Veterans share how mental health care improved their lives

How would you finish the sentence: “Today, I am …”? Would you say you’re hopeful, motivated, anxious, lonely, indifferent or something else? Ideally, how would you like to end that sentence?

During Mental Health Month in May, VA is sharing stories from Veterans like Bridget and Greg who describe how their lives and perspectives have improved since receiving professional mental health care. Each story completes the thought, “Today, I am …” and includes information about the treatments that helped each Veteran process their past, manage their symptoms and map out their future.

Today, Bridget is connected

Bridget faced hardships during her Navy service—including abuse from a fellow service member and partner—that took a toll on her mental health and ability to form relationships. Dialectical behavior therapy and other VA-provided treatments helped her manage her posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Mental health care also helped her open up and move beyond the isolation that had served as her comfort zone, in part by finding groups that shared her interest in creative arts.

“There is something going on in your area that’s a Veterans’ group that’s doing something creative,” Bridget said. “Connect to the community because that’s something that changed things for me drastically. Find that in your region and just connect.”

Today, Greg is recovering

During and after his service in the Army from 1985 to 1988, Greg faced challenges with depression and substance misuse, which got him into trouble for two decades. Nothing helped for the long term until he started visiting a VA hospital. Greg got on track to recovery by starting medication for depression, following a 12-step recovery program for his substance misuse and addressing his mental health through therapy.

“I haven’t had a drug in almost 12 years,” said Greg, who has since attended college, married and bought his first home. He advises any Veteran experiencing mental health or substance misuse challenges to reach out to VA, adding, “It saved my life.”

How are you today?

This May, Veterans and their supporters are encouraged to think about how they would like to finish the thought, “Today, I am …” and find inspiration in stories from Veterans like Bridget and Greg.

To learn more about how mental health support at VA has helped these Veterans and could help you, too, visit the Make the Connection website.