Health & Healing from the Pain Healers Alliance: April 2023

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Advocacy Leadership Spotlight: Meet Daniel Drapeau- PTSD Awareness

IPHA News is proud to present one of Canada’s honored advocates for Post-Military life. As a retired military professional, Mr. Dan Drapeau’s more recent initiatives include his volunteer work for the recent generations of retirees – including those suffering from PTSD. Mr. Drapeau also volunteered once a week as an interpreter at the Canadian War Museum. In 1974, he joined the Canadian Force Armoured Corps then enlisted in the UN Mission for serve some of the most underserved areas of the world.

Our editors connected with Mr. Drapeau in this exclusive interview about post military injuries and his own journey with surviving the “voices and ghosts” of war. “No matter what trade you are in, anyone suffering from PTSD… please get help! Go and get some help because you, you owe it to your family and your friend and yourself. Go and get some help because you are living with a cancer- the kind that chews you up slowly. Uh, in my case, I had two strokes because of PTSD. I have a brain illness cause of PTSD and because it keeps your blood pressure up the roof. So please get help- your family deserves better knowing you can be a better you than the one you are under PTSD.”

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ISSUES IN THE MILITARY

Excerpts from an interview with Daniel Drapeau

There's a term they say "you leave as a boy, come back as a man". War changes you – and you only have two choices; you cry and go underground and hide, or you [become] a man and fight. That was a rule. You cannot be a coward. If you're a coward, they'll kick you out. Staying in the military, you need to push everything inside and build walls so that nothing can bother you after a while. Unfortunately, over time, your wall falls apart and [eventually] this leads to problems.

I found a saying in one of my tours: "VIOLENCE IS THE LAST RESORT FOR THE IMBECILE" written on a rock in No Man's land between Syria and Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The message here was stating that it's much easier to do war than do peace. Unfortunately, in today's world, it's more crazy [than ever with] violence and war than ever before – as if any excuse is good to start a war with your neighbor. It seems like there's no boundaries about how far stupidity can go. We tend to react the wrong way instead of thinking twice before acting.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS

The problem with PTSD is how people receive help. [In some cases, therapists] can make them talk about their issues right away and get it off their system. But for so many others like me, it's [buried deep] in our system - and you will never get it out. The older the wound, the more wouldn’t want to reopen it. It's more pain that way.

As of now, the only organization I'm still attending is the United Nations Peacekeeper. Groups like this really want to help and they're trying to help their members as much as they can, but the problem is that they're running after ghosts. Sometimes, PTSD lock you in the room and you don't want to get out. And oftentimes, it's about many incidents- not just one. You can have many recurrences as soon as the wall drops, then you'll be getting more stuff coming at you.

One of my close friends (who unfortunately passed away) told me once, "PTSD used to be associated with veterans and it shouldn't be... it could be associated with police, ambulance drivers and all those who have to deal with situations. Unlike war (where you get to come home), with an ambulance driver and all those guys, you don't get to get away from it- it's always there night after night in their work.

With so many, trauma is often suppressed. You might get them laughing but inside, they may be crying. Or if their wall is up, they have no problem- then the next thing you know, you'll see one of your friends just go and kill himself and you won't know why. You’ll wonder why he always (seemed) so happy- then you realize that maybe inside he was not so happy after all. Some people will have PTSD and thanks God for them to cope with it and live with it. Some other people have to deal with it differently. You can never understand what they are going through because we're all different and we all have to deal with different things.

WALLS AND TRIGGERS

We have different triggers of what kicks up our PTSD. I can hear a gun shooting won't bother me. I can hear a big bang and it won't bother me… except if I hear that unique pitch that brings me back to when I lost six friends because of grenade explosion. That the same pitch literally brings me back to hell. My reaction from this is terrible-- I'm the type of person who won't back up. If you're doing that nasty noise and you don't stop, I cannot leave. I'll make you stop no matter what I do!

One of the main things we try to do is “build a wall”- as a way to disassociate yourself. Having seen enough death can do this- such that if you see anyone else die around you now, you wouldn’t care. The same goes if you hit a dog or a fly or any animal - my wall is built. Disassociation helps separate and survive from that initial pain again from witnessing friends dying in service.

TOURS AND TRAUMA

I retired officially in 1995. One of my last tours was in Cyprus for seven months. I spent about three weeks in Israel at the Golan Heights. At that time, there was still friction between both and being stationed on land, you have a chance to see stuff that nobody gets to see- where at that time, anything could happen. We didn't have the internet to hear about it right away. You, you could be sitting somewhere and one plane would flying overhead and another comes out of the blue just to shoot it down without any warning. It’s the kind of surprise that happens when.

