Veteran Mental Health

By Nicole Houck

In honor of Memorial Day, we’re going to learn a bit more about veteran mental health. You may have heard some things about veterans and things like PTSD and depression, and you might also have other preconceived notions. Let’s gain some clarity and deeper understanding about the ways in which serving in the military impacts mental health.

Statistics

According to Mission Roll Call, the most common mental health disorders among military personnel and veterans include:

• Anxiety

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Prevalence rates among military members or veterans are up to 15 times higher than the PTSD rate among civilians.

  • 15% of veterans from deployments in the Middle East experience PTSD every year.

• Depression

  • Veterans are 5 times more likely to experience depression.

• Substance abuse

  • 10% of those in treatment by the VA have a substance problem.

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

  • Over 400,000 among service members over the past 25 years.

In 2022, 38% of veterans had a reported mental health diagnosis on their health file. However, this number is likely much higher, as it does not count for instances that are unreported and undiagnosed.

All of these issues culminate in very tragic ways. According to the latest numbers, 17 veterans commit suicide every day in the US.

Prevention

The American Psychological Association published an article on building mental strength for soldiers. If you want to read it directly, you can find it here. If not, I’m going to break down some of the key points so we can better understand how 

• Harnessing Neuroscience and Cognition

  • Research has shown that small doses of mindfulness practices a few days a week improves attention, memory, and mood for people in the military.

    • All important things for a high-stress role!

• Changing the Terminology

  • Words carry meaning, and there are often stigmas associated with words we use when we discuss mental health.

  • Making swaps in terminology can allow service members to be more receptive to training and psychoeducation.

    • Ex: “mental health” → “attentional fitness” or “mental strength”.

• Mindfulness Education

  • Some people starting their service-journey at West Point are being taught mindfulness techniques.

    • Dr. Erbe has seen positive impacts in cadets’ willingness to engage, mental resilience, character, and academic performance.

  • Having psychological professionals present in military training environments can expand this positive impact.

• Training for Families

  • Can keep individuals motivated and accountable to practice these techniques.

  • Helps the families cope with the difficulties of having a family member in the service.

If you or someone you know is struggling and in need of help, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. To access it, dial 988 and press 1. Or, text 838255. If you’re curious about therapy, visit our website.