For many Veterans, the transition from military service to civilian life is often accompanied by difficulties with sleep, especially for those with lingering trauma. Insomnia and nightmares, in particular, plague the sleep of countless Veterans.
Fortunately, the VA offers specialized treatments to help Veterans reclaim their sleep and, in turn, improve their overall well-being. Dr. Kimberly Igirio, a staff psychologist at the Orlando VA Medical Center, is at the forefront of this effort, offering proven therapy methods that are transforming lives.
One such life is that of Army and Navy Veteran Ray Best. Best’s service aboard the USS Iowa in the 1980s was marked by a tragic event that sadly claimed the lives of 47 of his fellow shipmates – a memory that continues to haunt Best decades later.
According to Best, his survivor’s guilt and nightmares stemming from this tragedy, have been a long-standing burden on his mental health.
Best, initially approached therapy with skepticism. “When I first heard about it, I thought, what new-age nonsense is this?” However, after being referred to Dr. Igirio’s care, he realized that VA’s therapy programs were much more than he expected.
“Dr. Igirio didn’t treat me like a number or just another patient. She genuinely cares about the people she sees, and that makes a big difference,” said Best.
Dr. Igirio’s treatment for Veteran Best centers on a method called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares (CBT-N). CBT-N is designed to help Veterans confront and manage their trauma-induced nightmares.
CBT-N also incorporates relaxation techniques and builds on CBT for Insomnia (CBT -I), an older treatment built to help those struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep.
According to Dr. Igirio, CBT-I has a long track record of effectively helping people to improve their quantity and quality of sleep in 5-8 weeks.
“Nightmares are often the brain’s way of coping with the trauma,” explained Dr. Igirio. “Through CBT-N, Veterans like Best face their nightmares head-on using a process called rescripting, which allows the brain to process unresolved thoughts and emotions.”
Best describes the tools he has learned from therapy sessions with Dr. Igirio.
“Writing down what I’m thinking before bed helps clear my mind,” Best shares. “I’ve also learned breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation, which have helped me relax both mentally and physically.”
Before treatment, Best was only getting three to four hours of broken sleep a night, often interrupted by vivid, distressing nightmares. These recurring dreams left him exhausted, irritable, and unable to focus during the day. Since starting therapy, he’s noticed significant improvements.
“I’m getting about six hours of sleep now,” he says. “It’s still broken sleep, but it’s a lot better than it was. I might have one nightmare a night for a few nights in a row, and then go two or three days without one.”
Best’s improved sleep has had a positive ripple effect on his life. “When you’re rested, your day is better. I’m easier to be around now, and I don’t get agitated as easily,” he said.
The therapy has not only addressed his nightmares but has also helped him come to terms with his survivor’s guilt. “I’ve learned to deal with the fact that there’s nothing I could have done to change what happened.”
For Veterans who are hesitant to seek help, Best has a message: “Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. You wouldn’t go into battle alone, and you shouldn’t face these issues alone either.”
Dr. Igirio emphasizes that VA providers are equipped with the training and compassion needed to guide Veterans through their struggles with trauma and sleep disorders like insomnia and recurring nightmares.
For Best, therapy has been life changing and has meant so much that he presented Dr. Igirio with a special challenge coin commemorating the USS Iowa, a token of his deep appreciation for the exceptional care and support he has received.
Dr. Igirio asserts that, “With improved sleep and mental health, Best continues to honor the memory of his shipmates while moving forward in his own life.”
Veterans interested in addressing their sleep are encouraged to speak with their primary care provider about behavioral therapy options.
Pictured in photo: Dr. Kimberly Igirio, Staff Psychologist, Primary Care OVAHCS and Navy Veteran Ray Best. Hansraj Raghunandan is the Public Affairs Specialist for the Orlando VA Health Care System.