Another example is a friend of mine was on the post in Cyprus and he would see a shepherd coming every day with his sheep. And he was a very nice guy. One morning, about half an hour later, they hear a big bang. The sheep and his dog came back alone. The poor guy stepped on a mine and was killed instantly. In wartime, they put mines all over the place and they don't remove them after the war. And the only way you can find out where the land mines are is by stepping on it.

I built a wall around seeing these things in order to deal with the job. You're in 18 and half and you're in Cyprus, driving in a mine field in No Man’s land with an armored vehicle. I was conditioned not to care- I wasn't scared. When you're young, nothing bothers you. You're superman. Later on they'll ask you if you would do it again-- and you WILL do it again. Because for me, as long as they didn't kill each other, that's what mattered. That for me was success.

When you deal with people from different countries at war, know that there's good people on both sides. Outside of the battlefield, they are all really nice people. One thing I keep doing is I speak to the children in classrooms. I say, “listen, you have choices here in Canada. You want to go to school, you go to school. And the only one stopping you for become something is yourself. You want to be a doctor? Be a doctor. Be the best you can. Like me. I joined the army and after that, I became a policeman. Then I became a firefighter because I wanted to try those. If I lived to 200, I probably would've tried to be a doctor.

1) Veterans Affairs Canada: Daniel Drapeau (Ottawa, Ontario): https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-vac/who-we-are/department-officials/minister/commendation/bio/1177

2) CPAC-TV: LIVE: Veteran Daniel Drapeau speaks with reporters in Ottawa https://twitter.com/CPAC_TV/status/996042770123964417

# # #

Public Service Announcement / AD

TRAUMA IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

In 1981-1994, Mr. Dan Drapeau (L-image) enlisted in the Canadian Military Police, continuing a career in public service. Dan shared details on how law enforcement professionals were exposed to varying cases of psychological distress- some leading to depression, alcoholism and suicide. "Military police is the same as civilian police. It's a highly stressful job and you have to find a way to cope with it because every day is different and you never know in what shape you'll come back from work."

Here, he described the challenges of experiencing on-the-job trauma without the release valve of a department psychologist or therapist to offer any mental health support. "The way it is nowadays, psychiatric HELP was accessible so you can talk about any disturbing experiences on the job. Your boss would encourage you to get help, which is a big difference from my generation- where this did not exist at all". Dan concluded the interview about specific challenges to one's psyche while in uniform. "As a policeman, you have to deal with death- and that's not easy. If it's an old person, it's easy to put up a wall against it. If it's a young person, it's much harder- especially young children. Especially when you enter a scene of a suicide... these kinds of cases just stay with you!"

Our publishers give special thanks to Mr. Daniel Drapeau for this exclusive interview and his contributions included in this story. Additional thanks go to Prof. Joseph J. Toy for his generous time and effort that helped bring Mr. Drapeau and his achievements to our attention – both without whose kind generosity this feature would not have been made possible.

Mr. Daniel Drapeau introduces his long-time friend and colleague in the world of PTSD post-service support-- Prof. Joseph J. Toy, neurostimulation specialist and seasoned caregiver of countless cases of military associated PTSD.

The Major Occupational Hazard of Post Traumatic Recall

High risk professions like law enforcement, military service, healthcare and emergency response are known to have exposure to some of the most extreme levels of trauma - both physically and psychologically. They range in effects from manageable symptoms to crippling disorders. Over time, most people overcome disturbing or traumatic experiences and continue to work and live their lives. But others who get affected by traumatic experiences may trigger a reaction that can last for months or even years. This is called Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Proportionately, studies have shown a lower percentage of retirees from such challenging careers acquire PTSD (from 15-20%) while an estimated 30-40% who suffer from PTSD associated symptoms go undetected or do not register as full cases. (See full article)

IN THE NEWS:

The BRAIN HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, a branch of the Integrative Pain Healers Alliance (IPHA) awards Prof. Joseph J. Toy with a prestigious academic position with the clinical advisory board for his work on PTSD management. His long-standing program to address neurological and psychological injuries from military service with various countries has gained him significant recognition for his advanced work in the research and clinical applications of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy. (see videos and complete article)

