As a Veteran diagnosed with PTSD you might qualify to receive VA benefits and VA compensation. If you file a PTSD claim with the VA and are service-connected you will be assigned a percentage. The percentage is based on how severe your symptoms are and how severely they are affecting your ability to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has been diagnosed with PTSD, we recommend that you read our Guide to PTSD. Each part of our 7 part guide is intended to help you understand the process, get the best possible outcome, and to guide you to get the help you need for your PTSD.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a one of the most common mental health conditions brought on by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic or terrifying event. PTSD is very prevalent among Veterans. When a person serves in the military, they can be exposed to different traumatic events such as war zone deployment, missions that exposed you to horrible and life-threatening experiences, serious training accidents and military sexual trauma (MST) may lead to PTSD. At some point in most Veterans life, 7 out of every 100 Veterans or 7%, will have PTSD.
Some studies show that Veterans who have deployed have an increased risk of having PTSD by 3 times more than Veterans who have not deployed. There are many factors that contribute to that, such as military occupation or specialty (MOS), the politics around the war, where the war was fought, and even the type of enemy forces they faced.
Military sexual trauma (MST) is another major cause of PTSD in the military. PTSD due to MST is any sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurs while the Veteran is in the military. MST can happen to ANYONE and can occur during training, peacetime, or war.
Only some Veterans use the VA health care system. PTSD is more common among those Veterans that do use the VA health case system. About 23 out of every 100 Veterans using the VA health care system had PTSD at some point in their life. While 7 out of every 100 Veterans who use a non-VA health care system have had PTSD at some point in their life. That is a major difference from 7% to 23%.
Do I have PTSD?
Psychiatrists categorize PTSD symptoms into four general categories: intrusive memories, avoidance behaviors, negative changes in thought and mood, and emotional reactions. These symptoms take a huge toll on a Veteran’s mental health and even negatively affect their social life and professional life.
PTSD symptoms can be hard to characterize because of the amount of time it can take for them to manifest varies widely among Veterans. One Veteran might show signs of PTSD only 3 months after experiencing the traumatic event, while another Veteran might not show symptoms for several years after experiencing the traumatic event. Additionally, the severity of the PTSD symptoms can change over time depending on what else is going on in the Veterans life.
If you think you or another Veteran you know is showing symptoms of PTSD, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible, to help prevent the PTSD symptoms from worsening.
Is there a way to treat PTSD?
While there is no outright cure for PTSD there are treatments. With the proper treatments a Veteran can regain control over their lives. PTSD treatment almost always consists of psychotherapy, such as exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, and meeting regularly with a psychiatrist or counselor. Sometimes medication can be used along with psychotherapy to help alleviate the effects of PTSD on the Veteran’s life.
Every person with PTSD has unique needs and it is up to their doctor to prescribe a form of treatment that is right for them and that can change overtime.
If your a Veteran or you know a Veteran that is suffering with PTSD, remember that there is nothing shameful about PTSD. PTSD is a disease that can be treated with proper care and treatment. Continue to Part One, What is PTSD?, to learn more about how to get PTSD service-connected in order to receive the VA disability benefits you have earned.
PTSD GUIDE
