God's Forgiveness Seen as Possible Key to Healing Vets with PTSD

Spiritual therapy is now being considered as treatment for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Doctors in Georgia are researching to see whether religious therapy can help America's wounded warriors. 

The Augusta Chronicle reports that veterans with PTSD are often treated with medication and psychotherapy. 

But Dr. Nagy Youssef, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Augusta University, says those treatments do not address the moral pain or guilt a combat veteran may face after killing others. 

Youssef was part of a group that put together manuals for major religions that might be incorporated into therapy.

"For a Christian, for instance, it would be including verses from the Bible about forgiveness and that will help to relieve inner tension," he said.

"Some patients have feelings that God will never forgive me, that I am going to Hell no matter what I do," Youssef said. 

"That cannot be addressed by therapy or medication. That means bringing them evidence, from the Bible or the Torah, whatever their religion is, that there is forgiveness. There is always a second chance," he said.

Youssef is hoping to get about 125 veterans to take the survey by March and has already recruited about 40 or so.

The research is also being done in conjunction with the Durham, North Carolina VA and Duke University.

Read more here: The Wichita Eagle