of extra hours than normal because he felt "relaxed and stress-free". |
| This benefit has not lasted, however, and he is again only getting an one and half hour or so at a time. | This benefit has not lasted, however, and he is again only getting an one and half hour or so at a time. |
| But he said: "I have felt a lot more relaxed since being home as the break did me good and I can't wait to go fishing with them all again." | But he said: "I have felt a lot more relaxed since being home as the break did me good and I can't wait to go fishing with them all again." |
| 'Companionship of camping' | 'Companionship of camping' |
| Key to the research, says Mr Wheeler, will be whether it is the angling, the opening up to fellow veterans or both which participants find beneficial. | Key to the research, says Mr Wheeler, will be whether it is the angling, the opening up to fellow veterans or both which participants find beneficial. |
| Mr Wheeler, who also works as a high intensity psychological therapist for Health in Mind, an organisation run by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the mental health charity Colchester Mind, said: "We want to see if the companionship of camping and fishing together plus being outdoors will have quantifiable effects on the symptoms experienced by military veterans with post traumatic stress disorder." | Mr Wheeler, who also works as a high intensity psychological therapist for Health in Mind, an organisation run by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the mental health charity Colchester Mind, said: "We want to see if the companionship of camping and fishing together plus being outdoors will have quantifiable effects on the symptoms experienced by military veterans with post traumatic stress disorder." |
| Dr Cooper said: "There is anecdotal evidence from charities working with military veterans that these kinds of activities do have a positive impact, but we want to research this in a structured way." | Dr Cooper said: "There is anecdotal evidence from charities working with military veterans that these kinds of activities do have a positive impact, but we want to research this in a structured way." |
| The veterans involved in the study have already set up their own social media group and plan on staying in touch regardless of the outcome of the research. | The veterans involved in the study have already set up their own social media group and plan on staying in touch regardless of the outcome of the research. |
| "To be able to talk with people with similar experiences is of benefit in itself," said Mr Wheeler. "They really, really enjoyed it. The setting up of this (social media) group is excellent. | "To be able to talk with people with similar experiences is of benefit in itself," said Mr Wheeler. "They really, really enjoyed it. The setting up of this (social media) group is excellent. |
| "We want to know what elements of it have worked or whether the outdoors and angling in a group works holistically, with all the different elements together. | "We want to know what elements of it have worked or whether the outdoors and angling in a group works holistically, with all the different elements together. |
| "We want to know what aspects they enjoyed and whether angling in a group can be used as a therapeutic tool." | "We want to know what aspects they enjoyed and whether angling in a group can be used as a therapeutic tool." |
| Depending on the outcome of this initial research, funding for a larger-scale and more in-depth project might be sought. | Depending on the outcome of this initial research, funding for a larger-scale and more in-depth project might be sought. |