The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn Law

Hormone Imbalances following Traumatic Brain Injury

Hormone Imbalances following Traumatic Brain Injury by Geoffrey P. Dardia. It has been known for over 80 years that following a head injury there is dysfunction in the Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal (HPA) axis. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 80-85% of traumatic brain injury (TBI) sufferers are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI). … [Read more...]

Legal Cannabis: America at the Tipping Point

Legal Cannabis: America at the Tipping Point by Wade Garrett If I were an American politician’s consigliere before this mid-term election, I’d say one thing: get on board with legal cannabis. It’s happening, and whatever moral issues you may have with it are quickly becoming eclipsed and made irrelevant by the amount of money legal cannabis brings in. There are a lot of … [Read more...]

How to Nurture Your Running Practice: Tips For Passionate Runners

How to Nurture Your Running Practice: Tips For Passionate Runners by Amanda Jan Any form of physical activity can be demanding. However, running is an activity that requires full-body engagement, and therefore, you need to keep up with some routine procedures even when you are not actively running. In this case, you could enjoy some health benefits of walking and keep up with … [Read more...]

5 Tips for Navigating a Medical Malpractice Case

5 Tips for Navigating a Medical Malpractice Case by Scott Faith Medical malpractice is something with which far too many veterans are familiar. Because of the Feres Doctrine it's sometimes hard to get justice inside the military medical system. If you believe you have been a victim of medical malpractice, it’s important that you understand how to make a claim to ensure you … [Read more...]

Not All Heroes Wear Capes, but Some Do

Not All Heroes Wear Capes, but Some Do by Kate Nelson There are a lot of reasons people choose to join the military. They range from patriotism, following in a parent’s footsteps, opportunities and training, wanting to blow stuff up, or just wanting something different. But one common thread found among our ranks is the innate call for service. This is the drive to serve … [Read more...]

Why Civilian PTSD, MST, and Warfighter PTSD Are Each Uniquely Different

Why Civilian PTSD, MST, and Warfighter PTSD Are Each Uniquely Different by Chris Buckalew RN, U.S. Army veteran (Author's Note: I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I am a Registered Nurse with numerous years of experience in the mental health field. The thoughts below are my own and have been formulated through my research and investigation into this … [Read more...]

The Work-Life Balance: Tips For Veterans (And The Rest Of Us)

The Work-Life Balance: Tips For Veterans (And The Rest Of Us) by Scott Faith Have you ever experienced a kind of mental and psychological breakdown before? It's not as uncommon as you might think.  At those moments, you feel as though the entire world is against you and then begin to think of ways to declutter your life. It is something that is sadly worse for many married … [Read more...]

The “Signature Injury” of the War on Terror Is Not PTSD. It’s Low-T.

The "Signature Injury" of the War on Terror Is Not PTSD. It's Low-T. by Kevin Lacz This past June, I was invited to speak at a symposium on TBI/PTSD in Warsaw, Poland. As a Physician Assistant in functional medicine, I was invited by the Friends of GROM (editor's note:  GROM is Poland's elite special operations force) to speak on hormone replacement in males with TBI/PTSD. … [Read more...]

Self-Care for Veterans: “You Gotta Nourish, To Flourish”

Self-Care for Veterans: "You Gotta Nourish, To Flourish" by Moriamo Sulaiman-Ifelodun “You gotta nourish, to flourish” What is Self-Care? Self-care is often beautiful, but often times, it can be a very un-beautiful thing. Nowadays, self-care has become a buzzword. It is awesome to go for a walk, or turn off your phone for an hour or so to disconnect from the world. … [Read more...]