Dr. Elena Klaw Psych.190

 Why do many veterans want to re-enlist once they separate from the military?

 Sense that I should be “back there” fighting with/for my buddies  Sense that part of me is back on deployment  Nothing will ever compare…  Thinking about loss takes over everything else  People piss me off and/or disappoint me all the time  Everything feels trivial compared to military experience  Hard to trust that other people genuinely care or could understand if they have never experienced military life  Not getting the respect that was earned  The University can be a cold, overwhelming bureaucracy and the hurdles can feel pointless.

 Who do you talk to when it is hard to keep going?  What does that source of support do that’s helpful?  What kind of support doesn’t help?

AVOIDING UNHEALTHY COPINGFINDING SUPPORT  Substance abuse  Risky sex  Driving too fast  Fighting  Avoidance  U. Counseling Services  VA/Vet Center  Veteran Student Org.  12 step groups  Religious organization  School clubs/projects  Volunteer work  Honor society  Communicate to partner  Reassuming family roles  Communicate to friends  Listen to others’ perspectives

 Level of social support seems to relate more to PTSD onset than to chronic course  Spouses/relatives are a source of both support and stress  Vet friends are cited as source of support with little stress  Severe PTSD does not seem to erode family support (they stick around!)  PTSD in vet often leads to vicarious trauma in partners, is linked to increased psych and health problems and poor child functioning  Can conclude: different sources of support have different benefits and risks