On Veterans Day, we took time to honor the contributions of those who have served. Throughout our nation’s history, millions of Americans have answered the call to uniformed service and often continue to lead their communities when out of uniform. Each year, approximately 200,000 men and women transition from active duty and return to civilian life.
This adjustment requires veterans and their families to reorient their lives in many areas, including employment, finances, housing, social support, and health. Life transitions are inherently stressful for all of us. They produce changes in relationships and support networks and challenge our identities and perceptions of ourselves. Transitions for veterans can be particularly stressful because of the transition from the unique collective culture of military service to a more individualized role in how we live, work, and interact with others. Studies show that 44 percent to 72 percent experience high levels of stress during the transition from military to civilian life.
The data also suggests that about half of those who have recently left military service may not be immediately connected to available resources, benefits and services. Without support, more complex behavioral concerns can arise. In 2020, approximately 5.2 million Veterans experienced a behavioral condition. More telling is the number of veterans who did not participate in treatment. more than half of veterans with mental illness did not receive treatment in the past year. Additionally, more than 90 percent of those who developed a substance use disorder did not receive treatment. These data highlight that our friends, family and community members can suffer in silence and that there are barriers to care, including stigma.
Behavioral health is essential to overall health, and we all have a role to play in ensuring that service members, veterans, and their families are prepared for their next steps in life as they transition.
Increase your military cultural skills
Explore resources available through the SAMHSA Service Members, Veterans and Families Technical Assistance Center.
See PsychArmor’s course titled 15 Things Veterans Want You to Know. Healthcare professionals can explore additional military culture resources through Center for Developmental Psychology.
Check out the resources at Military and Veteran Families developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Familiarize yourself with the warning signs of the behavior
Everyone adapts differently to stressful situations. If you or a loved one is experiencing the following signs, there may be a need for increased behavioral health support services.
- Appears sad or depressed most of the time.
- Feeling like there is no reason to live.
- Feelings of inexplicable guilt, shame, or a sense of failure.
- Experiencing rage or anger.
- Engaging in dangerous activities without considering the risks.
- Increasingly smoking, drinking or using drugs, including prescription drugs.
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities and hobbies.
- Neglecting personal well-being, work or school.
- Withdrawal from family and friends.
Learn how to sign in to services
Dial 988, then press 1. Through SAMHSA’s partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the nation’s first three-digit mental health crisis number can easily connect veterans, service members and those who support them with the VA Veterans Crisis Line.
Find treatment through SAMHSA’s treatment locators and helplines. SAMHSA has developed one video tutorial (1 minute, 58 seconds) to help people use the treatment locator to find facilities for Veterans.
Connection with in transition. This program offers free, confidential guidance and support for service members and veterans transitioning between mental health systems.
In summary, veterans, service members and their families have answered the call to serve and have earned our appreciation. Throughout their service, they often navigate deployments, trauma-related stressors, multiple geographic moves, and other factors that can make it difficult to prioritize mental wellness. It is important for them to know that they are not alone as they face the unique journey of transitioning from the pride of uniformed service to continued meaningful contributions in civilian life.
bibliographical references
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key indicators of substance use and mental health in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
United States Department of Labor. (2022). Transition Assistance Program.
Meaghan C. Mobbs, George A. Bonanno. Beyond War and PTSD: The Critical Role of Transitional Stress in the Lives of Military Veterans, Review of Clinical Psychology, Volume 59, 2018, Pages 137-144
