Deep-sea healing

With their sun-drenched beaches and dazzling blue seas, the islands of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are a tonic for the mind and body.

And it’s with this in mind that Kevin James made the decision to marry his technical expertise with what the Bahamas naturally offers – magnificent diving – to provide therapy to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A founding member of Yuma Lodge on Long Island within the District Grand Lodge of Bahamas & Turks, Kevin is a British Army veteran who served as a military policeman and then as a physical training instructor specialising in scuba diving. Along with other trustees, he runs a registered charity called PTSD –Progress Through Scuba Diving.

‘It all began in 2011 when I read an article about how diving improved feelings in paralysed individuals by up to 15 per cent,’ said Kevin. ‘Hidden deep within the study from the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, doctors suggested they had discovered accidental improvements in PTSD symptoms of between 85 and 100 per cent.’

When someone witnesses a traumatic incident, the body releases cortisol to deal with a stressful situation. In some cases, it is thought to coat the feel-good receptors in the brain causing crippling symptoms. Kevin has been reliably informed that serotonin (the body’s feel-good chemical) and nitrogen breathed at depth, could be scrubbing clean these receptors or simply removing the cortisol from the brain, reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia. The voluntary therapy is paid for through generous donations.

‘Most recently, I’ve helped Staffordshire Freemason Matt Trigg, who was suffering from PTSD,’ said Kevin. ‘I was trying to work out how I was going to raise more than £3,000 for his flights and accommodation. I know from helping previous veterans (so far half of them have been Freemasons) that it can be done. It will be no surprise that the response from Freemasons was generous. One offered his air miles to cover Matt’s flights. The British Sub Aqua Lodge No. 8997 kindly donated for the internal Bahamas flights.

‘The District Grand Lodge of the Bahamas & Turks put out a message and the generous response took care of the accommodation on Long Island.’

In addition, a friend of Kevin’s who is the South Africa Assistant District

Grand Master, paid for an overnight hotel in Nassau.

‘Matt’s PTSD symptoms manifested themselves in a lack of confidence due to his injuries and a sort of brain fog, which kept him from going out and enjoying life. After a few days, he was sleeping better, cracking jokes and more animated than on arrival. We completed about 15 dives, most of them were between 100 and 160 feet.

‘Happily, Matt went home PTSDsymptom-free. He landed a civil service job and is also securing a place in the Invictus Games for wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. All of these are the achievements of a pretty confident, symptom-free individual.’

For more details: www.ptsdscuba.co.uk