PTSD Center Coming to Albany
In 2006, instructions to expand capabilities for
Phoebe Putney Hospital to treat sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
were included in the FY06 is a debilitatting illness affecting individuals who
have experienced or witnessed life-threatning events such as military combat,
natural disasters, serious accidents and assaults.
This year, the FY08 Defense Appropriations bill included $1.6 million to help construct a “regional Center of Excellence” at Phoebe Putney, to understand the existing methods of training, diagnosis, treatment, and technological advances to define the most promising and effective treatment strategies for PTSD. It is estimated that one in five brave men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will at some point suffer the effects of PTSD, which can range from nightmares and flashbacks to other health conditions. This number may be even greater as many fail to report symptoms or seek help because of the stigma that is traditionally associated with mental illness.