With September Being National Suicide Awareness Month, the Disabled Veteran Empowerment Network Has Published a Downloadable PTSD Checklist

The Disabled Veteran Empowerment Network (DVEN), an organization based in Manhattan Beach, CA, has announced that they have recently published a downloadable post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist as their contribution to September being National Suicide Awareness Month. DVEN is also hosting four #stress buster virtual cycling rides on the Zwift platform as a way to help people deal with emotional stress and avoid the potential for committing suicide. The PSTDS checklist can be accessed at https://dven.org/common-symptoms-of-ptsd-checklist/.

The PTSD checklist is designed to help people recognize the common symptoms of PTSD so that they can seek help from a mental health professional, especially if they are feeling suicidal. DVEN wants to point out that there is an increasing number of suicides. According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), in 2018, there were 48,344 recorded suicides, up from 42,773 in 2014. On the average, when adjusted for age, the annual U.S. suicide rate had actually increased by 24% between 1999 and 2014, from 10.5 to 13.0 suicides per 100,000 people, the highest rate recorded in 28 years. And DVEN is concerned about this because veterans have a much higher rate of suicide compared to the general population, with about 22 veterans committing suicide each day.

Robert Hess, CEO of DVEN, says, “I'm a combat veteran and I understand how PTSD can quietly destroy a life. Bicycling has been an important tool for me in controlling my emotional stress. That's why I created the Zwift #stressbuster program. People can join in by contacting us at info.DVEN.org.”

DVEN has the goal of providing support to disabled veterans. It was established by Robert Hess, who is a 90 percent disabled Vietnam veteran with 80 percent of his disability combat-related. He also created the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project, a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization, in 2006 to assist veterans in assessing their prostate cancer risk and discover it while it is still treatable.

The Stress Buster Zwift Rides for Veterans is for those who want to relieve emotional stress and maintain a healthy exercise routine. These Zwift.com virtual rides are led by Robert Hess and takes place in a virtual scenic route. While participants take part in the virtual ride, they can chat with fellow veterans and #StopPTSD advocates, while also enjoying some healthy exercise.

Exercise is important not just for physical health and preventing disease, but also in substantially mitigating the emotional stress that comes with daily life. Those who want to join a Stress Buster ride can add “Robert Hess” on Zwift and he will send an invitation to the Zwift meetups that a person is interested in. The DVEN Stress Buster Zwift Rides are held on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm, on Fridays from 6:00 am to 6;30 am, and on Saturdays from 7:30 am to 8:00 am.

The #stress buster virtual cycling rides on the Zwift platform being hosted by DVEN have been developed as a way for veterans to continue exercising by riding their bikes despite the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. Aside from getting some healthy exercise, participants also get to talk with other veterans and #StopPTSD advocates. This is essential as a way to prevent suicides in veterans suffering from PTSD.

There are a number of common symptoms of PTSD that veterans need to look out for. These include: recurring flashbacks (memories) of a traumatic or difficult session; suicidal thoughts; being on alert / looking out for danger (hypervigilance); panic attacks; racing thoughts / spiraling; feelings of guilt or shame; feelings of anxiety; feelings of depression; feelings of anger and rage; nightmares; trouble sleeping; insomnia; negative self-image / self-esteem; lack of feeling / being emotionally numb; and dissociation / out-of-body experiences.

Those who are interested in upcoming events sponsored by DVEN, such as the #stress buster virtual cycling rides on the Zwift platform can check on them at https://dven.org/events/category/events/. Those who would like to know more about the services offered by DVEN may want to check out their website, or contact them on the phone or through email.