The Psychological Impact of Reintegration: Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Service

 

Reintegration is the process by which veterans transition from military to civilian life. This encompasses adjusting to family life, entering the civilian workforce, and adapting to a non-military social environment. For many veterans, this transition involves not only practical but also profound emotional and psychological adjustments.

Psychological Effects of Military Service

The psychological toll of military service extends beyond the battlefield, affecting various aspects of veterans’ lives in profound ways:

• Heightened Risk for Mental Health Disorders: Beyond PTSD, veterans are at increased risk for conditions such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), driven by the high-stress environments and traumatic experiences encountered during service.
• Impact on Family Relationships: The psychological effects of military service can extend to family dynamics, often straining relationships through behavioral changes and emotional withdrawal by the veteran.
• Long-Term Health Consequences: Chronic stress and mental health issues can lead to long-term physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease and a weakened immune system, complicating a veteran’s health well beyond their service years.

Difficulties in Reintegration

The reintegration of veterans into civilian life presents a spectrum of challenges that can hinder their adjustment and well-being:

• Cultural Disconnection: Veterans may struggle with feeling disconnected from civilian cultural norms and practices, making social integration challenging.
• Identity Crisis: Moving from a highly structured military identity to a civilian one can create a crisis of identity for many veterans, complicating their sense of purpose and self-worth.
• Barriers to Employment: While veteran unemployment rates have been steadily dropping, veterans often encounter difficulties in translating military skills to civilian job markets, and may face employer biases regarding mental health.

The Negative Effects of Military Service

The negative effects of military service are manifold and can profoundly impact veterans’ mental and social health in several critical ways:

• Increased Risk of Substance Abuse: High stress and coping with PTSD often lead veterans toward increased alcohol and drug use as a form of self-medication, further impacting their health and social reintegration.
• Social Isolation: The stigma associated with mental health issues and the warrior culture’s emphasis on toughness can lead veterans to isolate themselves, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and depression.
• Suicide Risk: The culmination of depression, isolation, and other mental health issues significantly contributes to a higher rate of suicide among veterans compared to the civilian population.

Veteran Reintegration Issues in the USA

Veteran reintegration issues in the USA encompass a range of socio-economic and healthcare challenges that require targeted interventions and support:

• Economic Impact: Veterans often face economic instability due to unemployment or underemployment, impacting their ability to secure housing and meet basic needs.
• Healthcare Access: While many veterans are eligible for VA healthcare, challenges in accessibility, service quality, and bureaucratic hurdles can impede their ability to receive adequate care.
• Community Integration Programs: The need for programs that facilitate community integration and understanding between veterans and civilian populations is crucial. Programs that educate employers about the value of skills acquired during military service and how they translate to civilian roles can aid in improving employment outcomes.
• Addressing these issues comprehensively requires coordinated efforts between governmental agencies, private organizations, and communities to create a supportive environment that acknowledges and adapts to the unique needs of returning veterans.

Source

 

SOLD OUT- Stand Up For Veterans Event

 

Thanks to all of you we have a sold out comedy show and dinner!!! We are looking forward to seeing everyone tonight at the event that could make it! 

Veterans and the Economy

Between the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ever-increasing cost of living in the United States, and the looming threat of inflation, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t been adversely affected by the economic goings-on of the past few years, or who hasn’t reviewed their finances with some degree of worry. 

And although nearly everyone is feeling the pressure, some people are feeling it more than others. One of the groups that has been particularly hard-hit are veterans, many of whom may have already been struggling to make ends meet, and who tend to be at higher risk of homelessness as a group. 

Factors Affecting Veteran Homelessness

Housing insecurity has been connected to a variety of factors, many of which tend to be more pronounced or prevalent among veteran populations. For example, veterans may be more likely to have a disability that prevents them from working than their civilian counterparts. One survey revealed that around 41% of post-9/11 veterans have a disability, compared to the 26% of the general population. And even veterans who don’t live with a disability that prevents them from working may struggle to find stable, high-paying jobs after leaving the military. 

