According to the Veterans Association, 10% to 18% of soldiers that served and are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are likely to have PTSD when they return and are at risk for other mental issues.
Dr. Jacqueline Williams, works with veterans at the El Paso VA Healthcare systems, she says every veteran mental health case is different.
“I think that one of the most important things that we see is just people’s level of anxiety,” Williams said. “And there are challenges in deciding in who they want to be once they’re out of the military, and how they want to manage their lives, and how they want to manage any leftover systems from their experiences or injuries. So, the mental health problems there isn’t just one, it’s very individual.”
Dr. Corey Vas, Associate Director of Clinical Services at the NMSU counseling center says many times more than one mental health issues are combined.
“PTSD is one part of it,” Vas said. “There’s also a high degree of substance abuse that tends to go along with that when there’s mental health concerns. There can be a high degree of overlap with major depressive disorder along with PTSD or substance use issues. Each individual kind of presents there own unique story in the challenges they may face, and trying to understand how those mental health issues combine in any one individual is part of our goal to help each individual go through that.”
Vas says there needs to be more public awareness that every veteran mental health case is different.
“People tend to form biases based on what they see or hear on the news,” Vas said. “Based on whether they know a veteran or somebody and they get one unique story, so I think it’s up to all of us to try to understand what the people who have served our country are going through, and again remember each story is unique, each individual is unique but to understand the challenges that people who have served our country face. And how hard it can be to transition back into life following service.”
Vas says veterans from each war face their own unique mental health problems, with veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan facing a higher risk for suicide.
“This group has had multiple deployments,” Vas said. “the group of solider that are returning now often face challenges from they may be redeployed if they’re still reservists, they may get called upon to go back. There is many more traumatic brain disorders being diagnosed with the group that’s serving currently, and right now the suicide rate is higher for this conflict, the two conflicts we’re actively involved in right now.”
Vas says the lack of mental health resources in the region is especially hard on vets.
“Right now this is a particularly bad time for mental health resources in Southern New Mexico in general,” Vas said. “For the community as well, for veterans that problem may be complicated by VA backlogs or vet center backlogs. That’s happening for every person in New Mexico right now, but the veterans may face additional challenges in that system as well.
Dr. Jacqueline Williams says the long wait times are difficult for veterans who finally decide to seek help.
“Someone’s ready to work on something,” Williams said. ‘They are ready to work on it now, today. And having to wait days or weeks for an appointment is very disappointing then for patients, we understand that, and that’s one of the most challenging things.”
Some things that could increase the risk of mental health issues include longer deployment time, physical injuries, and family problems.
