Real Talk: Mental Health By Hope Phifer The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at VVSD www.vvsd.net/cohenclinics
Debunking Mental Health Therapy Stigma For example: • MYTH: Anyone experiencing mental health problems should be able to snap out of it. - FALSE: Mental health challenges have nothing to do with being weak and most people need help to get better. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including biological factors, life experiences and family history. Here are a few other mental health myths within the veteran and military community: This month’s Mental Health Awareness Month comes at a time when many of us are faced with new mental and emotional challenges. In a recent blog post from Cohen Veterans Network, Clinical Practice & Training Manager Ava Weiss, provided clinical insight on how current world events such as the Russian war in Ukraine may bring stress and uncertainty for everyone, but perhaps especially those who are connected to the military. “People may be in a constant state of uncertainty these days, thinking things like ‘Am I going to get deployed? Will my partner get deployed?’” Weiss said. “For people with past combat experience, they may be closely attuned to things like this (Ukraine). They may be wondering: will we get into another global conflict?” That uncertainty is part of the human condition, part of a reality we all contend with. And experiencing some worry and stress related to uncertainty is totally normal. Let me say it again: normal. That perception of what is normal and what isn’t normal provides a foundation to talk more about and understand the difference between mental health myth vs mental health fact.
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WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / MAY 2022
• MYTH: PTSD is a “veteran only” issue - FALSE: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone who experiences or witnesses a life-threatening or traumatizing event. About eight million people currently experience PTSD in the United States, and this includes adults, children, veterans, and civilians alike. • MYTH: Couples Therapy is a last resort to save your relationship - FALSE: To some couples, therapy may seem too drastic, but it’s never too soon to get help when you need it. Anyone could benefit from additional work on their relationship. • MYTH: Therapy and self-care are useless - FALSE: Treatment works. There are many evidencebased treatment options for challenges like PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, relationship problems and more. The most important step is to reach out for help if you need it. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you can get back to better. And, once you start therapy, keep at it! Therapy is a progression. It doesn’t matter what type of treatment you are invested in each session offers opportunities to change, heal, and grow.
