The Importance Of Ongoing Healthy Civilian Life Transition

There are an alarming number of veterans who suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. The suicide rate on returning veterans is on the rise. In California, service members were killing themselves and family members at an alarming rate. After an investigation, it was apparent that they do not have enough properly trained individuals to over see

Mr. Font scenario was not different than other vets who had served, and this had discouraged him. Although he was financially able to provide for himself, he was estranged from his family and friends. With his limited support system, Mr. Font found himself in a state of depression and began to use drugs and alcohol. Substance abusing led him to losing his income and home, and he was faced with homelessness again. Mr. Font was aware of his substance abuse and sought out drug rehabilitation centers, but failed at keeping his sobriety for more than six months. According to a study conducted by (Wenzel, 1995), veterans that have served in combat often their mental status has been compromised. Combat vets may suffer from depression, anxiety, hallucinations, trouble with concentration, violent behaviors, and have serious thoughts of suicide. There psychiatric status can be minimized with the use of prescribed medication, but this maybe met with apprehension because of their substance abuse. Staying compliant with their medication regimen is imperative for veterans, nonetheless veterans often rely on substances to

Many veterans are unable to leave behind the trauma of Vietnam and psychologically return home. They struggle with a variety of extremely severe problems that neither they nor their families, friends, or communities knew how to understand

There are several barriers to rural veterans receiving quality of care. These include the rural and military stigma against mental health services, the insufficient timeliness of receiving care, the lack of skilled professionals in positions to serve veterans, and the tangible challenge of access to care. These barriers cause many veterans to not receive services at all. At best, it causes major hindrances for rural veterans resulting in sporadic treatment, low quality of care (Buzza, et al., 2011) and financial concerns (Gayle & Heady, 2011).

Combat veterans are among the highest at risk for issues in transitioning form military life to civilian. Many potentially suffer from both physical and/or mental traumas. Many veterans and even active duty services members have allowed the unofficial culture of if you need mental or medical help you are weak. Many military families are also afraid of utilizing family support mechanisms out of fear of

Medical and mental health professionals may be the first line of defense in identifying Veterans

America has failed in providing quality physical and mental health care for veterans who do not have the money or the insurance to pay for it themselves. This paper will attempt to uncover approximately how many veterans actually fall through the cracks by asking simple questions; how many are homeless, how many report having PTSD, how many have a substance abuse disorder, how many end up in divorce because of domestic violence?

Most veterans are seeking care from the VA more than before. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2.1 million veterans received mental health treatment from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the five year period from 2006 through 2010 (Foundation, N. V. 2016). PTSD is the most prevalent mental health diagnoses for Afghanistan and Iraq veterans; therefore, it is important that these veterans have/are offered the best treatments to help them with their PTSD. Because 1 in 5 veterans are homeless in the United States, it is evident that these veterans are either not seeking treatment or the treatment that is currently being offered is not working. It is safe to assume that the lack of treatment options available is problematic in America. Only a quarter of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans search for treatment options in the U.S (Stecker, Fortney, and Sherbourne, 2007). When a veteran goes into treatment, they do not stay for very long because their are many barriers that affect their mental illness (Drapalski et al., 2008). Drapalski(2008) assessed barriers to medical and mental health care among Veterans with serious mental illness and found similar results. In 2006-2007 a study was done for 490 men and women veteran with PTSD in regards to

I retain an increased value and compassion toward the military community since this experience. Our society praises and dedicates media to the individuals fighting for our freedom, yet fails to discuss the harsh reality that many veterans face when returning home from war – homelessness, mental illness, relationship failures, and inability to acquire a job. In an essence, our society takes military veterans for granted. We can support and cheer them on while they fight for our freedom, yet we neglect their freedom when they return to the United States. It stands truly heartbreaking how many veterans survive the war, yet find themselves struggling to live in their own nation. At the VA, I noticed that many Veterans, while appearing tough and strong, do not mind discussing their mental health and the components of life they struggle with. I noticed that while the veterans will state where they served and their purpose in the war, they tend to shift the topic away from their service. I am not sure whether this behavior relates to their humble personalities, an inability to discuss military information, or emotional pain. No matter the reason, the “brotherhood” of military veterans remains evident. Veterans connect on a level society will never understand. They are a family that does not discriminate one another based on race, mental health, age, or gender. After

There is concern about military service members receiving stigma about getting or needing treatment in the area of mental health. Stigma occurs when individuals view others negatively because they have been labeled or identified as having a deviant behavior against societal norms; deviant behaviors such as mental illnesses or diagnoses uncommon or harmful to others. How does that impact the military? Military men and women alike are termed heroes, warriors, and survivors; this is quite the reputation to keep up. Military members go to war or deploy to hostile combat environments, which many come back with severe mental illnesses and diagnosis that need immediate care. At this point they may not feel like a hero. The terms psychological, mentally ill, PTSD, and behavioral health has gained a reputation as having or being a problem. Being labeled a problem is not what service members want. Many studies are trying to pinpoint the problem and resolve the stereotypes associated with getting treatment. Consequently, an individual’s attitude toward mental health treatment is thought to be affected by other people’s views on mental health care (Held & Owens, 2012).

The mental health challenges faced by the service members and their families today are not new. (Nash et al., 2011) highlighted the alarming 10% to 18% increase of Post Stress Traumatic Disorder (PTSD) diagnoses from both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Anxiety and depression were also observed among war-zone deployments and family members left behind (Lester et al., 2010) while suicide rates rose from 0.8% in 2005 to 2.2% in 2008 across all services, according to Department of Defense’s annual anonymous health survey

It is a necessity for our veterans who have honorably served our country to have increased access to mental health services. Closely monitoring the availability of future appointment slots is essential to be able to respond to increased demands for service. An integrated portal across VA and Non-VA facilities should be available for providers that would expedite immediate access to care, and receive quality treatment. The portal must include the number of available new appointments per week, and be open to upgrades for clinical staff to include information about the patient’s medical history and medical visits for the year. If there are any new resources available by the provider, the patient shall be informed within 15 days, and decide if

Many challenges still remain as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek available access to mental health care. These challenges include the resistance and stigma to seek care, lack of

Millions of combat veterans are returning from various campaigns including Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and America’s latest campaigns in Afghanistan and will need support to transition from military combat life to family life and a civilian existence. A variety of support personnel and services are needed to help veterans transition successfully. Veterans suffer from physical and mental health problems which make it challenging to find new employment to support their family. In addition, over his or her years of service, the veteran has identified as a soldier with all of the status and hierarchical command structure that is part of the military. Physical rehabilitation, mental health intervention, and employment support are ways to address the needs of military veterans transitioning into civilian life.

War can cause great destruction to those involved directly, indirectly, and even many decades later. The history my grandfather faced not only impacted his future, but mine as well. I may never get to know what my grandfather experienced. The sad truth strikes me that he will not be around for much longer to tell his tale. These veterans suffer from many mental disorders that affect their everyday lives. Some are noticeable to others, while others are silent. These