Combat veterans can experience long lasting emotional and spiritual pain from participating in, witnessing, or failing to prevent traumatic events that violate their core values or expectations of themselves or others. Some have described such experiences as 'a deep soul wound that pierces a person’s identity' leaving veterans to question who they are and how they can relate to others. As a result, veterans may experience symptoms of PTSD, depression or substance use, or they may consider ending their own lives. Researchers at the San Diego VA are tackling these critical questions with research aimed to understand how to help veterans recover from such events and resume their meaningful, fulfilling lives. For more information, read the VA VAntage Point Blog.
For more on veteran healthcare and benefits, visit the Military.com Benefits section.