Many factors impact veterans’ decisions not to seek care— a main one being stigma. Two examples of stigma are: one, a veterans’ hesitation to seek mental health services due to being perceived as “weak” or “vulnerable;” and, two, the possibility of having negative career or job implications as the result of potentially impairing symptoms.
Full Answer
Why don’t more veterans receive mental health care?
A series of roadblocks often prevent veterans from receiving the mental health care they need. Only about half of all veterans who need mental health care ever receive it, according to RAND research. Why? It’s because of a perfect storm of provider shortcomings, access problems, and personal and social attitudes.
How many veterans die from mental health issues each day?
The potential negative effects of mental health issues, such as homelessness and suicide, affect the more than 107,000 veterans who are homeless on any given night. Current data reports that on average at least 21 veterans die by suicide each day, which makes the response to veteran mental health needs more urgent with each and every day [14].
What are the barriers to care for veterans?
Types of barriers to care: Issues rooted in the provider system can often prevent veterans from receiving the highest-quality care. Dwindling provider capacity can affect providers’ ability to accept new patients or see veterans in a timely manner.
Why aren’t more veterans seeking care in the private sector?
And some providers aren’t as extensively trained as they could be in evidence-based practices, which means fewer veterans are likely to receive the highest-quality care in the private sector. But there are also attitudes ingrained within the military that can prevent veterans from seeking care at all.
What is the most common mental disorder in veterans?
The three most common mental health concerns for veterans are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Learn more about these mental health concerns below. What is PTSD? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a common mental health disorder among veterans.
How many veterans struggle with mental health issues?
First, about 41 percent, or about 1.7 million veterans, in this cohort have a mental health need, as shown Table 6-5.
Why do veterans not seek help for PTSD?
Many veterans don't receive treatment at all, because of the stigma around seeking mental health care. More than 63% of returning veterans say they would not seek the help of mental health professionals as they believe it may affect their military or civilian careers.
Does the military care about mental health?
The Department of Defense acknowledges that untreated mental health conditions pose a greater safety threat than mental health conditions for which you're seeking treatment. Under 2014 rules, talking to a doctor about your concerns, asking if you need a diagnosis, or seeking treatment does not affect your career.
Why do veterans struggle with mental health?
Because Veterans, especially those who served in combat, have generally experienced more stress and trauma in their lives than non-Veterans, the team had expected to see higher rates of depression among Veterans.
Why do veterans feel isolated?
The factors influencing isolation in veterans are complex, and they can change based on individual variables such as age, military-related trauma, and PTSD. However, research has identified three factors that commonly affect feelings of loneliness and isolation for veterans: Losing touch with friends from service.
Why can't veterans get help?
It could be that they are afraid to face the fact that something is wrong for fear of what may happen to them or to their family. One way or another, a veteran who may be behaving differently than pre-deployment, is simply unable or unwilling to admit a problem.
Why do so many veterans have PTSD?
When you serve in the military, you may be exposed to different types of traumas than civilians. The war you served in may also affect your risk because of the types of trauma that were common. War zone deployment, training accidents and military sexual trauma (or, MST) may lead to PTSD.
What percentage of vets have PTSD?
Additionally, a 2020 survey found the 83% of all US veterans as well as active duty service men and women have experienced PTSD since the 9/11 attack, as a result of their military service.
What mental illnesses disqualify military service?
Disturbances of conduct, impulse control disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or other personality or behavior disorders characterized by frequent encounters with law enforcement agencies, and antisocial attitudes or behavior also warrant disqualification from service.
What medical conditions will get you kicked out of the military?
8 surprising medical conditions that could bar you from serviceFood Allergies. If you have a history of food allergies, you might be disqualified from joining the military. ... Celiac Disease. ... Contact dermatitis. ... Asthma. ... Braces or dental ailments. ... Motion sickness. ... Acne. ... Too tall.
Can you get discharged from the military for mental illness?
In the military's scheme of things, serious disorders such as major depression, anxiety or schizophrenia may be grounds for medical discharge or retirement, usually depending on their severity and amenability to treatment.
What are some barriers to receiving mental health treatment?
This article covers some of the most common barriers to mental health treatment for veterans, including: Mental barriers Life responsibilities Find...
What are common mental health issues?
Some of the most common mental health issues in the United States include anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. As we...
What is mental illness?
Did you know that one in five people in the United States have a mental illness? Mental illnesses are conditions that can affect the way you think,...
What are some barriers to receiving mental health treatment?
This article covers some of the most common barriers to mental health treatment for veterans, including: Mental barriers Life responsibilities Find...
What are common mental health issues?
Some of the most common mental health issues in the United States include anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. As we...