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The materials provided on this newsletter/e-magazine article are copyrighted 2023- IPHA NEWS and 360 HEALTH ALERT. It is provided publicly strictly for informational purposes within non-commercial use and not for purposes of resale, distribution, public display or performance. Unless otherwise indicated, sharing, re-posting, re-publishing of this work is strictly prohibited without due permission from the publishers. Also, certain content may be licensed from third-parties. The licenses for some of this content may contain additional terms. When such Content licenses contain additional terms, we will make these terms available to you on those pages (which his incorporated herein by reference). This feature content and the digital platforms this resides in does not support, endorse or recommend any specific products, tests, physicians, procedures, treatment opinions or other information that may be mentioned on this site. Referencing any content or information seen, published or shared by other individuals is solely at your own risk. The publishers/producers of this article reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, disable access to, or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, all or any part of this Internet web site or any information contained thereon without liability or notice to you.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

The Doorway Effect – Why We Forget Why We’ve Walked Into a Room

Written by: Marilyn Abrahamson, MA,CCC-SLP - CBHC

Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly forgotten why?

Research done at the University of Notre Dame, published in 2011 in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology showed that memory is often affected when we pass through a doorway. This is known as the Doorway Effect.

The author of this original research, Dr. Gabriel Radvansky suggests that our brain manages the continuous flow of information by breaking up experiences into small, more meaningful blocks of information called mental event models.

When we move from one situation to another – or even from one room to another – our brain updates to a new network of information, or a new mental event model that does not include information from the previous one.

So, as we switch gears, we may forget things from the previous event. This can occur whether we leave or enter a room, switch computer tabs, or work to refocus after an interruption.

The good news is that this shows that our brain is working as it should, adapting to the continuous flow of information and compartmentalizing properly. Dr. Radvansky suggests that in most cases, the process is helpful because this shifting of our mind from one event to the other, and forgetting what happened before is our brain’s way of clearing the slate – making way for new information. However annoying, it facilitates focus and accuracy by preventing us from perseverating on thoughts that are not relevant to the current moment.

How you can compensate for the doorway effect

The study suggests there are ways to create a connection between one mental event model and the next to help you to recall your original objective.

● Carry a reminder into the next room: For example, if you want to hang a picture and you need to get a hammer, take a picture hook with you when you go to the toolbox. The picture hook in your hand will remind you of what you need when you get there.

● Start again: Returning to the room where the original thought was established will return you to the previous mental event model. If it doesn;t come to you immediately, look around the room, or return to the spot where the thought was initiated. Something in that spot may jog your memory and help you retrieve the information. Even simply thinking about where you were when you first thought about it can be effective as well.

A few more tips to add

When it comes to attention and memory, there are two golden rules that will always serve you well.

● Single tasking (by avoiding multitasking): Focus on one single task makes you more likely to stay focused and see it through to the end with high quality results without forgetting anything important, even with minor interruptions.

● Performing tasks mindfully: If you’re watching a movie and want a snack, but you forget why you’ve walked into the kitchen, you may need to be more mindful. Next time, as you walk into the kitchen, say aloud, “I’m going into the kitchen for a snack.” (Do this even if you’re alone – no one will hear you anyway.) The act of saying that phrase aloud as you’re walking to the kitchen will connect the memory of your objective from one mental event model (from the TV room) to the next one (to the kitchen).

The ability to create separate networks and compartmentalize is just one aspect of normal function that makes our brain so spectacular. The ability to rapidly determine what’s relevant and what’s not is the key to peak performance as the brain simply cannot remember everything all at once.

MARILYN ABRAHAMSON, MA, CCC-SLP : As a Brain Health Education Specialist at Ceresti Health, Marilyn offers initiatives that supports education and empowerment of family caregivers. She also writes for and edits the Ceresti’s monthly newsletter and produces all brain health education and brain-health coaching programs for caregivers. Marilyn's prior work is as a NJ Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist since 1987 and is an Amen Clinics Certified Brain Health Coach.

GOOGLE CHROME SECURITY ALERT - THE ZERO DAY HACK

Written by: Lennard Gettz & Jordan Pimental

4/16/2023- I woke up this morning with headlines warning "3 Billion Chrome users that Google Chrome is compromised with the ZERO DAY hack". Top-liners in my newsfeeds about "losing my bank account" certainly caught my attention! Oh Joy- another horrible thing from our modern world. This is our unfortunate reality as part of our "new normal"-- including a global pandemic, threat of nuclear Armageddon, domestic mass shootings and getting your life exposed in the dark web by hackers- all can happen at any given moment.

