New Technology Designed To Battle PTSD In Soldiers And First Responders

May 29, 2012
A large number of soldiers are coming back from their tours of duty with deep psychological and mental scars. These injuries, known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), affect roughly one-third of all enlisted troops who have seen combat over the past decade.
In an effort to curb the growing numbers of these injuries, researchers at the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies have developed a computer program that will help better prepare soldiers for the stress of combat and let returning veterans work through their mental injuries in a safe and controlled environment, according to KSDK News.
The simulator program plays out much like a virtual reality video game with gun fire, loud noises, and even rumbling of the players’ floorboards when a bomb goes off. The idea is to allow the soldier to return to the combat setting in a safe environment to learn to control their emotions and physical responses when placed in high stress situations.
“We teach them tactics to help them to manage stress like deep breathing or thought focusing exercises,” said Skip Rizzo, a psychologist at USC.
The new technology is being utilized at 20 different locations across the nation as part of those facilities’ PTSD treatment.
The St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers hope that the new technology will help benefit many of the combat veterans who are in need of Missouri Veteran’s Disability Benefits.