Trauma Therapy for Veterans and Soldiers
Our veterans and soldiers face a host of unique challenges when it comes to managing their mental health. Not only are they risking their lives when deployed to dangerous and chaotic areas of the globe, they are often forced to cope in silence far away from their families and the communities that support them.
Due to the nature of the work, veterans and soldiers can experience negative health repercussions, loss of limbs and other physical impairments that affect them for the rest of their lives. Even when serving at home in a relatively safe setting, military families are faced with frequent moves where they can be stationed across the country. The uncertainty of what the future holds is a difficult thing to deal with for both soldiers and their families.
Types of mental health disorders affecting veterans and soldiers
Although the impact of the job is far reaching for veterans and soldiers there are common mental health problems faced by many. These include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Suicie or suicidal thoughts
- Substance use disorder
In a study of veterans who were released from service between 1998 and 2007, about 24 percent reported they had a diagnosed mental health condition such as PTSD, depression or anxiety.
Mental health treatment for veterans and soldiers
Treatment options for veterans and soldiers vary but the primary modalities supported by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) include:
- Medication management
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Supporting our troops on the battleground of mental health and well being
According to one of the largest studies of mental health risk among military members, the rate of major depression among soldiers was five times as high as civilians, and the rate of PTSD was nearly 15 times higher.
Veterans and soldiers sacrifice their lives to protect and serve our country and at Equinox therapy we strongly support the treatment and mental well being of our troops.
If you or a veteran you care about is facing difficulty coping with PTSD, depression and their mental health, we encourage you to reach out to our team. Members of our team specialize in supporting veterans suffering from PTSD and we can help you begin the journey of healing.
If you’d like to set up a consultation to find out more, visit our contact page.
Empower yourself!
Find out more information about our services.
To figure out if therapy is right for you, talk to one of our registered psychologists or counsellors.