Mental Health Stigma and the Military

If you’re in the military or have served in the past, the stigma of having a mental health condition can take a toll on you. Veterans and active military personnel may not want to openly discuss challenges they might be having related to mental health, so many people may suffer alone. Though mental health stigma is very real for many active military and Veterans, it should not be a barrier to getting the help you need.

Read on to learn more about stigma and how it impacts Veterans. We will discuss why stigma can make it more challenging for some in seeking mental healthcare. We will also focus on how to overcome stigma to find mental health treatment and learn about what mental health treatments are available for Veterans. If you’re a Veteran in need of treatment, call American Addiction Centers at . You can also use our insurance verification tool to check your benefits.

What Is Mental Health Stigma & How Does it Affect Veterans?

Stigma can be described as having a negative attitude about a condition or situation.¹ Individuals who experience stigma from others may fear being different or having a “defect.”¹ Mental health stigma can become an issue when people possess assumptions based on negative stereotypes about mental health conditions.²

Mental health stigma can present challenges for people seeking treatment, preventing them from getting much needed help for their conditions.¹ Researchers have found that stigma is a major reason that people with mental illness don’t seek help.¹ The media can also inaccurately represent mental health conditions, potentially contributing to additional shame and fear of seeking help.¹

Stigma often plays a significant role in whether military members seek help.³ A military culture that emphasizes “being tough” and self-reliance may be a barrier to care for many military members.³

Many Veterans struggle with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia.⁴ Drug and alcohol use disorders are also prevalent among Veterans.⁴

Transitioning from military to civilian life can be challenging for Veterans.⁵ Many Veterans experience high levels of stress transitioning from military to civilian culture, which can give rise to or worsen certain mental health issues.⁵

There are high rates of suicide among Veterans.⁴ Exposure to prior trauma and potentially severe mental health conditions such as PTSD and major depression can lead to suicidal thoughts for some individuals. Many Veterans put off getting help or accessing available therapeutic resources, which delays treatment and potentially allows mental health conditions to worsen.⁵

Self-Stigma & Mental Health

Self-stigma involves negative attitudes about a person’s own mental health issues.² Self-stigma often leads to internalized shame and may impact a person’s ability to seek help.²

When you live with self-stigma, you may not think you are deserving of care or treatment, or you may feel like you should be able to handle your problems on your own.

High levels of self-stigma are linked to several factors, including:⁶

Why Stigma Makes it Difficult for Veterans to Get Mental Health Care

Active duty military members face a unique set of challenges when it comes to obtaining mental health treatment.⁷ Some active duty military members fear that seeking mental health treatment will affect their military career.⁷ Zero tolerance policies and lack of confidentiality can add to the stigma that active duty military members face.⁷

Random drug testing is commonplace in the military, and service members can become dishonorably discharged or face criminal prosecution for a positive drug test.⁷ For Veterans, public stigma, or perceived public stigma, is a barrier to care.³

In addition to stigma being a barrier to care, many people may deny that they have a problem or try to hide it.⁸ Veterans may not want others to know they have substance misuse and/or mental health issues because of fear of judgment or criticism.⁸

Seeking treatment may be particularly important for active-duty military members and Veterans due to the prevalence of co-occurring disorders.⁹ Some Veterans deal with multiple mental health conditions along with substance use disorders.⁹ When these two mental health conditions occur at the same time, this is known as co-occurring disorder.⁹ There are effective treatment strategies to manage co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders—having one does not preclude effective management of the other.

Overcoming Stigma to Get Mental Health Treatment

The sooner help is sought, the better, as some Veterans live with suicidal ideation. If you’re concerned about a loved one who is a Veteran, you can help them find the support and resources they need by engaging in open dialogue using non-stigmatizing language. There are many online resources and tools that can help Veterans seek treatment.¹⁰

You can support a Veteran seeking treatment by:

• Treating them with kindness and respect.
• Listening to their struggles without judgment.
• Helping to locate a professional who specializes in addiction or mental health treatment.

The words that people use can also contribute to stigma.¹¹ Using empowering rather than stigmatizing language can help individuals get the help they need.¹¹

For instance, words that can be stigmatizing (and what to use instead) include:¹¹

• Instead of “schizophrenic,” use “person with schizophrenia.”
• Instead of “alcoholic,” use “person with alcohol use disorder.”
• Instead of “abuser or addict,” use “person with a substance use disorder.”
• Instead of “committed suicide,” use “died by suicide.”
• Instead of “abuse,” use “misuse or use.”

Person-first language helps destigmatize getting help for mental health and substance use disorders.¹¹

Mental Health Treatments & Resources for Veterans

Veterans may benefit from specialized treatment that caters to their needs. If you or a loved one are looking for resources, you can contact American Addiction Centers at , use the Recovery.org directory, or contact the Department of Veterans Affairs.

There are many treatment options and different elements of care for those dealing with substance use and mental health conditions. 

Some potential treatment options include:¹²

• Medical detox: Detoxification helps you stop using substances safely and comfortably with medical support and, in some cases, withdrawal management medications.
• Behavioral therapy: Counseling and therapy on an individual or group basis will be important for both substance use disorder and mental health treatment. Marriage and family counseling may also be incorporated into your treatment regimen.
• Medications: Starting addiction treatment medications can help reduce cravings, e.g., methadone and buprenorphine for opiate addiction. 
• Support groups: Support groups and 12-Step peer recovery groups are a resource you can utilize to help you recover from substance use disorder.

There are various treatment modalities one may encounter while in treatment, such as:⁹

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR): A treatment that helps you process previously upsetting or problematic traumatic memories and trauma related feelings in a different manner (using bilateral stimulation techniques).
• Cognitive processing therapy (CPT): Through the framework of cognitive behavioral therapy, CPT involves several therapy sessions to help Veterans identify and change thoughts regarding traumatic experiences to live a healthier life.
• Prolonged exposure (PE): A PTSD treatment that helps Veterans gradually confront previously avoided traumatic experiences and memories, to improve certain PTSD symptoms.

If you’re finding it difficult to figure out what options are right for you, it’s best to consult a doctor, your treatment team, an addictions specialist, or a VA clinician for guidance. They can help you determine the appropriate level of care and direct you toward helpful treatments.

If you’re struggling with addiction, American Addiction Centers has facilities that offer Veteran-specialized programs. These programs recognize Veterans’ unique challenges and cater to their needs.

If you’re living with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, you should seek treatment for both conditions, since left unmanaged, one can make the other condition worse and vice versa.¹³ For example, if you live with both a substance use disorder and PTSD, integrated treatment that targets both is most effective.¹³

VA & Mental Health Treatment Options

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers Veterans various health services and benefits. The VA assists Veterans with healthcare coverage, home loans, education, life insurance, and more.

Active service members, family members, and Veterans can access free individual and group counseling for mental health conditions. VA insurance often covers all or part of the cost of mental health and substance use treatment. To get started, find a VA Center near you today.

Seeking treatment is a sign of strength. If you’re living with a substance use disorder and/or a co-occurring disorder, starting your recovery journey by attending detox or treatment can help you improve your overall health and quality of life.

If you’re a Veteran and need help getting into treatment, call American Addiction Centers at . Our team of admissions navigators can help you find treatment that the VA covers. You can also call AAC to verify your insurance benefits or use our online insurance verification tool to check your benefits. If you’re a Veteran in need of treatment, you can locate a treatment center by using the Recovery.org directory.