North Carolina is moving forward with a new way to help veterans who suffer from PTSD. N.C. formally recognized hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a viable treatment for PTSD in November with the passage of Senate Bill 442, which appropriated $150,000 from the state budget to help connect veterans with the therapy.
The move came after years of lobbying from advocates who say it’s a powerful way to reduce the effects of the traumatic brain injuries soldiers face in combat.
“You expose the body to pure oxygen, cells begin a natural regeneration process,” said State Senator Don Davis. “There’s this kind of natural healing that begins to occur.”
Congress could soon follow suit — N.C. Representative Greg Murphy has put forth a bill that would look to make the treatment available to veterans across the country.
“Although these brave service members survived the terror of battle, all too often they don’t survive the torment of their own thoughts at home and tragically take their own lives,” Murphy said.
Advocates hoped by showing results with this initial run of funding, the state could one day make hyperbaric treatment available to any N.C. veteran in need.
“With the success of this, we want to continue to expand it out and help more and more veterans,” Davis said.
Article cited from WRAL