Transcendental Meditation Prevents and Reverses PTSD in the lives of First Responders
The data shows
- As many as 18 percent of police are suffering from PTSD according to nationwide estimations, with police women showing higher rates.
- Up to 37% of firefighters meet criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD. Five percent of all firefighters are female.
- Demeaning, undermining and other discriminatory treatment by male counterparts and departments
One Practical Solution
Increasing resilience and healing post traumatic stress require an approach that directly impacts the physiology and neurophysiology. Thankfully, research studies document benefits from the TM practice in all fields of life, certainly applicable to first responders.
Practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique for twenty minutes twice daily provides deep healing rest which decreases: stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, relationship problems, and addiction.
Immediate Results
The TM practice is unique among meditation techniques, distinguished by its simplicity and profound, immediate results. It is not a religion or philosophy and involves no change in lifestyle. It is easy to learn and enjoyable to practice, requiring no effort, concentration, or special skills. More Information about the Transcendental Meditation technique
“PTSD victims may experience a disabling cluster of symptoms, including anxiety, excessive vigilance, an exaggerated tendency to startle, nightmares, flashbacks to the traumatic event (which may be triggered by any associated memories), insomnia, outbursts of anger, and social withdrawal. …I am eager to see efforts – by the Veterans Administration, funding agencies, and private charities – to make TM accessible to veterans suffering from PTSD…for whom current approaches are both costly and inadequate. .. I have been astonished at the strength and scope of the research on TM – and of the technique’s potential for healing and transformation”
Dr. Norman Rosenthal
M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical School
Research
“As far as how TM has impacted my life, I would say it’s made a noticeable difference! My stress level has decreased overall. I find myself more focused at work and better able to complete the tasks of the day after my morning meditation.”
Read More
Amanda K
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Reduction of stress in first responders
Brain and Mind
Stress dramatically interferes with the ability to maintain attention and focus. The part of the brain responsible for both developing coping strategies and handling stress is compromised. Chronic stress damages the brain and creates fatigue.
Research shows that the TM practice uniquely enlivens the function of the prefrontal cortex, often called the “CEO” of the brain, allowing for more organized thought and better decision-making. The brain functions with greater coherence—associated with more integrated and effective thinking and behavior. Other benefits include improvements in analytical thinking, memory, planning, creativity, learning ability, I.Q., and memory.
Read more about how TM changes the brain
Resilience
A 2012 doctoral research on leadership resilience explored the development of cognitive capacity in leaders to improve executive judgment and decision making under stress. The study explored the impact of the TM technique on situation awareness capacity of emerging leaders at Norwich University in Vermont, showing that those who practiced the TM technique had statistically significant improvement. These findings are being applied in the development of resilience programs that incorporate the use of the TM program to improve situation awareness capacity in professionals (nurses, doctors, emergency medical responders, fire fighting, law enforcement, military) who are operating in high demand settings.
Body
Stress slows reaction time, reduces mind-body coordination and creates illness and can lead to unhealthy life choices such as the use of drugs and alcohol. The deep rest gained during the TM practice restores balance in the physiology, reducing high blood pressure, improving sleep and increasing mind-body coordination. Transcendental Meditation technique reduces stress and stress-related disorders, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and metabolic syndrome. The TM also improves health overall including increased stamina, energy, flexibility, immunity and quality of life.
Doctor’s Comments
Abraham Bornstein
M.D., Cardiology and Fellow of the American College of Cardiology
“As a clinical cardiologist, I’ve found the Transcendental Meditation technique to be a simple, universally applicable technique. It significantly improves neurophysiological coordination and psychological balance, both of which have a major impact on the four major cardiovascular risk factors.”
Norman Rosenthal
M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical School
“If a pharmaceutical company had a pill which was capable of doing all these things, and they had all these studies to show all the help it could give, that pill would be a billion dollar blockbuster.”
Gary Kaplan
M.D., PhD., Neurologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology
“The TM technique simply and naturally allows the mind to settle down to experience a state of inner coherence and calm during which time the left and right hemispheres and the front and back of the brain begin to work in harmony with each other.”
Read More
Joanne E. Frankel
M.D., Psychiatry
“The gains I’ve seen in my patients who took the TM instruction include increases in emotional stability, intuition, self-confidence, and mind-body integration. As a therapist, I feel fortunate that such a powerful yet easy technique is available to my patients.”