What is mental illness?
Did you know that one in five people in the United States have a mental illness? Mental illnesses are conditions that can affect the way you think,...
Why don't veterans seek PTSD care?
It should come as no surprise that based on a recent VA study, Veterans who felt they needed treatment for posttraumatic stress were more likely to seek out, and eventually receive, care. But why some Veterans feel they need care, and what motivates them to seek out help in ...
What are the factors that determine if a veteran seeks treatment for PTSD?
According to Spoont, who is also a professor at the University of Minnesota, there are many factors that play a role in whether a Veteran seeks treatment for PTSD, including age, distance from a clinic, and the severity of the illness.
What are the consequences of PTSD?
For those left undiagnosed and ultimately untreated, PTSD can have life-altering consequences, including hospitalization, unemployment, and poverty. "About 30 percent of Veterans with untreated PTSD take a more chronic course," says Dr. Michele Spoont, a clinical and research psychologist at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.
What percentage of veterans have PTSD?
Estimates of PTSD rates from VA's National Center for PTSD range from 11 to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, to up to 30 percent of Vietnam Veterans. Yet nationwide only about 8 percent of the five million Veterans using VA care have been diagnosed with the disorder.
What is the National Center for PTSD?
Organizations like the National Center for PTSD are working on educating Veterans and the general population about PTSD to help inform their decisions. "We're finding out that patients know something is wrong, but they don't know what it is," says Spoont. "They may see their peers struggling as well and not realize there is a problem."
Do veterans have strong social support?
Not surprisingly, Veterans in the study who realized they had a problem and were positive about treatment also tended to have strong social support from family, friends, or other Veterans. "Getting family members involved in care can lead to better outcomes," says Spoont.
A Special Mental Health Resource for Once A Soldier
Mental health continues to be one of the biggest issues facing veterans today. Statistics have shown that a full third of U.S. veterans return from active duty reporting problems with mental health. And the suicide statics for veterans are sobering: 17 U.S.
Reasons Veterans Resist Help with Mental Health
There’s another grim statistic, too: despite this, less than 50% of veterans receive mental health support of any kind.
Where Veterans Can Turn for Help
Fortunately, while there are ongoing issues with mental health services for veterans getting enough staff and funding, there are still options available for those seeking assistance, including:
How does depression affect veterans?
Depression can interfere with veterans’ ability to work, sleep, eat, interact with others, and enjoy everyday activities. Depression can have long-term effects that make it hard to function in civilian life.
What are the symptoms of mental illness in veterans?
They may also use drugs, drink too much, or have trouble sleeping. For many veterans, these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are reactions to difficult experiences that fade as they adjust to civilian life. But for some, they could be signs of serious mental health problems, dubbed “invisible wounds” in a landmark RAND study.
What is PTSD in veterans?
Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a condition that develops in many veterans after experiencing disturbing events. People with PTSD relive traumatic experiences in their minds. This can be triggered by seeing a traffic accident, watching a news report, or even hearing loud noises.
Why do veterans have waves of emotions?
Veterans returning from combat often experience waves of emotions in response to surviving traumatic events, such as being attacked or seeing others wounded or killed. Some veterans have trouble concentrating, relive traumatic events, or have thoughts of death or suicide.
Should veterans be informed consumers?
Veterans should be informed consumers when choosing mental health providers and working with their care providers to ensure that they are getting the best care. Therefore, they need access to resources that help them understand what effective care entails and where to find it.
Do veterans have invisible wounds?
But for some, they could be signs of serious mental health problems, dub bed “invisible wounds” in a landmark RAND study. RAND research shows that veterans who have been deployed are more likely than civilians to experience mental health conditions or cognitive injuries.
Can substance use disorder be long term?
It’s common for people with mental health issues to deal with their problems by turning to drugs or alcohol. This may provide temporary relief, but it can have long-term health consequences. It can be difficult to know when drug or alcohol use has developed into substance use disorder.
Why do veterans not seek mental health care?
Two examples of stigma are: one, a veterans’ hesitation to seek mental health services due to being perceived as “weak” or “vulnerable;” and, two, the possibility of having negative career or job implications as the result of potentially impairing symptoms .
Why are veterans getting more compensation?
A major reason for the spike in veterans receiving compensation is the continued 14-year wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. When service members are sent to war and later return home, there are often significant consequences to service—economics being one of them.
How much did the VA pay in 2000?
According to the VA Disability Rating System, in the year 2000, the average compensation provided to veterans through the disability rating system was about $20 billion for 2.3 million veterans. In 2013, that number rose to 3.5 million veterans receiving $54 billion in compensation.
Can veterans move past trauma?