System security advisors like Adam Karp of KL Tech identifies a global rise in data breaches and victim rates. He attributes the public complacency and decline in security proactivity in the private sector in part "to the disaster fatigue from our mainstream news... After a while, people just tune off to the news and hope THEY are not to be a statistic".

"EVERYONE ELSE BUT ME"
The Covid-19 pandemic was a hot time to get attacked! Reports showed a spike of over 30% in attacks to businesses and personal systems [7]. Admittedly, until a few years ago, I was part of this global elite (which translates to complacent and lazy) who counted on the sheer luck and hopes of having enough internet security, ignoring headlines of current cyber threats to many off my own Apps. I never updated my malwarebytes, ignored popups about updating browsers and haphazardly opened unknown eamils. My last virus attack was back in 2015-- leading me to think "so why should I get one now?" But after 6 of my friends and clients have actually been victimized by cybercrimes during the pandemic, I witnessed firsthand the true terror and destruction that this inflicts on one's actual LIFE. This made it all REAL for me! The last thing I would ever do again is ignore such warnings - especially from Google themselves.

Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) tracks actors involved in information operations (IO), government backed attacks and financially motivated abuse. For years, TAG has been tracking the activities of commercial spyware vendors to protect users. [1]

Today's headlines about GOOGLE CHROME being compromised made me stop in my tracks to step up and "FIX" my browsers myself. Where most business owners will push this off to their I.T. people, my tech consultants offer me sage advice to be more HANDS-ON with the essentials - simple stuff like BLOCKING unknown emails and UPDATING your browsers.

GOOD NEWS
The public confidence for Google products remains high because of their due diligence and major investment in maintaining their security. As such, an emergency update fix has already been created (otherwise known as a PATCH) and can be installed by updating your Chrome browser. [2]

Before logging into any of your favorite apps or websites, you can find over 9M search results worth of headlines reporting on this hack. [GOOGLE SEARCH LINK: "GOOGLE CHROME>ZERO DAY HACK>2023"] By clicking on ANY of the headlines about this ZERO DAY HACK, many of the articles also include instructions on how to protect yourself, simply by UPDATING YOUR BROWSER.

How do you update Google Chrome browser?

Get a Chrome update when available

¡ On your desktop, touch the 3 dots on the top right of the browser

¡ Select HELP > About Google Chrome

¡ The center screen should automatically UPDATE Chrome to the most current setting

¡ To make sure, type "UPDATE' in the search box

We all look at the mighty Google to be a tech giant, investing millions upon millions in resources and security to keep their users safe and happy. But guess what? Dozens of tech news has reported Google's security to be at constant attack. One of the first and most highly publicized Breach of Google started back in 2010 which sent alarms throughout the global community about the company's tracking surveillance requests from law enforcement[3]. Internet news recently highlights the TIMELINE of Google's Data Breach History, showing the tech giant to be a favorite target for data breaching with malicious cybercriminals. [4][5]

CYBER-SAFETY CHECKLIST

First rule in security (home, bank, business or national)- NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. Attacks can come from anywhere at any time. No security protocol is fail-safe! According to the Professional Alliance of Medical Data Protection, here are 15 suggested ways to protect your practice and your network from potential attacks. These are common, sensible and proven safety protocols to protect your network or system from being infiltrated by "the bad guys". Click this thumbnail to enlarge and download.

REFS:

1) THREAT ANALYSIS GROUP | "Spyware vendors use 0-days and n-days against popular platforms" by Clement Lecigne/ 3/29/23- https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/spyware-vendors-use-0-days-and-n-days-against-popular-platforms/

2) Google Chrome emergency update fixes first zero-day of 2023- By Sergiu Gatlan (4/14/2023) | Bleeping Computer | https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-chrome-emergency-update-fixes-first-zero-day-of-2023/

3) Hackers Who Breached Google in 2010 Accessed Company's Surveillance Database - by Kim Zetter: https://www.wired.com/2013/05/google-surveillance-database/

4) GOOGLE DATA BREACHES HISTORY & FULL TIMELINE UP TO 2023- by T. McGovern. EarthWeb: https://earthweb.com/google-data-breaches/ https://earthweb.com/google-data-breaches/

5) Firewall Times - "Google Data Breaches: Full Timeline Through 2023" | By Michael X. Heiligenstein - https://firewalltimes.com/google-data-breach-timeline/

6) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258261/covid-19-increase-in-cyber-attacks/

7) "Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity" - https://www2.deloitte.com/ch/en/pages/risk/articles/impact-covid-cybersecurity.html

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT: MEET DANIEL DRAPEAU