Monday, April 24, 2017

How To Help Veterans Struggling With Depression

By Martha Perry


Depression, anxiety and PTSD are on the rise amongst veterans. It is not an uncommon fact these days to read more about veterans struggling with depression. In the past, there was little support for this, and nobody knew what was happening with soldiers who came back from the battlefield. Nobody took care of their mental health.

This especially related to soldiers who came back from the first and second wars. Families could see that they had been affected in some way. They were obviously torn because of the way they were acting out. A lot of them would become depressed and anxious. They would prefer to stay in isolation, frightened to go out, should they think they were going to have a panic attack.

Your family, friends and work colleagues may not understand what you are going through. This is why it is important to talk to someone that understands you. There are people who specialize with war veterans. There are groups that you can join up with. There are other veterans who will discuss their major issues with you and you will talk about coping mechanisms.

They may have been given order to shoot someone. They will have flashbacks which can last some time. This can be really frightening. Post traumatic stress disorder is common among veterans like this. They often see no way out of the situation, and decide to end it all. They will suddenly think they are back on the battlefield after hearing a loud noise, for example.

A lot of war vets can't cope in this type of a situation and turn to other methods as a form of escape. A lot of the time, you may want to have a drink, which could lead up to an addiction. Drugs can be problematic as well. There are war vets who have many family problems, which leads them to becoming abusive. They may end up divorcing their spouse in a case like this.

A good therapist will be able to help someone like this in more of a practical way. Often, they need a routine to get into. It is important to have structure because this will help you lead a more balanced life. You won't feel as if you are lost. Vets also need to talk about what is on their mind. It is important for them to know that someone understands them.

Vets who get back and try to adjust will often become confused because they don't know why they are feeling in a particular way. They won't be able to explain their mental state of mind. However, this is something that you need to be patient. This is why it is a good idea to work with others that are going through the same thing. A lot of people enjoy connecting with other vets in a group.

There are many methods and techniques that therapists use which help them to reach out to the vet. This can come in the form of something creative, which is also helps the vet take the focus off of what is bothering them. They begin to let go and express themselves in another way. This can be helpful as well, because of someone like this battles to communicate.




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