8 Powerful Ways to Support Veterans' Mental Health
Veterans commonly face mental health challenges that interrupt their daily routines, relationships, careers, and financial well-being. Not only is it crucial to recognize this reality, but also to take meaningful action at individual and community levels. Numerous opportunities exist to both express awareness of veterans' mental health struggles and actively contribute to long-term solutions. In this guide, we will outline eight powerful ways to support veterans’ mental health.
What Is Mental Health?
Mental health is an integral and inseparable component of overall human health, encompassing the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of individuals. Mental health influences how people think, feel, and behave, impacting the ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make decisions. Although it can be helpful to explain mental health symptoms as their own experiences, mental health is not a distinct entity but rather intricately woven into the fabric of one’s wellness.
Mental Health Trends Among Veterans
Mental health trends among veterans indicate persistent challenges, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remaining a significant concern. Many veterans grapple with the impact of traumatic experiences, leading to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and, in some cases, elevated suicide rates.
Other prevalent mental health patterns among veterans include:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), often resulting from combat or exposure to explosions
Substance abuse, stemming from coping with emotions through alcohol or drugs
Military sexual trauma (MST), which is particularly prevalent among women in the armed forces.
Why We Invest in the Mental Health of Veterans
Supporting veterans' mental health reflects our commitment to empathy, gratitude, and social responsibility. Veterans are integral members of communities across the U.S. To support them is to support the well-being of humanity. As we address veterans' mental health and recognize the personal sacrifices they have made, we reduce the risk of harmful consequences like homelessness and substance abuse, leading to a mentally healthier and more resilient nation.
Fostering a culture that prioritizes mental health awareness creates an environment where all individuals, not only veterans, feel valued. This relationship-centered culture – as opposed to an individualistic culture – breaks down stigmas associated with mental health issues in society at large.
Help Veterans Obtain Mental Health Support
Are you ready to join us in making a meaningful impact on the lives of veterans dealing with mental health challenges? Your donation will help build our organizational infrastructure and fund crucial health treatments at low costs (or no costs at all). With your support, we can enhance our ability to provide essential care for those who have selflessly served our nation.
Your contribution, regardless of size, brings us one step closer to creating a community where veterans receive the support they need. Click the link below to donate today. Your generous contribution is greatly appreciated!
8 Powerful Ways to Support Veterans' Mental Health
Start Meaningful Conversations With Non-Military Friends
In addressing the critical issue of veterans' mental health, first, it is essential to acknowledge and confront the pervasive stigma that often shrouds this topic within the veteran community. By shedding light on the challenges and misconceptions surrounding mental health, we pave the way for open conversations that foster understanding and empathy. Through such informed and compassionate dialogues, we set in motion a positive ripple effect, inspiring more individuals to approach these issues with knowledge, sensitivity, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of our veterans.
Foster a Veteran-Friendly Workplace
A key aspect of advocating for mental health is establishing workplaces that support veteran employees. This advocacy could include the provision of flexible schedules that accommodate medical appointments and therapy sessions, recognizing the importance of providing the necessary time for healthcare.
Collaborate With Veteran-Focused Organizations
By donating time to an organization that is taking the lead on mental health initiatives for veterans, you can play a direct role in enhancing the resources and support systems available to those who have served our nation. A growing organization run by a small team will especially benefit from your professional experience and interpersonal skills.
Raise Funds for Veteran Mental Health Programs
Perhaps you are not in a position to give generous amounts of time to mental health causes for veterans. Instead, you have the opportunity to financially support organizations that champion this crucial cause. Participate in fundraising events or campaigns to support newly launched programs, as financial contributions play a tangible role in advancing mental health initiatives in the startup phase.
Offer Pro Bono Health Services
Health and wellness professionals have unique opportunities to cover treatment costs that would normally be overlooked by veterans, due to restrained budgets. By giving this kind of support at no cost, veterans can accelerate their recovery processes and build the skills necessary to live healthier lives than before.
Advocate for Policy Changes
In the political sphere, shedding light on the way existing policies impact veterans' mental health is a good first step toward lasting change. After this awareness develops, it’s important to encourage fellow community members to become advocates for veterans. By lobbying for improved mental health services within the military and veteran affairs, we can develop a comprehensive response to veterans' unique needs.
Promote Physical Health and Wellness
Empowering veterans to recognize the profound link between physical and mental well-being is a crucial starting point in supporting their mental health journeys. It is also essential to highlight programs that seamlessly integrate physical exercise and somatic work with mental health support, providing a comprehensive, whole-person approach. The focus here is not on forcing or convincing someone to make changes they are not ready for. Instead, it’s about helping veterans acknowledge their curiosities and opportunities for personal fulfillment.
Express Gratitude and Understanding
In acknowledging the often-overlooked sacrifices of veterans, we can lighten the mental load of having completed a thankless – and often traumatizing – job. As we vocalize our gratitude for their service, we can also support them through tangible actions, such as organizing events that honor veterans. We can further honor veterans’ experiences by avoiding any attempts to replace their stories with our own. Additionally, rather than blaming them for their suffering, we can recognize when they are calling out for help. Communicate that you may not understand what they have experienced, but you want to be a part of their support system.
What We Covered
As veterans continue to struggle with mental health conditions that result from life in the military, non-veterans have an opportunity to provide them with social, emotional, physical, and financial support. These eight opportunities are particularly impactful on the mental health of veterans:
Start meaningful conversations with non-military friends
Foster a veteran-friendly workplace
Collaborate with veteran-focused organizations
Raise funds for veteran mental health programs
Offer pro bono health services
Advocate for policy changes
Promote physical health and wellness
Express gratitude and understanding
As these behaviors are practiced, our society can further normalize mental health conversations and establish health equity among servicemen and servicewomen, our nation’s selfless heroes.
Thank You for Giving!
Are you ready to take a stand against health inequity among veterans who have selflessly served our country? As we coordinate free and affordable health treatments for veterans and active duty members, we invite you to support us financially. With each monetary donation we receive, we become better equipped to vet holistic healers and wellness professionals who provide services that address the root causes of military professionals’ suffering. Within 2023 and early 2024, our growing fund will specifically be applied to building our San Diego network of healers, as well as our mobile app used for health treatment scheduling. Please see your donation options here.
Healing Can’t Wait is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Aspen Bentley, who has endured the loss of dear military soul family members, as well as her own health battles while deployed in Bahrain. Read Aspen’s story here.
