Positive Spin

rder (“PTSD”) and struggle with traditional PTSD related treatments have access to a specialized care option to better their mental and physical health. Positive Spin’s mission will be accomplished by providing Veterans access to a cycling program intended to augment their current therapy sessions. Each Veteran will be provided with the necessary equipment to participate in the program regardless of their current economic status with the option of keeping their equipment. Department of Veteran Affairs statistics show that 11-20% of Veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year. Department of Veteran Affairs report, in 2019, 17.2 Veterans committed suicide each day. Of these, 10.4 Veterans had no Veteran Health Administration encounters in 2018 or 2019. Unfortunately, within the military community, there is a pervasive negative stigma attached to receiving treatment for PTSD. Military personnel see each other as weak if they seek help for their mental health problems and that is an extremely difficult mentality to overcome. Additionally, for many Veterans, traditional PTSD therapies are not as effective as those same treatments are for civilians. Positive Spin hopes to use cycling as a stigma-free therapy for Veterans to become both mentally and physically fit, by supplementing traditional treatment with group aerobic therapy. Since traditional PTSD treatments (psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy) are not as effective in the Veteran population, a large amount of research has been conducted to find alternative therapies to help Veterans on their path to stable mental and physical health. Exercise psychologists and therapy specialists have found that augmenting traditional PTSD therapies with regimented aerobic exercise program has reduced PTSD symptoms and comorbidities. Positive Spin will host Veteran outreach programs to help Veterans overcome the negative stigma of PTSD treatment through education and socialization with Veterans that have had to overcome PTSD themselves. Positive Spin will also aim to host outreach programs with the general public to reduce community misconceptions of Veterans with PTSD. Positive Spin has a vision to provide Veterans with an accepting environment and alternative PTSD treatment that allows them to become better invested in their personal well-being, provides a positive outlet for the Veteran community, and creates a lasting impact on the Omaha Metro community.