Resources

The CDC defines Mental Health Stigma as “negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes people may hold towards those who experience mental health conditions”. How does this specifically affect veterans when they are attempting to access mental health care?

Veterans may delay or avoid seeking mental health treatment due to stigma. They may isolate themselves and not reach out to their support systems. Over time, this can begin to affect a person’s sense of self-esteem and overall mental wellness. They may begin to lose opportunities for jobs, housing, friendships, and relationships.

Asking for help can be very difficult in a culture that values strength and self-sufficiency. Many veterans find themselves in frequent contact with people who do not understand what they went through. Additionally, we may have received harmful messages from our family or society about the symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression or PTSD that continue to prevent us from getting treatment. This is true for both veterans and civilians.

At Battle Borne, veterans will find a welcoming environment to begin their healing journey. Everyone is starting from a different place and that’s okay! Our services range from the “basics” such as housing (Battle Borne barracks), food assistance (Food Share program), and transportation to many wellness programs.

I really want to focus on these wellness programs because this is where the healing can really begin! Imagine a veteran feeling unsure about recovery and who feels some stigma who starts to go to a 12-step meeting with other veterans who knows what he or she has been through. Their experience would probably be better than someone who went to a 12-step meeting with people whose experience was a lot different from theirs right? Or imagine someone going not just to yoga but to trauma informed yoga with other veterans!

So what are all the services that Battle Borne offers to veterans and their families? There are so many I can’t go over them all but in addition to the ones mentioned above we also have sober recreational and community events such as movie days and sporting events, nutrition education, art programs, peer support programs and services to help veterans to get back into the workforce.

Here at Battle Borne we pride ourselves on creating a community that is supportive of veterans and their families. Come join us and see how we can support you!