There are about 18 million veterans in the United States. It’s estimated that about 20 percent of them may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, significantly more than the general population (at about four percent). These conditions, if left untreated, can have long-lasting negative effects on work, relationships, and overall quality of life.
For veterans, mental health issues can develop for a variety of reasons. Spending long stretches of time away from friends and family can be a challenge. In addition, soldiers face the stressors of combat, witnessing and participating in traumatic events, and making emotionally difficult decisions in the field. The most common mental health diagnoses are:
- PTSD, in which a person may experience flashbacks, nightmares, or severe anxiety. The onset of PTSD can be immediate or can occur years after a given event.
- Depression, a mood disorder resulting in persistent feelings of sadness. It can present as loss of interest or pleasure in activities, tiredness, or even feelings of guilt.
- Anxiety, which is excessive worry about everyday situations. It can manifest itself as feeling nervous, experiencing an increased sense of danger, having trouble sleeping, avoiding things that may trigger anxiety, and, sometimes, panic attacks.
For some, serving in the military can cause moral injury because their actions conflict with their personal core values, especially in combat. Values such as justice, fairness, and loyalty can be challenged on the field, causing feelings of guilt and shame and leading to mental health difficulties when returning to civilian life.
For many veterans, mental illness carries a stigma that can keep them from seeking support. They might fear that treatment might not work, that they might be perceived as weak, or even that the treatment process might be too challenging.
Understanding how their mental health needs may differ from those of the general population is important to ensuring that veterans receive treatment and support.
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