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DiversityNursing Blog

Former Combat Medic Combats PTSD With Hip-Hop

Posted by Erica Bettencourt

Mon, Jun 26, 2017 @ 12:40 PM

doc-todd-21_wide-f1a0f9bb6201a43906f53ebecf9ccf0890d264ce.jpgFormer Fleet Marine Force corpsman, George "Mik" Todd, released a new hip-hop album called Combat Medicine. George raps under the name Doc Todd and his main goal is to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or substance abuse.

According to NPR, Todd took several years before gettingt help for his PTSD. He was depressed and started drinking heavily. Eventually, he realized what he needed to be doing was helping other veterans. With savings from his job as a money manager and help from his wife, he was able to quit his job. He'd been making music since he was a teenager. Now, he wanted to use his music to help veterans heal. And he had plenty of material for his lyrics.

Some lyrics from his song, Not Alone, Doc Todd urges veterans to take action in their own recovery.

The struggle is real

Found a feast

And lost a soul

Eventually my drinking

It got out of control

There in darkness, I roamed

Struggling to find home

See Suddenly death didn't

Feel so Alone

Take those bottles out, dog

and pour 'em in the sink.

Take the needles out of your arm

And the gun away from your forehead.

It's time, man.

You've been through enough pain.

Stand up.

It's time to stand back up.

Learn more about Doc Todd in his interview here.

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Topics: clinical depression, PTSD, Veterans, post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, hip hop

Peer Support Lowers Distress in Transgender People, Nursing-Led Study Finds

Posted by Alycia Sullivan

Thu, Mar 28, 2013 @ 03:21 PM

A national study of transgender people finds peer support, family support and pride in transgender identity, are among the protective factors for the clinical depression and anxiety often experienced by this population.

The national online study shows transgender individuals experience particularly high rates of psychological distress associated with the social stigma attached to their gender nonconformity.

The study is published online in the American Journal of Public Health.

"While peer support has generally been encouraged in clinical work, what has not been demonstrated until now is that it can actually make an important difference by buffering the impact of discrimination on mental health related to being transgender," said Walter O. Bockting, PhD, lead author of the study, and a Professor at Columbia University School of Nursing and the College of Physicians and Surgeons.  

Bockting is also co-director of the newly established LGBT Health Initiative in the Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health at New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.

The study demonstrates individuals' mental health distress was associated with stigma.

Among the 1093 transgender individuals whose data was analyzed:

  • 44.1% rated high on depression;
  • 33.2% rated high on anxiety; and
  • 27.5% on somatization, i.e., physical symptoms with a psychological cause.

The researchers found that, as they had hypothesized, "family support, peer support, and identity pride all were negatively associated with psychological distress, confirming these assets are protective factors."

"This provides the first empirical basis for clinicians to encourage peer support, and for social service and health organizations to provide avenues for peer support, such as offline or online support groups and group therapy," Bockting says. 

"In addition, interventions, advocacy and public policy initiatives are needed to confront social structures, norms and attitudes that produce stress associated with stigma, prejudice and discrimination so that the high rates of psychological distress found among transgender populations can be reduced." 

For more information, visit: www.nursing.columbia.edu.

Source: Advance for Nursing

Topics: transgender, nurse-led study, clinical depression, anxiety, peer support, lower distress

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