The Transition House Blog

Charles Prescott, a local Army veteran, was recently in need of some home improvements. Volunteers from The Transition House worked with Home Depot’s Giving Back Program and the Home Builders Institute to provide help.

Charles, who served in Operation Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Granada, recently underwent triple bypass surgery and is wheelchair bound. He served in the Army for ten years and was discharged after an injury. His current home was not setup to meet his needs, which limited his ability to go in and out of his home.

Servicemen and women have always taken care of their physical health. In today’s world, mental health is just as important.

While military life can be rewarding, it is also difficult. According to a study conducted in 2014, 1 in 4 active duty members showed signs of a mental health condition. The mental health concerns of veterans are unique. Things you might have seen or experienced during your time in the military can affect your long term mental health, and make it difficult to transition to civilian life. Even veterans that have successfully transitioned may have lingering mental health concerns.

Attending family counseling is a step in the right direction for families in need. Especially when those families have a military background. Whether it is as a spouse or a child, family members can carry heavy burdens from living the life of service. Issues related to previous deployments, and life in general, can cause significant problems in a family's functioning. In extreme cases, this can even result in domestic abuse and violence. Counseling can help families navigate theses issues in a health and positive way.

Heroes on the Water helps our nation’s warriors, and veterans from all branches of the United States Military, unwind using the therapeutic qualities of fishing from kayaks. What looks like a day trip of paddling and fishing is in fact something much deeper and longer-lasting. Heroes on the Water was founded in 2007 and today offers its services all over the United States. Their program is a very unique form of outdoor therapy for veterans.

The kayak fishing program allows participants a chance to relax from the stresses associated with PTSD and the physical effects of rehabilitation. These veterans are able to relax in a scenic setting while on guided fishing trips held in local communities with other veterans much like themselves.

Diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder – the inability to cope with daily life with abusing some type of substance – is about the same for veterans and civilians.

However, when it comes to the factors leading to substance abuse -- and possible dependence on a substance -- that is where the parallels separate.

The culture of the military, the experiences of veterans and struggle to fit in is at the root of substance abuse among veterans.

Successfully changing the life of an area veteran through The Transition House’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families program has gotten the attention of the U.S. Veterans Administration.

It was Yvette DeJesus, supervisor of the program at The Transition House, who helped an Army veteran who had become homeless after being released from prison.

The work of Yvette was recognized in a blog published in VAntage Point, the official blog of the U.S. Veterans Administration.

About 22 veterans a day take their own life, according to statistics released by the U.S. Veterans Administration.
The rate of suicide among veterans remained fairly constant through 2003, but began to spike following wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The number of estimated daily suicides was 19 through 2007, but rose to 22 self-inflicted deaths in 2009. 

The statistics out there can be overwhelming. 

There are big numbers when it comes to the statistics that surround mental health and substance abuse that goes untreated for veterans. From the number of veterans dealing with these issues to the numbers that stand for those veterans who are dealing with issues that go untreated every day.

When it comes to substance abuse and the military, veterans are not immune to the problems faced by so many other Americans. Illicit drug use, such as marijuana or hallucinogens, may not be as widely abused, but heavy alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug use is a common problem for veterans or those who have recently returned from active duty. 

Photo Credit: Flickr