Session Description
The Relationship Between Participation in Recreational Therapy Physical Activity and Symptoms of Mental Health Issues in Veterans Introduction The growing prevalence of mental health issues in veterans has triggered a wide-spread effort to identify and provide complementary intervention strategies to increase help-seeking behavior in this population. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) have become two of the most common mental health issues as a result of the demanding environment of military life (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs [USDVA], 2017). Individuals with PTSD and SUDs are often at a higher risk for elevated levels of anxiety and depression than other clinical populations (Olenick, Flowers, & Diaz, 2015). Many traditional treatment options for these types of conditions rely on more intense psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies (USDVA, 2017). With a lack in help-seeking behaviors seen in this population, there has been a major push for healthcare providers that care for veterans to provide complementary integrative health intervention strategies (CIH) to increase the number of veterans receiving treatment (USDVA, 2017; Walker & Pacik, 2017). CIH intervention opportunities can come in the form of mind-body practices, such as relaxation therapy, yoga, mindfulness, and meditation, physical activity interventions, such as traditional movement and exercises, or outdoor adventure and sport opportunities, such as kayaking, cycling, snow-sports, and swimming. All these activities can be encompassed in the realm of recreational therapy (RT) interventions. RT plays an important role in the support and rehabilitation of the veteran population, focusing on helping to improve their functional capacity and promote overall health and wellbeing (Hawkins, Townsend, & Garst, 2016).
Learning Outcomes
Identify three types of complementary and integrative health interventions for veterans
Demonstrate understanding of three strategies to support the well-being and quality of life in veterans
Identify three benefits of RT physical activities on veterans with mental health issues