Seen against the backdrop of astronomical home prices and rising rents, these factors and others form a potentially disastrous combination for veteran homelessness. In Florida, which is the 12th most expensive state in the nation, the average worker needs to earn at least $24.82 per hour to afford a modest 2-bedroom apartment. In California (the most expensive state, and also the state with the highest homeless population) that number jumps to $39.03 per hour. 

And for veterans who find themselves in situations like that, there’s little they can do. In 2016, the Washington Post reported that although about half of the problems that lead to veteran homelessness could be solved with legal assistance, most veterans simply can’t afford legal aid. 

Although 2021 saw a broad increase in wages, and fixed incomes such as social security and disability income are (theoretically, at least) adjusted for inflation, many people—including veterans—are still having trouble keeping up with the cost of living. Source

Stand Up For Veterans Dinner And Show

Can't make the Stand Up For Veterans dinner and comedy show, heres your chance to still support... Click here... Silent auction and raffle prize donations are graciously being accepted!

Call Kari at 707-427-1148 ext 132

Trauma During Adulthood

What is a traumatic event?

Traumatic events involve either 1) actual or possible death or serious injury or 2) sexual violence. Most adults have lived through at least one traumatic event and many have experienced more than one event. Trauma can also be chronic, meaning that similar events happen many times over a long period of time.

There any many different types of traumatic events, but here are some examples:

• Sexual or physical abuse or assault
• Serious vehicle accidents
• Combat or war zone exposure
• Serious medical events
• Seeing death or dead bodies, including while at work
• Unexpected death of a loved one
• Natural disasters
• Arson or house fires
• Torture
• Domestic violence
• Witnessing or experiencing violence, such as a homicide or suicide
• Terrorism or mass violence

What are common responses following a traumatic event?

Professionals have found three different paths that adults can follow after trauma:

Some people never experience any major problems. This is known as resistance. Resistance is very common after traumas that do not involve sexual assault or abuse.

Many people have symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the weeks after a trauma. For most of those people, those symptoms will then go away on their own. This is known as natural recovery or resilience. This path is very common among people who experience sexual assault.

Other people experience problems that do not go away on their own. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one potential outcome when this happens. PTSD is described in detail in the next section.

What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

PTSD is a mental health condition that may be diagnosed by a professional when someone has experienced a traumatic event and is having particular types of problems as a result. The major types of symptoms experienced by people with PTSD include:

• Re-experiencing symptoms, including:
• Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about the traumatic event
• Intense physical or emotional reactions to reminders of the event
• Nightmares
• Avoidance symptoms, including:
• Avoiding thinking or talking about the trauma
• Avoiding people, places, activities or sensations that remind you of the trauma
• Negative changes in your thinking and emotions, including:
• Feeling more down, depressed, angry or anxious
• Finding it hard or impossible to feel happy
• Feeling shameful or guilty
• Feeling distant from other people
• Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
• Being unable to remember important parts of the trauma
• Having more negative thoughts about yourself, other people and the world
• Hyperarousal or emotional/physical reactivity, including:
• Being always on guard and/or easily startled
• Having trouble concentrating
• Being quick to anger and aggression
• Doing things that are risky (e.g., impulsive sex, binge drinking)
• Having trouble sleeping 

If you are experiencing and of these symptoms please get professional help.. you are not alone! Source

Veterans on Symptoms of PTSD

 

 

Veterans describe a variety of PTSD symptoms and the steps they took to help manage their mental health challenges.

Stand Up For Veterans

 

 

Join us for a fantastic night out featuring delicious dinner and live stand-up comedy, all while supporting our local Veterans. Check out our website for more information and where to purchase tickets for this show! Get your tickets today before they sell out!

If you would like to donate a Raffle item or Silent Auction item,

please call Kari at 707-427-1148 Ext. 132