War takes a tremendous physical and psychological toll on those who experience it firsthand. Soldiers returning home from combat often face significant challenges transitioning back to civilian life. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even suicide can occur at higher rates among veterans. Reintegrating into society and rebuilding connections severed by absence are also difficult. At the same time, resilience and post-traumatic growth are possible. With help from community, family, and professional support, many veterans find purpose and meaning again after war.
What are some common psychological effects of war?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is perhaps one of the most well-known psychological wounds of war. PTSD involves re-experiencing traumatic events through intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks. Symptoms also include avoidance, emotional numbing, hyperarousal, and hypervigilance. While PTSD has a lifetime prevalence of around 7% in the general population, studies estimate between 11-20% of Iraq War veterans have PTSD. For Vietnam veterans, lifetime PTSD prevalence is estimated between 30-35%.
In addition to PTSD, veterans also have higher risks for other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. Around 30% of Vietnam veterans struggled with alcohol abuse or dependence. And a review of multiple studies found clinically significant depression in around 13% of veterans. Feelings of anger, survivor’s guilt, grief, moral injury, and alienation are also common. Suicide risk is especially concerning – while veterans comprise 7-8% of the U.S. adult population, they accounted for 13.5% of adult suicide deaths in 2017.
What happens to relationships and family life after war?
War can profoundly impact family and relationships. Separations strain couples and disrupt family dynamics. Approximately 38% of active duty members are parents. Deployments mean missed milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.
When veterans return, they may struggle reconnecting with spouses who took on new roles. Children may not remember or recognize returning parents, causing hurt and guilt. There are often unspoken changes in roles, responsibilities, and ways of relating. Couples may grieve the loss of how things used to be. They may not understand each other’s experiences and feelings. All of this can lead to isolation, arguments, avoidance, infidelity, and increased divorce rates.
Parenting after trauma also has challenges. Veterans may be overprotective or emotionally distant from children. Trauma symptoms like anger and substance abuse affect family relationships. But with effort and support, many veterans slowly adapt and strengthen bonds again over time.
How does combat change veterans’ outlooks on life?
Experiencing trauma and loss firsthand often leads veterans to reflect deeply on life’s meaning and purpose. Some may question their faith or philosophy of life built before combat. Others may strengthen religious or spiritual beliefs as ways to cope.
Many veterans emerge with altered philosophies about human nature – seeing both its ugliness in war and its goodness in fellow soldiers. They gain sobering understandings of life’s fragility, brevity, and unpredictability. Cherished aspects of civilian life like family may take on new significance. Veterans may better distinguish trivial concerns from profound priorities. Some become motivated by a sense of purpose or mission, like humanitarian work. For others, their purpose becomes more modest – simply living a “normal” life again. Overall, the intensity of war leads many veterans to appreciate life’s sanctity in new ways.
How does war impact veterans’ careers and work lives?
Around 70% of active duty service members are 25 or younger – formative years for education and developing careers. Many veterans return home needing to restart schooling or training. Some may question career paths envisioned before combat. Rates of unemployment and underemployment are high among veterans, especially those who served after 9/11. Young male veterans age 18-24 had a 16.6% unemployment rate in 2019 compared to 7.9% for young male nonveterans.
Finding purposeful work is a key task, but not always easy after trauma. Problems like PTSD, injuries, grief, and substance abuse may hamper performance and attendance. Interacting with co-workers may prove difficult after prolonged isolation. Loud workplaces can feel intolerable for veterans experiencing hypervigilance.
But work also offers opportunity for community reintegration and recovery. Veteran employees bring loyalty, leadership, teamwork, resilience, and other valuable skills. With training and vocational assistance, veterans can transition their disciplines to civilian careers. Organizations dedicated to hiring veterans ease the process. An estimated 2.5 million post-9/11 veterans are employed, showing that fulfilling work is possible after war.
What physical effects linger after war?
Though less visible than psychological wounds, physical injuries also profoundly alter veterans’ lives. An estimated 31% of recently returning veterans have a service-related disability. Hearing loss and tinnitus are the two most common disabilities. Chronic pain is also pervasive, affecting over 50% of older veterans. Pain often arises from nerve damage, musculoskeletal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Between 11-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffered a TBI during deployment.
For those wounded in action, complex injuries like burns, fractures, spinal cord trauma, amputations, and visual impairment require extensive rehabilitation. Assistive devices, medications, surgeries, and therapy fill veterans’ days. Activities of daily living like dressing, eating, and walking become laborious. Chronic health conditions like cardiovascular disease and arthritis develop earlier in veterans – likely accelerated by trauma stress.
Though difficult and frustrating, most veterans courageously adapt to physical disability. Assistive technology and occupational therapy make independence possible. Support networks of fellow disabled veterans offer camaraderie and encouragement. Veterans continue serving by sharing their stories, guiding newly disabled veterans, or raising awareness about health risks that stem from military service.
How do veterans cope with grief and loss?
For those who lost fellow service members during war, grief is a lifelong journey. Survivor’s guilt often burdens veterans, making them question why they survived when others did not. Holidays, military dates, and homecoming anniversaries may resurface grief each year. Keeping memories of the fallen alive is one way veterans pay tribute. Organizations like the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) provide bereavement care and peer support.
