Mississippi veterans urged to seek PTSD help during Awareness Month

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Millions of Americans live with post-traumatic stress disorder, and this June, mental health experts at the Jackson VA Hospital are urging Mississippi veterans not to wait to get help.

June is PTSD Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to combat stigma and connect those struggling with trauma to available resources. At the Jackson VA Hospital, counselors say the disorder is far more common than most people realize, and it rarely looks the way Hollywood portrays it.

“What we typically see is individuals who are trying their best to manage with an insurmountable amount of negative emotions, anger, fear, shame, guilt, sadness, regret,” said Alex Rakhshan, manager of the PTSD Residential Program at the Jackson VA Hospital. “And they’ve done their best. They’ve done the best they can to manage through.”

Rakhshan, a licensed psychologist with nearly 10 years of experience, says one of the biggest barriers to treatment is avoidance, and it doesn’t always look the way people expect.

“Avoidance takes many forms, such as working really hard, doing a lot of work in the community, volunteering, staying really focused on the needs of other people,” Rakhshan said. “And while that is laudable, ultimately it serves as a way to stay away from and push away some of those challenging beliefs.”

Rakhshan says PTSD affects all ages and walks of life, not just combat veterans. Natural disasters, car accidents, childhood abuse and neglect can all be triggers. However, veterans face a higher prevalence of the disorder due to the elevated dangers of military service.

Treatment at the VA has changed dramatically over the last decade. Veterans can now receive therapy from the comfort of their own homes through video health technology. Shorter treatment options, like written exposure therapy, a five-session program, are also now widely available, lowering the barrier for veterans hesitant to commit to a full course of treatment.

Iraq War veteran Mike Watkins knows that barrier well. Watkins served as a medic, deploying to Iraq in October 2003 and returning in November 2004. He was stationed in Balad, Taji, Fallujah, Samarra and Mosul. After coming home, he spent years managing hypervigilance, avoiding crowds and struggling to readjust to civilian life before seeking treatment.

“Whether you got a performance car or you’re just trying to take care of your body or you’re cleaning up your house, maintenance is key,” Watkins said. “The way you create muscles is by ripping and regrowing new ones. That’s a metaphor for what you’re doing emotionally.”

Rakhshan says the first step doesn’t have to be intimidating. “They can just give us a call. We don’t lock you in. You don’t need a signature on a form guaranteeing you’re going to show up. We’re here to serve,” Rakhshan said.

The Jackson VA Hospital offers a range of PTSD treatment options, from in-person counseling to medication to video therapy from home. Veterans and their caregivers are encouraged to contact the Jackson VA Hospital to learn more. No appointment is needed to make that first call.

PTSD affects an estimated 12 million Americans in any given year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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