Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe mental health condition that can develop after you experience or witness a traumatic event. PTSD is especially prevalent among veterans due to the high-stress environments and life-threatening situations they encounter during service. Unfortunately, untreated PTSD can lead to severe consequences, including an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. However, evidence-based therapies offer hope and healing, helping you regain control.
Why Are Veterans at Higher Risk for PTSD?
Military service leads to unique challenges that may increase your susceptibility to PTSD.
- Combat exposure: Experiencing or witnessing violence, death, and destruction can leave lasting psychological scars.
- Sexual harassment: Military personnel are frequently subject to sexual assault, harassment, unwanted touching, raunchy comments, and other inappropriate behaviors.
- Prolonged stress: Military service often involves long-term, high-pressure situations that contribute to chronic stress.
- Transition difficulties: Returning to civilian life after military service can be disorienting, leading to feelings of isolation and emotional distress.
- Survivor’s guilt: Many veterans struggle with guilt over surviving traumatic experiences when their fellow service members did not.
When combined with the stigma surrounding mental health care in military culture, these factors can prevent you from seeking help, further increasing your risk of harming yourself or having thoughts about ending your life.
The Link Between PTSD and Suicide
PTSD disrupts your emotional regulation, leading to intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, and severe anxiety. When you allow these symptoms to persist without treatment, you may experience the following phenomena.
- Depression and hopelessness: PTSD can create a sense of despair, making you believe your situation will never improve.
- Emotional numbing: The inability to feel joy or connection can push you further into isolation.
- Substance abuse: Many veterans self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, increasing the risk of impulsive decisions.
- Self-destructive behaviors: Reckless driving, aggression, and self-harm are common in those struggling with untreated PTSD.
What Is Evidence-Based Therapy?
Evidence-based therapy refers to treatments that have proven effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. These therapies rely on rigorous research and clinical trials to ensure their success in helping people manage trauma.
Several evidence-based techniques have shown to significantly reduce PTSD symptoms and lower suicide risk.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy will help you identify and change negative thought patterns that contribute to PTSD symptoms.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing uses guided eye movements, sometimes accompanied by auditory cues or tactile stimuli like hand-tapping, to help you process and reframe traumatic memories.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness techniques to manage PTSD symptoms.
- Acceptance and commitment therapy focuses on helping you work through complex emotions or unpleasant memories you may typically avoid. The goal is not to stop having unwanted thoughts or feelings, but to encourage you to develop a new, more compassionate relationship with your experiences.
Experience Healing Today
At Foundation Stone Wellness, we provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where you can receive evidence-based PTSD treatment tailored to your unique needs. Our approach incorporates cutting-edge therapies, holistic healing methods, and compassionate care to help veterans heal from trauma and reclaim their lives.
If you struggle with PTSD, don’t wait to seek help. Contact us today to learn more about our amenities, treatment philosophy, and specialized programs.