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Veteran Mental Health Problems on the Rise
This Veterans Day More Soldiers Fight for Their Mental Health
(San Diego – November 11, 2009) – Recent
survey results reveal that the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) has increased 4 to 7 times following the invasion of Iraq.
The study,
conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the University
of California, San Francisco, also found that more than one in three veterans
enrolled in the veterans health system has been diagnosed with a mental
health disorder.
But despite the increase in mental health problems,
veterans are still hesitant to seek help. Past research
has shown that, of service members who display symptoms of PTSD and
other mental health issues, only 4 out of 10 have sought help from a therapist
or other mental health professional. Reasons for not seeking treatment
include worry about what others would think, fear of hurting their military
career and concern that seeking help is a sign of weakness.
This Veterans Day, the California Association of Marriage and Family
Therapists encourages both retired and active duty veterans who are experiencing
symptoms of PTSD or depression, or struggling with reintegration following
deployment, to seek help from a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
"There is a tendency for military service members to think that
seeking help for mental health issues is a sign of weakness," said
Kim Evans, M.A., MFT, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, embedded
military therapist and military wife. "Nothing could be further from
the truth. We need to help our military understand that, and continue
to fight the stigma so these men and women can get the professional help
they so desperately need."
With the need for mental health services for the military on the rise,
CAMFT has responded by sponsoring workshops to train nearly 600 Marriage
and Family Therapists about military culture and the unique mental health
issues facing service members, so they can better serve them.
The top two mental health diagnoses among veterans are PTSD (22 percent)
and depression (17 percent). Symptoms can be easily missed, such as a
loss of interest in certain activities you once enjoyed, or as apparent
as ongoing nightmares and suicidal thoughts. The effects of mental health
problems are long-lasting. Studies have shown that veterans with PTSD
have a lower survival rate post-surgery than their veteran peers, even
if the surgery is performed years after active duty.
A Marriage and Family Therapist can provide tools
to help with the transition back to civilian life, as well as treatment
for PTSD, depression and other mental illnesses. Soldiers and their families
can find a California therapist to talk to at TherapistFinder.com.
About CAMFT
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
(CAMFT) is a professional organization representing the state's leading
licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. CAMFT provides TherapistFinder.com
as a resource for individuals looking for marriage and family therapists
located in California. Marriage and Family Therapists treat a comprehensive
range of issues including depression, anxiety, phobias/fears, elder and
child issues, relationship issues, post-traumatic stress and severe mental
illness.
Media Contact: Tricia Whittemore
Porter Novelli
Phone: (619) 687-7018 or (603) 219-6088
E-mail: tricia.whittemore@porternovelli.com
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