The doctor is in

What's old is new again! Dr. Rowe sent this along. Interesting stuff.

Troops Use 'Samurai' Meditation to Soothe PTSD
By Noah Shachtman October 08, 2008 5:32:00 PMCategories:
Medic! It wasn't all that long ago that if you told U.S. troops to meditate, you ran the risk of being called a kook -- or worse, a hippie. Today, it's becoming increasingly-common advice, for soldiers and marines looking to deal with battlefield stress, and prep for war.At Camp Lejeune, "Warrior Mind Training," supposedly based on ancient samurai techniques, are being offered to marines with mental health issues."This is a way to turn off your thoughts and get razor-sharp attention. We kind of work out the muscles, before our troops ever see action, so that they have the mental skill set to stay focused in the heat of battle - and to be able to leave the horrors of war behind when it's time to come home," instructor Sarah Ernst tells the AP. "Our motto is, 'Take the war to the enemy, but leave the battle on the battlefield.'"The course is also being taught to marines at Camp Pendleton, soldiers at Ft. Bragg, and submariners at the Naval Submarine Base. And it's not the only alternative therapy being offered to troops with post-traumatic stress disorder. Walter Reed Medical Center uses yoga in its PTSD treatments. Darpa has invested millions into natural dietary supplements. Troops -- even flag-level officers -- have been known to do yoga on their own.Meanwhile, a $4 million Army investigation into non-traditional therapies attracted 82 proposals on everything "from art and dance, to the ancient Chinese healing art of qigong or a therapy of hands-on touching known as Reiki," USA Today notes.That list of therapies has been narrowed to 10. And it will "include how meditation can improve emotional resilience; how holding and petting an animal can treat PTSD; and how acupuncture pain relief can relieve headaches created by mild brain damage from blasts." About one-third of sailors and Marines use some types of alternative therapies, mostly herbal remedies, according to a survey conducted last year. A recent Army study shows that one in four soldiers with combat-caused PTSD turned to herbs, chiropractors, acupuncture or megavitamins for relief.It's a whole new world out there.