Talking through grief is difficult but necessary. Counselors help veterans process traumatic memories in healthy ways. Practices like journaling, volunteering, or honoring lost comrades can help transform grief into something meaningful. With time, support, and effort, veterans learn to integrate loss into their lives in peaceful ways.
How can veterans reconnect with joy and community?
Isolation takes a heavy toll after war. Finding belonging is critical – through family, mentors, teams, workplaces, or veterans’ groups. Local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) chapters offer spaces to gather, share stories, and advocate for fellow veterans. Nonprofits like Team Red White & Blue and The Mission Continues organize athletic, volunteer, and social events.
Creativity and recreation are also powerful ways veterans rediscover meaning. Creative outlets like writing, art, or music help process trauma. Veterans visit national parks and nature habitats facilitated by groups like Warriors in the Wild to experience tranquility. Adaptive sports help disabled veterans thrive physically and socially again. Equine therapy provides comfort and connection. Through these outlets, veterans can once again feel joy, purpose, and community.
How do veterans access healthcare and support services?
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides healthcare to over 9 million veterans through an integrated network of over 1,200 facilities. Physical and mental healthcare are offered, including PTSD treatment, substance abuse programs, and rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury. However, long wait times and availability frustrate many veterans. Only around 40% of veterans utilize VHA care. Others rely on employer health plans, Medicaid, or privately purchased insurance.
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) coordinates compensation for disabilities, pensions, education programs, housing and employment assistance, and caregiver support. But navigating eligibility and paperwork poses challenges. Appeal processes are complex when claims are denied, which occurs often. Each state has a Department of Veterans Affairs to help access benefits. Nonprofits like Wounded Warrior Project and Disabled American Veterans also assist. Quality of care depends greatly on veteran initiative, resources, and advocate support.
How does veterans’ healthcare utilization compare to non-veterans?
| Healthcare Service | Veterans % Utilizing | Non-Veterans % Utilizing |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Visits | 77.5% | 76.3% |
| Inpatient Stays | 5.9% | 9.1% |
| Emergency Room Visits | 20.9% | 19.9% |
| Mental Health Visits | 9.1% | 7.2% |
| Alcohol Treatment Services | 1.1% | 0.7% |
This table comparing healthcare utilization between veterans and non-veterans shows some key differences. Veterans use outpatient services at a similar rate to non-veterans. However, they have lower rates of inpatient stays and higher rates of mental health treatment and alcohol treatment. This likely reflects the higher burden of mental health issues and substance abuse among veteran populations stemming from service-related trauma. Overall, the complex health needs of veterans necessitate accessible outpatient treatment options.
What are key steps in the transition process from active duty?
The transition from active duty back to civilian life is a vulnerable time for veterans. Key programs exist to facilitate this complex process:
Pre-Separation Counseling: Provided to all transitioning servicemembers. Reviews benefits, training opportunities, relocation assistance, and other resources.
Transition GPS Workshop: A 3-day workshop focused on employment, finances, healthcare, social services, and resilience training.
Skillbridge Career Training: Allows servicemembers to get apprenticeships or internships for high-demand jobs in their last 6 months of service.
Vocational Rehabilitation: DVA program providing career guidance, training, and job search assistance to service-disabled veterans.
Post-9/11 GI Bill: Provides education benefits to pursue college, graduate education, or vocational training.
Creating individualized transition timelines, getting peer mentorship, and incorporating family into the planning process can also smooth the transition. Maintaining follow-up care, especially for mental health, prevents lapses that can derail progress. With proper support structures, this adjustment period can set veterans up for success.
How can society support veterans returning from war?
While government services exist, creating a culture of veteran support in society is most impactful. Openly addressing veteran challenges like homelessness, unemployment, and suicide reduces stigma. Simply listening goes a long way – veterans should feel that their experiences and sacrifices matter. Providing opportunities to connect through groups, sports, art, or volunteering is invaluable.
Workplaces can support veteran employees by fostering inclusivity and understanding PTSD and disability. Accommodations like service dogs, flexible scheduling, and removing triggers ease difficulties. Mentorship programs with veteran peers boost camaraderie and guidance. Hiring initiatives make positions accessible and welcoming.
Advocating politically for policies benefiting veterans is also critical. Beyond just holidays, visible acts of appreciation in everyday encounters – a simple “thank you”, patience, generosity of spirit – make veterans feel their sacrifices are not forgotten. This grounds them in their communities and rebuilds purpose after war’s hardships.
Conclusion
War irrevocably shapes those who serve, imprinting both visible and invisible wounds. Physical injuries, chronic pain, PTSD, grief, and moral injury endure long after homecoming. Navigating healthcare systems, finding work, relating to family, and reintegrating into society all pose challenges. But with time, understanding, professional help, and community, veterans can adapt and even thrive again. Their journeys illuminate war’s costs but also the resilience of the human spirit. Supporting veterans at every stage reinforces our shared obligation to honor those sent into harm’s way.