Source: Department of Veteran Services. Some veterans are able to move past trauma with minimal dysfunction in their lives; however, for others, the traumatic event creates havoc and chaos. Trauma symptoms can become so problematic that they result in family discord, divorce, social dysfunction, significant substance use, employment difficulty, ...
Can a veteran exceed VA compensation?
However, if the veteran could eliminate the disabling experience that initiated their impairing symptoms, it is possible that they could exceed the amount of their VA compensation by functioning optimally in the civilian sector.
Is the VA a good mental health system?
The VA provides great and well-needed services, and they save lives every day. Unfortunately, some veterans walk away from the VA dissatisfied and displeased. There is no perfect mental health and medical system, and the disability rating scale is not perfect either.
Do deployment decisions have lifelong consequences?
Frequently, decisions made during deployment have lifelong consequences. Many veterans have expressed a desire to be the person they were before they experienced trauma, and they often try to suppress or avoid memories of the trauma they have lived through .
Why do veterans need mental health care?
Why? It’s because of a perfect storm of provider shortcomings, access problems, and personal and social attitudes. For instance, shortages in the mental health workforce can make it difficult for veterans to schedule a timely appointment.
How does dwindling provider capacity affect providers?
Dwindling provider capacity can affect providers’ ability to accept new patients or see veterans in a timely manner. And inadequate provider training, coupled with insufficient quality monitoring and reporting, can mean the quality of care available to veterans can suffer.
Can a veteran hold an appointment?
Some veterans struggle with the logistical aspects of making it to care appointments. Scheduling an appointment that works with their schedule can hold them back, as can coordinating transportation to and from the provider. If they do have a ride, long drive times can deter veterans from following through with appointments. And a lack of information about things like provider eligibility and first-line treatments can stop them from receiving the best possible care.
Does the DoD have a psychological health program?
The DoD has added many programs addressing psychological health and focusing on both clinical and nonclinical concerns. But, ultimately, ensuring more veterans receive the care they need will require complex and multifaceted solutions.
Why do veterans have mental health issues?
As a result, when they re-enter society as veterans these mental health conditions may have intensified due to combat stress and PTSD. Other conditions such as combat injuries, depression, unemployment, financial stress, alcoholism, and the inevitable family discord contribute to the higher rates of mental illness.
What are the most common mental health disorders in the Army?
They found in their landmark study that the most common disorders for Army participants was ADHD and intermittent explosive disorders, both are mental health predictors for suicide and accidental death based upon the results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service members (Army STARRS).
Why are veterans separated from the military?
They are often separated from the military service with questionable employment prospects. A number of veterans experience depression, loss of purpose present, in some cases, an overwhelming family crisis. Their mental health difficulties profoundly touch the lives of the U.S. general public.
Why do people enlist in the military?
Many recent reports have identified that individuals enlist for many reasons, often due to patriotism, educational benefits, a family tradition of military service and financial inducements. [1].This may help explain why young adults enlist in the armed forces.
Is mental health coverage a hurdle?
Mental health coverage is still a great hurdle for millions of Americans at a time when various approaches to health care reforms are being considered. Many of the reforms being considered would increase out-of-pocket cost and lower benefits for many veterans.
Why do people not seek treatment for mental illness?
While there are multiple reasons why, one is the fact that people avoid or forego mental health treatment, due to judgment, doubt, pride, fear, misinformation.
Why do people avoid therapy?
Another primary reason people avoid therapy is the fear they harbor : “Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear that they may outgrow their friends, family, and loved ones,” as explained by Therapist Sarah Thacker. “People also seem to be very afraid of feeling their feelings and of being judged. Vulnerability is hard, and therapy by nature requires being open, honest, and vulnerable, which does not come naturally for so many. Once people find therapy to be an accepting, safe place where they can open up at their own pace, they find it to be the best thing that they have ever experienced. They feel as though the growth, comfort, and ease that therapy can create opens them up to truly being their best self.”
Why do people forego mental health treatment?
And, finally, people forego mental health treatment because they’re misinformed about what it involves and how they’ll be perceived by their therapist. “Having been a therapist for several years, I have come across many individuals who are hesitant to engage in treatment. More often than not, people are misinformed about what therapy actually is,” Robyn Gold, licensed clinical social worker, explains. “Many individuals have developed the belief that if they attend therapy, it means they’re crazy, which is simply just not true. I think this perspective is likely a result of how the media portrays mental health professionals.”
Is vulnerability a part of therapy?
Vulnerability is hard, and therapy by nature requires being open, honest, and vulnerable, which does not come naturally for so many. Once people find therapy to be an accepting, safe place where they can open up at their own pace, they find it to be the best thing that they have ever experienced.
