The soldier had danced with us before, but tonight we were meeting in a new location and something was clearly wrong. He stood frozen at the door, his breath shallow, his eyes searching for a way out.  

“It’s this room,” he said. “But I think it’ll be okay. There’s just this one door, but I can throw one of those chairs through the window to get out if I have to.”

This is the world tens of thousands of soldiers and veterans live in. Acute awareness of their environment and their own personal safety keeps them alive in extremely dangerous situations. Now back home, their PTSD puts them on high alert at a moment’s notice. And their loved ones struggle to understand the change in them and the many challenges they face.

THEY TEND TO JUST STAY AWAY

In the audio clip above, a VA recovery professional talks about how “unknown variables” keep veterans with PTSD and brain injury from participating in social activities put on by the community.

prevalence of ptsd among veterans

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD affects:

• 29% of veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan

• 21% of Persian Gulf War veterans

• 10% Vietnam veterans

Of the 5.8 million veterans treated by the VA in 2024, 14% of men and 24% of women were diagnosed with PTSD. Nearly one in four veterans treated by the VA have had PTSD at some point in their lives.

Impact of PTSD

PTSD can cause intense isolation and distress, including:

• re-experiencing the original trauma in flashbacks and nightmares

• feeling constantly tense and “on guard”

• inability to cope with daily living

• difficulty remembering things

• acute discomfort in group settings

• difficulty relating to your spouse, family, or friends

• feeling emotionally cut off from others

• difficulty sleeping

Veterans affected by PTSD face sobering statistics, from high unemployment, divorce, and suicide rates, to increased risk of substance abuse, depression, and homelessness. They also face health problems related to ongoing stress and anxiety.

Brain Injury and veterans

Approximately 67% of veterans in the US have experienced at least one traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Department of Defense calls brain trauma one of the “signature injuries” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan due to head injuries from improvised explosive devices. From 2000-2019, more than 400,000 service members were diagnosed with TBI.

Symptoms of brain injury include headaches, irritability, sleep disturbance, impaired memory, slower thinking, and depression. In VA facilities, 80% of veterans diagnosed with TBI also had psychiatric diagnoses. Ultimately, brain injury can impact long-term mental and physical health, affecting employment, reintegration, and relationships, and increase the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

A Ripple Effect

Effects of PTSD and brain injury stretch beyond the individuals afflicted, affecting relationships with spouses, children, friends, and the broader community. According to one researcher, “The harrowing combination of nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, hyperarousal, anger, and depression that plagues people with PTSD is … often overwhelming for family members, too.” Researchers cite PTSD as one of the mental health issues most likely to have a negative impact on relationships.

[1] “Helping Families Cope with PTSD,” Tori DeAngelis, American Psychological Association, Monitor on Psychology, January 2008, Vol. 39, No. 1.