Re-Release Warriors Come Home: Understanding PTSD and the Mission to Save Veterans' Lives

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Dan Gaeta from Operation VetFit discusses PTSD in veterans and their revolutionary approach to preventing veteran suicide that has resulted in zero suicides among their members.

• Clinical definition of PTSD including exposure to traumatic events, intrusion symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and negative alterations in cognition
• The "masculine warrior paradigm" that creates challenges when veterans return to civilian life
• Success story of Thomas Burke who went from a suicide attempt to earning a Doctorate in Divinity from Yale
• Operation VetFit's approach includes exercise as a therapeutic modality, which is underutilized in mental health treatment
• Cognitive restructuring helps replace negative traumatic associations with new positive memories
• Color-coded intake system (red, yellow, green) developed by Colonel Neil Shuley helps assess and prioritize veterans' needs
• Veterans helping other veterans creates a sustainable model - "jumping in the hole" alongside struggling peers
• Scientific assessment of anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and pain creates an effective risk factor evaluation
• Exercise is a crucial but often overlooked component of mental health treatment

If you work with veterans or know someone struggling, visit operationvetfit.org to learn more about their approach and resources.

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