Interviews

Veterans seek mental health support

by Mark Rowe

Combat Stress, the UK veterans’ mental health charity, reports a rise in Afghanistan veterans seeking mental health support. The charity speaks of a 57 per cent increase in Afghanistan Veterans seeking Combat Stress’ support from 2012 to 2013. Combat Stress received 358 new Afghanistan Veteran referrals in 2013, compared to 228 in 2012. Combat Stress has a caseload of over 660 Afghanistan Veterans.

With troops withdrawing from all but two bases in Afghanistan’s Helmand province in March this year, the number of Veterans needing treatment is likely to continue to increase.

Combat Stress, founded after the First World War, provides clinical treatment and welfare support to UK veterans suffering from psychological injuries. The charity spends nearly £14m a year on services to veterans suffering from mental ill-health.

Combat Stress has found that, on average, veterans wait 13 years after leaving service before seeking their help but this has fallen to an average of 18 months for Afghanistan veterans.

With a current caseload of over 5,400 across the UK, more veterans than at any time in its 95-year history, Combat Stress offers free clinical treatment programmes at its specialist centres, community and outreach support, occupational therapy and a 24-hour helpline, 0800 138 1619.

Commodore Andrew Cameron, Chief Executive of Combat Stress, said: “A small, yet significant number of Veterans who serve in the Armed Forces each year continue to relive the horrors they experienced on the frontline. Day in, day out, they battle these hidden psychological wounds, often tearing families apart in the process.

“Twenty per cent of veterans are likely to suffer from mental ill-health. They have faced unique challenges and require – and deserve – specialist support to help them overcome these challenges. However, with demand for our services already surging, Combat Stress faces a real challenge in continuing to provide our unique life changing clinical treatment and support services to those who need it.

“We are planning for services at or above the current level for at least the next five years, and we do not expect to see demand for support tail-off in the near future. We have had great support from the Government and the public over recent years and we simply could not operate without the generosity we have experienced. We cannot allow the ex-Service men and women who suffer from the invisible injuries of war to go unnoticed and untreated. This is an unnecessary drain on society and our veterans and families deserve better.” Visit http://combatstress.org.uk.

Related News

  • Interviews

    Associations’ first event

    by Mark Rowe

    The first joint security associations evening event in London raised £16,000 for two charities, St Giles Trust and PTSD Resolution. Pictured are…

  • Interviews

    Ransomware view

    by Mark Rowe

    Ransomware does damage beyond the ransom fee, writes Graeme Newman, Chief Innovation Officer at business insurance company CFC Underwriting. Headlines about ransomware…

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay on top of security news and events.

© 2024 Professional Security Magazine. All rights reserved.

Website by MSEC Marketing