The Price of Military Service on Your Mental Health
January 01, 2022
When you think of a disabled veteran, what do you see? Most people think of physical ailments like loss of limbs, burns, and other injuries. Though, few understand the impact of cognitive disorders and mental health disabilities on a veteran’s quality of life. In this article, we will evaluate the true cost of military service on your mental health.
Three Major Mental Health Challenges
There are countless psychological and mental conditions that can overshadow a veteran’s life after service. But these three stand out as the most common.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Those that have seen combat can witness a variety of horrifying scenes. They can witness assaults, injuries, or even death. Exposure to this much violence and loss of life can be mentally devastating. Trauma like this can cause flashbacks, trouble sleeping, memory loss, anger, nightmares, and even drug abuse.
When these symptoms persist over time, a common diagnosis is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Veteran’s Administration offers benefits to help with the cost of treatment and provide you with a replacement income.
Depression
People suffering from depression can feel severe sadness, anxiety, or despair. Depression is a clinical condition that requires medical treatment and can interfere with daily living activities.
Serving in the Armed Forces can amplify the severity of depression, creating an unbearable living situation. The Veteran’s Administration has numerous programs that can assist with your recovery and improve daily life.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Service members that have suffered a significant blow to the head may have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). An injury like this can cause headaches, mood swings, memory loss, fatigue, and drowsiness.
TBI’s can make it difficult for you to obtain employment, maintain a job or run a business. There are resources available by VA that can help veterans suffering from brain injuries.
Mental Health Disorders Eligible for VA Benefits
The Veteran’s Administration covers a variety of conditions that affect your ability to learn, understand, think critically, or problem-solve. These conditions include:
- Neurocognitive disorders
- Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions
- Vascular neurocognitive disorders
- Substance abuse damage
- Cognitive disorders due to other conditions
Keep in mind this is not a definitive list, there is a range of ailments for which the VA will provide you with treatment and other benefits.
Getting Benefits for your Mental Health Disability
There are several steps you can take to receive benefits for your mental health disability or cognitive disorders:
- Must present a valid diagnosis from a qualified professional. Your VA Disability attorney can help you gather your medical records and present them to VA for verification.
- Must prove your injury was caused by an “in-service event.” You will have to prove that your injury happened as a result of your service and not from another cause.
- Must show a direct connection between the injury and “in-service event.” There must be a clear pattern that shows your injury was a direct result of your “in-service” event.
Military service can scar the body and mind, making it difficult to maintain your standard of living after a traumatic event, brain injury, or mental illness. If you find yourself in this situation, a skilled VA Disability attorney can help you get the VA benefits that you deserve.
Take Care of your Mental Health
Unfortunately, veteran mental health often falls behind physical health. Though, the wounds can be just as severe and debilitating. Active service is an intense life experience that can be sprinkled with various traumas that are not easy to process.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC for assistance with your VA Disability matter.