An emotional or mental health crisis can occur for a variety of different reasons. For those who have served in the military, these crises may be heightened by past trauma related to the military. Whether you are a veteran or the loved one of a veteran, these are some of the signs of crisis:

Many veterans suffer from chronic pain, which is defined as any pain lasting more than three months that results in a loss of life quality. Chronic pain is complex and affects the body, mind, and emotional state. Medications alone are often not enough to help our veterans, and their side effects can cause medical professionals to limit their use.

If you are a veteran, a family member, or a caregiver of a veteran there are a number of resources available to help with mental health issues. Veterans are tough but they don’t have to deal with mental health on their own. After active service or deployment, there is a high incidence of veterans having substance abuse issues, a high rate of suicide, and other mental health problems. It’s a very unfortunate situation but help is available.