Why do veterans suffer?

Reasons for mental health issues and the problems they bring include the stress of being in combat (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), survivor guilt, grief, and Traumatic Brain Injury. All these can drive people to despair and even alter the brain.

Why is war bad for soldiers?

War is particularly traumatic for soldiers because it often involves intimate violence, including witnessing death through direct combat, viewing the enemy before or after killing them, and watching friends and comrades die. Young adults exposed to military combat may also be at greater risk than their older peers.

Do vets like being thanked?

But according to a poll commissioned by the Cohen Veterans Network, 49\% of veterans don’t actually like to be thanked. The poll results show 49\% of vets feel uneasy with the expression, “Thank you for your service.”

Do veterans have to fight in war?

A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has served directly in combat in a war is further defined as a war veteran (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat took place, are necessarily referred to as wars).

What PTSD really looks like?

Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.

What are veterans most at risk for?

The more common mental disorders among veterans are PTSD and depression. For example, exposure to trauma or suffering a TBI while in the service can lead to increased risk of both substance abuse and PTSD or depression.

Do vets like being thanked for their service?

During a recent interview with the New York Times, Army veteran Michael Freedman, 33, feels like the thanks “alleviates some of the civilian guilt,” adding: “They have no skin in the game with these wars. There’s no draft. No real opinions either,” he said.

Is it bad to say Happy Veterans Day?

“Just be normal and ask them about their greatest accomplishments, both personal and professional, if they choose to share.” Akilah McNair, a U.S. Army veteran, told USA TODAY that Veterans Day is not the time to say you don’t support the military.

Are you a veteran if you never went to war?

Now, under the new law, anyone eligible for reserve component retirement benefits is considered a veteran, said Krenz. “Anyone who has reached 20 years of service, even if they were never activated on a [federal] order for more than 180 days outside of training, will now be considered a veteran,” he said.

Are all ex military veterans?

All people retired from the military are veterans, but not all veterans are military retirees.