Happy Veterans Day

Our therapists in Orem want to wish all of our veterans a Happy Veterans Day! As a veteran-owned business, we want to acknowledge the great work that service members provide as well as recognize the mental health challenges of veterans and service members alike.

Did you know that Veterans day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919? (Armistice simply means a truce formed between two opposing sides of a war). That day was the first anniversary of the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” that signaled the end of World War I. It became a national holiday beginning in 1938. While Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving our country, and Memorial Day honors our fallen service members, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. Not a day should pass where we don’t remember that we live in the “Land of the Free” because of the brave.

While all veterans are linked together through a shared identity of service to their country, they are a diverse and varied population and should be viewed as individuals. Each veteran has a unique experience and will have their own opinions and reactions to their time in the service. We recognize that due to the distinctive and sometimes challenging lifestyle inherent to military life, there are multiple stressors that can contribute to mental health challenges. Veterans who have served after September 11, 2011 are particularly vulnerable to mental health conditions. Approximately 1 in 5 experience mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and anxiety, according to the RAND Corporation – a non profit organization that since the 1950s has helped inform United States policy decisions on a wide variety of issues, including the Vietnam War, the U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms confrontation, and national health care.

Sadly, the number of veteran suicides exceeded 6,000 each year from 2008 to 2017 – that’s 1 1/2 times the rate for non-veteran adults according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We are encouraged however as the VA’s more recent data shows that veteran suicides decreased in 2020 for the second year in a row. What seems to have helped veterans in the face of these stressors has been relying on one another – to provide welcomed social support and recognize when professional support is needed. As we become more aware of mental health conditions such as PTSD, the stigma starts to lessen, making it easier to spread the word, and for civilians to support members of the armed forces.

As we celebrate and honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and willingness to offer their lives for the common good of this country, our therapists in Orem offer these helpful tips as to how best recognize this National holiday, all while being sensitive to a veteran’s possible mental health issues:

-Be patient and listen without assuming

-Avoid combat references or analogies

-Often and genuinely, show appreciation and gratitude

-Don’t see veterans as victims, but rather individuals

-Consider medical conditions

-Fly the flag, symbolizing freedom and sacrifice

-Connect them with resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line, a free 24/7 service. Call 988 or text 838255 to start a confidential conversation

Alliance Psychology appreciates and supports our veterans and their families!