Vets & Mental Healthcare

It’s no secret that veterans suffer a number of mental health issues, and often silently. The number of suicides among veterans is above average, and from my limited knowledge, the solutions offered to them are just as pathetic, if not more so than the options offered everyone else. Pair that with the prevalent culture of ‘suck it up and deal, you weak thing,’ and you get a deadly combination.

My oldest uncle was a veteran. He had a number of health issues, both mental and physical. Over the weekend, he lost the battle with Depression and Anxiety, and died by suicide. He and I weren’t close, so aside from general sadness, and deep concern for the rest of my family, I’m not having much of a reaction to this. I feel for his wife, and for my grandma. I know that what they’re going through right now is pure hell. I know there’s nothing I can do to make it better. I also know that there is no way I’m going to just not speak, for lack of words that will help them.

This issue, the problems with mental healthcare, with the availability, the acceptability, the research into causes… It needs to be addressed. We’re losing people left and right. Good people.