Northern Virginia Community College

• COM 120

• Mental Health Within The Military and Veteran Community American Military University COMM 120 Information and Digital Literacy Professor Albert C. Whittenberg By Graham Ofori Overview • Introduction • What is Mental Health • Mental Health Challenges • Post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) • Depression • Suicide • Substance Use Disorders • What resources are available • Conclusion INTRODUCTION Mental health is one of the major battles faced on and off the battlefield by military personnel and veterans. It’s a silent battle often fought alone due to the stigma that comes with it, failure to recognize signs of mental health and due to the lack of knowledge of on the subject. A study reveled that “Fewer than half of all military veterans who experience mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicate that they are interested in or seek professional mental health care” (Williston et al.) “After two decades of continuous war in Afghanistan, a growing population of veterans with combat and deployment experience is presenting for mental health care. Providers must take into account not only the physical wounds these veterans may have sustained but also the less visible ones such as PTSD, acute stress disorder, and depression.” (Inoue et al.) WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.1 Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same. A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.” (About Mental Health) “The most publicized mental health challenges facing veterans service members are PTSD and depression.” (Williston et al.)