As an Advanced Medical Support Specialist with Health Administration Services (HAS) at the Department of Veterans Affairs, I see every day how hard it can be for veterans to get the mental health care they need. My team and I are often the first people they talk to when they’re upset or frustrated. We’re also the ones who have to break the bad news, whether it’s about delays or services they don’t qualify for. These experiences have shown me how many challenges veterans face when they’re just trying to get help.
The VA system can feel like an endless maze. Veterans dealing with PTSD, depression, or anxiety already have enough on their plate, but they also face piles of paperwork, confusing policies, and long wait times for appointments. Many get so frustrated that they just give up. A phrase I hear all the time is, “hurry up and wait.” It really describes how veterans feel, like they’re stuck in a system that moves too slowly. In some areas, veterans wait up to 40 days just to get a mental health appointment, according to a 2022 VA report. For someone in crisis, waiting that long can feel unbearable.
Stigma makes things even worse. Many veterans feel like they have to “tough it out” because asking for help might seem like weakness. I’ve talked to veterans who were clearly struggling but said things like, “I should be able to handle this on my own.” It’s heartbreaking because no one should have to face these battles alone. A study in 2021 showed that 61% of veterans with PTSD didn’t get help, and stigma was a big reason why.
Another big challenge is that there aren’t enough mental health providers. New counselors or therapists join the VA with the best intentions, but they quickly get overwhelmed by the number of veterans they need to see. Many leave for other jobs in the VA that are less stressful, which only makes the problem worse. Some areas have staffing shortages as high as 30%, according to the VA Office of Inspector General. This means even longer waits for care, leaving veterans struggling even more.
Even though veterans can seek mental health services whether their condition is service-related or not, there are still rules and steps they have to meet. This can confuse or discourage them, especially if their struggles are from things like childhood trauma or civilian life challenges that don’t fit the VA’s criteria. It’s hard to watch veterans get turned away when they clearly need help.
Thankfully, there are programs that make a real difference, like the Moral Injury and PTSD Initiative and the Veterans Crisis Line. The Moral Injury Initiative helps veterans work through feelings of guilt or shame about their service, while the Crisis Line is there for anyone in immediate crisis. These resources are great, but they can’t fix the bigger problems with the system.
The numbers don’t lie. Around 20% of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD, according to the VA National Center for PTSD. But almost half of veterans with mental health issues don’t seek care, often because they feel ashamed or believe they should deal with it on their own. It’s a heartbreaking reality I see every day.
Working at the VA has taught me how important it is to listen to veterans and push for change. They’ve given so much for this country, and they deserve a system that works for them, not against them. We need more resources, more providers, and a simpler, more compassionate approach. Veterans have already sacrificed so much the least we can do is make sure they get the care they need to heal and move forward.
References
Department of Veterans Affairs. Mental Health: Access and Availability of Services. 2022, https://www.va.gov.
National Center for PTSD. Prevalence of PTSD in Veterans and Military Personnel. 2021, https://www.ptsd.va.gov.
Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Review of Mental Health Staffing at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. 2020, https://www.va.gov/oig.
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