Picture yourself a soldier for a moment. You lay in your bunk after your watch, completely exhausted. But it’s hard to sleep because you’re not home. At any moment, danger could strike and you need to be prepared. You finally close your eyes, only to be woken by an explosion.
That was close! The bomb went off pretty nearby, but right now everyone in your unit is safe. Right now. That could change any time. This is a danger zone and you need to always be on-guard. Not everyone is so lucky here. You recently lost 2 good friends and find it hard to stop thinking about that day. How are you still even alive after that? You wonder.
After going through that madness for a year, you finally get to come home. Aren’t you excited? Your family awaits you with open arms. Gosh how your kids have grown while you were away. Your little girl was 1 when you left. She had the most cute little curls and was just learning how to walk. Now her ringlets are gone and her first steps are a distant memory. She doesn’t really seem to remember you like you hoped she would.
And your wife. She’s still the beautiful woman you married, but you can see the stress on her face. The stress of raising 3 kids alone while you were gone. This makes you feel so guilty. How could you leave her with all this stress? Shouldn’t you have put your family first? You wonder.
And so the inner battle begins. For some veterans, the war they face at home can be much more difficult than where they just came from. And while some vets can adjust well to home life, others really struggle. Everyone has different experiences overseas. And just because someone wasn’t physically injured, or didn’t lose a friend or family member over there, doesn’t mean they can’t suffer some form of PTSD and/or mental illness.
Just living in that type of environment is enough to scare anyone. The constant worry of enemies harming you, physically tough daily work, long hours and simply being away from your family can take its toll. That type of stress can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety and PTSD, among many others. This, in turn, can lead to a Veteran taking their life.
And unlike physical injuries, no one can see mental illness. Not only are vets tough to begin with–choosing to go fight for our country and put themselves in harm’s way–but they’re then trained to be even tougher. And then to sustain that while they’re away, day in and day out, doing the best they can to fulfill the duties they signed up for.
And while some may be on the frontlines, others may be assigned somewhere else. Whether someone was part of the Army, Navy, or National Guard, they all play a very important part in our Military and experience more than some of us will in a lifetime.
That’s not to say that everything they experience is terrible. Their jobs can be extremely rewarding. Imagine you just took part in an operation that took out a large group of terrorists. To some that experience may be very difficult, knowing you’ve killed someone. But on the other hand, you’ve just taken part in assuring the safety of both their country and ours.
This circles back to the inner battle that many veterans face. And they don’t always have time to think about it much until they come home. As you can imagine, it can be a difficult transition back home.
For some veterans, the enemy follows them back from war. This enemy is their mind. And it can cause far worse damage. Statistics show that approximately 22 veterans die from suicide every day.¹ That is incredibly sad. These vets are our parents, neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.
And if only it was as easy as getting them to talk about what exactly is bothering them, we could save them all. But unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The thoughts that go through their head can be far worse than what we can possibly imagine. This makes it really hard for them to open up and talk about it. And while talking about it may seem like something that would help them, it may take far more than that to help them heal.
Each person’s mind is complex. And when dealing with mental illness, a different approach is necessary depending on the person and their illness. A combination of therapies is typically recommended, such as…
These interventions work best when a follow-up plan is in place. It can be tough for a veteran to even agree to these therapies, let alone follow through. Their “tough as nails” persona can get in the way of them seeking help. Support from family and friends is crucial in their healing journey.
Our government has plans in place to help prevent suicide in our veteran population. Measures like the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End the National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) was formed in 2019 by the White House and VA, among others. But despite these and other measures added since to help prevent vets ending their lives, the suicide rate is still a staggering 57% higher than non-vets and is still the second leading cause of death among vets under the age of 45.²
The VA was established specifically to help veterans. For many vets, that may be all they need when they return from overseas. A place where they can go for mental and physical health support. They find a doctor they like, someone they can trust and keep going back to.
For others, it can be a nightmare. They might not be able to find a provider they like. After all, treating a physical injury hits different than treating emotional wounds. While the VA has same-day care available for vets going through urgent needs, length of commute and even personality conflicts can be a major factor. Imagine how long it may have taken you to find the right Doctor or Counselor.
What if our vets had the opportunity to see any provider they wanted, even if that provider is not part of the VA system? That’s where we can do more than our government can.
Studies show that veterans would rather talk to friends and family about tough topics that are troubling them than a professional.³ But friends and family can’t always help them enough. It can take the work of a trained Counselor or Psychiatrist to get to the bottom of their needs and start the road to recovery and healing.
When you donate to support veterans, your money goes to work immediately. Among many other important ways to help Vets, one of the most impactful uses for the money can help them find a counselor who they connect with. Someone who they find on their own and not necessarily part of the VA.
Other ways your donations can go so much farther than government support is by providing money for…
And the list goes on. There are endless ways to help our Veterans, but it takes funding. As Veterans ourselves, we’ve dedicated our lives to helping others. We know the struggles they face and it’s our mission to make a difference and help put an end to suicide among this population.
Out of all the causes out there, this is one of the most impactful ones. We can’t rely solely on our government to support these folks. Donations allow them more choices to seek the kind of help they not only need, but want. Imagine you were told you had to go to a Psychiatrist 2 hours away to seek help for your depression because of your VA insurance. But what you really feel you need is a dog by your side and a YMCA membership so you can swim every morning.
That’s just an example, but it gets to the point. Everyone’s needs are different and what’s great for one person, may not work for another. Please consider donating here today. You could make a huge difference in a Veteran’s life.
If you or someone you know is a Veteran who is struggling, contemplating suicide, or just would like to talk to someone, call 988 then press 1. Visit the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Mental Health page to find resources for Vets and their loved ones who may need support.
¹ Suicide Prevention in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Using the Evidence Without Losing the Narrative | Psychiatric Services