Honoring Veterans’ Mental Health
- Lisa S. Larsen, PsyD
- Nov 1
- 4 min read
Every year, our country honors veterans through Veterans Day and fallen military members on Memorial Day. Yet how often do we reflect on the impact of their service on their mental health? What is the cost of serving the country, and how can trauma therapy help veterans heal from the experiences that wound them? This post explores veterans’ mental health.
Exposure to trauma and loss can have a negative impact.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),[i] veterans experience higher rates of mental health conditions compared to the general population. The most common mental health conditions are PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury.[ii] Veterans are 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide than civilians, and a 2022 statistic states that 6,407 veterans died by suicide that year.
Female veterans are more likely to become depressed or develop PTSD than male vets, and veterans with chronic health problems are more likely to have mental health issues than healthy ones.[iii] Female service members are also more likely to get divorced, which can lead to grief and loss. Other factors in divorce are age (younger service members are more prone to divorce) and which branch of the military they served in (with highest divorce rates in the Air Force and Marines).
Of course, we expect that involvement in combat would expose military personnel to trauma and loss, but there are also traumas inherent in military service as well. Hazing rituals, sexual harassment, bullying, and sexual assault can happen in the military from fellow soldiers or superior officers. Lack of support and being away from one’s family can also be very difficult to bear, which can increase isolation and strain relationships. I mentioned divorce above, and there is a higher rate of divorce among the enlisted and combat veterans.
How can we support veterans’ mental health?
There are several key factors that can help veterans care for themselves after returning from military service. Some depend on government funding and policy—without sufficient resources to support outreach and expand access to essential programs, many veterans struggle to find the help they need. Broader access to social services can also make a meaningful difference, helping veterans secure employment, stable housing, and smoother reintegration into civilian life. Despite a decrease in the number of homeless veterans since 2009, there are still thousands of unsheltered veterans living in the USA. In addition, proactive outreach and encouragement to use mental health services can go a long way in connecting veterans with timely and effective support.
Many veterans I’ve spoken with have shared that within certain branches of the military, there remains a cultural belief that seeking mental health support is a sign of weakness or a lack of toughness. Even when superior officers mention that counseling or substance abuse treatment is available, an unspoken stigma often discourages service members from using these resources. As a result, individuals may delay seeking help until their symptoms have intensified, when earlier intervention could have led to faster and more complete recovery.
Some veterans have also described their experiences with VA mental health services as frustrating or insufficient. They often felt rushed through appointments or treated as part of a system more focused on efficiency than individualized care. A number of my clients chose to wait until they obtained private insurance through civilian employment to pursue deeper, more consistent therapy. This is not intended as criticism of the VA, but rather as an acknowledgment of the real and varied experiences veterans have shared about accessing care.
How can trauma therapy help veterans heal mentally?
People with PTSD need help discerning what happened in the past and what’s happening now. Many of them know cognitively that they’re not in danger anymore, but their emotions and bodies still store post traumatic stress that interferes with crucial functions like sleep, relationships, and being able to let down their guard. Quite often, PTSD co-exists with depression and anxiety. This all can be very challenging to heal, and a veteran might not know where to begin healing.
Fortunately, there are many types of therapy that can help with trauma. I offer EMDR therapy to help reduce the emotional hold that traumatic memories have on people. Hypnosis can help calm down anxiety and reduce the appeal of substances in coping with mental health problems. Somatic therapy is also a great way to move the stuck energy of trauma and loss through the body. Additionally, Solution Focused Brief Therapy is helpful for building confidence and strength, remembering one’s inherent resilience. I’d be honored to help you heal your trauma and other mental health conditions with any of these modalities. Please call me or click the button below so we can get started.
