National Recovery Month: Veterans Share How Mental Health Care Transformed Their Lives

This year’s theme, This Version of Me, focuses on how Veterans worked through their mental health challenges with effective treatments to become healthier versions of themselves now and into the future. 

Jo, an Air Force Veteran, had never addressed the mental health impact of a 1996 terrorist attack on her barracks. When she transitioned to civilian life after 26 years of service, her family didn’t understand why she was anxious, hypervigilant, and isolating herself. With treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and the support of a women’s therapy group, Jo reconnected with her family, rebuilt her life, and reclaimed a sense of peace. 

“Through seeking help, you also gain a village of friends that will always lift you up,” Jo says. 

Kevin, an Army Veteran who served in an air defense artillery unit, started using drugs and alcohol in an attempt to cope with chronic ringing in his ears. He continued misusing substances for more than 20 years and eventually became homeless. Then he found treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy, that helped him manage his mental health conditions and become sober. 

“The way you think has a lot to do with the way you feel, and the way you feel has a lot to do with your behavior,” Kevin says. He became a peer specialist to help other Veterans on their recovery journeys. 

Personal stories like these amplify VA’s year-round message to Veterans: It’s OK to seek help, and there are a variety of evidence-based treatments that work. During National Recovery Month, learn more about the stories of Jo, Kevin, and other Veterans—and how to find the VA resources that helped them—by visiting MakeTheConnection.net/recovery. 

TELL-a-VET: The VA Maryland Health Care System has a comprehensive mental health program offering multidisciplinary inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services. We provide consultation, evaluation, and treatment for a variety of issues impacting Veterans’ emotional well-being. If you know a Veteran who could benefit from these services, please encourage them to apply for VA health care enrollment by calling 1- or visiting www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply. To speak with a care coordinator from the VA Maryland Health Care System Mental Health Clinical Center, call .