PTSD/SA Committee Provides Apps to Help Cope

The PTSD/Substance Abuse Committee is a strong supporter of creating mobile device applications (apps) to provide self-help, education, and support for those managing PTSD, substance abuse, and other self-destructive approaches to coping. The committee encourages you to review the following sites provided by the National Center for PTSD to see if any could be used to reinforce yourself or someone you know.

The second collection of apps is designed to be used with a therapist to enhance ongoing treatment progress and could be a point of discussion with a VA therapist or introduced to an outside therapist. There are apps for iOS and Android devices.

PTSD is a serious mental health condition that often needs professional evaluation and treatment. These apps are not intended to replace professional care.
SELF-HELP APPS

• PTSD Coach: Helps you learn about and cope with the symptoms related to PTSD that commonly occur following trauma.
• PTSD Family Coach: Offers support to family members of those living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Mindfulness Coach: Grounding yourself in the present moment can help you cope better with unpleasant thoughts and emotions. The Mindfulness Coach app helps you do this.
• VetChange: This is for veterans and servicemembers concerned about their drinking and how it relates to post-traumatic stress after deployment. The app can be useful for anyone who wants to develop healthier drinking behaviors.

TREATMENT COMPANION APPS

• CPT Coach: A free mobile app that helps you work with your therapist during Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). The app helps you keep track of homework, appointments, and PTSD symptoms. CPT Coach is not a self-help tool.
• PE Coach: A mobile app to be used during Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy with a mental health professional. PE Coach is not a self-help tool.

PRIVACY POLICY

No identifiable data is transferred or transmitted to the VA through the use of the apps. All data entered by you remains your sole property and will not be used by the VA without your express consent. You also acknowledge that it is your sole responsibility to protect and otherwise secure any information captured and stored by the software once it is installed on your device.

For statistical purposes, the VA collects anonymous usage data and sends it to a data provider. This feature can be disabled through the app’s settings screen at any time.

The PTSD/SA Committee knows that these apps are not going to be for everyone. Research indicates that anything that disrupts the time when it seems darkest gives us a chance to grab hold of our lives and future—and allows us to find meaning in our lives.

The PTSD/SA Committee continues to review new therapies, technologies, and activities aimed at having positive impacts on reducing the symptoms of PTSD and substance abuse. Please feel free to contact the PTSD/SA Committee with feedback or ideas to help our brothers and sisters deal with the invisible wounds of war and return all the way home.

By Tom Hall, Ph. D., Chair
Source: The VVA Veteran

---

---

---