PTSD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions, especially among military service members. Despite growing awareness, myths persist—about who gets it, why it happens, and what it looks like. To help clear things up, here’s a fictional but realistic conversation between a service member and his behavioral health provider, designed to separate fact from fiction.
19,167
The number of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to service members for 2024 Q1–Q4, according to the Defense Health Agency.
Military-connected children often demonstrate remarkable strength and resilience, thriving through many changes and transitions. However, they also belong to a population that experiences unique stressors such as frequent relocations, long separations from extended family, and having to adjust to new schools and environments repeatedly. While this lifestyle brings opportunities, such as exposure to diverse cultures and friendships around the world, it also may pose some challenges like disrupted routines, interrupted education, emotional strain, and family stress.
56.9%
The percentage of U.S. veterans who "endorsed feeling lonely some of the time or often," according to a research brief from the Department of Veterans Affairs: Loneliness and Social Isolation – Risk Factors for Suicide.
The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, and useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● Developing and implementing a process improvement intervention to expand evidence-based psychotherapy in the Department of Defense.
● What Do Successful Military-to-Civilian Transitions Look Like? A Revised Framework and a New Conceptual Model for Assessing Veteran Well-Being.
● Ethical considerations and practical suggestions for CBT consultation in mental health implementation research and practice.