Change Involves A Period Adjustment: Not Medication or Labels!

Anyone who has changed jobs knows how stressful it can be on the first day in a new role, for those leaving the military the assimilation experience can be extremely unsettling and isolating. As the veteran moves from one working environment to another, readjusting to life on Civvy Street, requires them to think, feel and act in a very different way, dependant upon the career chosen. When we take into account the returning veteran will, after years of service, bring unique life experiences to the new workplace that by definition, will separate them from work colleagues, its potentially problematic. For those with multiple deployments in war zones or those that were sexually assaulted, harassed or bullied during service or suffered discrimination because of race, class or sexuality the range of feelings experienced when taking up a new role can range from acute anxiety, uneasiness to abject fear. Watching how others behave becomes the norm for veterans struggling to adapt and fit in to the new environment. Sadly, many don’t. It’s a well recorded phenomena that veterans frequently change employment during the first five years of leaving military service. Not fitting in, can cause additional stresses and many seek medical advice at this time and are given prescription drugs to cope. Here-lies the problem, change and adjustment are part of life and and the human responses and feelings described above are normal and to be expected and can be worked through. The problem is many, once medicated are viewed by others and sometimes themselves as mentally unwell or ill. This label may well open up new doors with regard to accessing certain benefits or support but the downside is pathologizing change can have negative consequences such as loss of confidence, poor self esteem, unemployment, relationship breakdown and a host of other unintended consequences. One veteran told me that the biggest mistake he ever made was to willingly accept a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder in the hope he would get help to get well. Sadly, despite being in his early 40’s he hasn’t worked for the last 10 years as potential employers are put off by the long history of unemployment and his honesty in telling them about his diagnosis. The sad fact is, when it comes to mental health, prejudice and discrimination is both alive and well. In our society the impact of trauma is at best misunderstood and at times ignored. Not all veterans have been traumatised by service and those that have are probably undiagnosed. As I alluded to in a previous blog, it will be interesting to see how dedicated mental health support for military veterans is prioritised and delivered against the backdrop of a post Covid-19 pandemic and the anticipated 15 million people of all ages who also need priority mental health support in the coming years. If you are in the ‘talking therapies’ business its going to get busy and if you are in the pharmaceutical trade you are going to get rich.

Tony Wright CEO

Forward Assist