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When most people think of disabled veterans, they think of physical ailments like the loss of limbs, burns, and other injuries. Few people understand the impact of cognitive disorders on quality of life, and many veterans miss out on benefits for mental health issues. Military service can have a major impact on your mental health, and many people underestimate how these can affect your quality of life.
The Three Major Mental Health Challenges That Veterans Face
One essential, but often overlooked, source of support is veterans’ compensation for cognitive disorders. While many psychological conditions can overshadow the life of a veteran after the service years, three stand out as the most common ones.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
There is an intense amount of stress associated with military service and active duty. Being involved in combat, witnessing assaults, being exposed to violence, and loss of life is mentally devastating. This type of trauma can cause flashbacks, trouble sleeping, memory loss, anger, nightmares, and drug abuse.
When these issues persist over time, the most common diagnosis is PTSD. This can affect your quality of life and make it difficult to work. The Veteran’s Administration offers benefits to help with the costs of your treatment and provide you with replacement income.
Depression
While most people experience sadness, anxiety, or despair, depression is typically a more severe form of these feelings. Depression requires medical treatment and can interfere with activities of daily living.
Military service can amplify the severity of depression and create an unbearable living situation. The Veteran’s Administration has numerous programs that can assist with your recovery from depression and improve your quality of life.
Traumatic Brain Injury
If you have suffered a significant blow to the head, you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This injury can cause headaches, mood swings, memory loss, fatigue, and drowsiness.
A TBI can make it difficult for you to obtain gainful employment, maintain a job or run a business. The VA has resources that can help veterans who suffer from brain injuries.
Cognitive and Mental Health Disorders Eligible for VA Benefits
The Veteran’s Administration covers a variety of conditions that affect your ability to learn, understand, think critically or problem-solve. These covered conditions include, but are not limited to:
- Neurocognitive disorders
- Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions
- Vascular neurocognitive disorders
- Substance abuse damage
- Cognitive disorders due to other conditions
This list is by no means exhaustive, and there is a range of ailments for which the VA will provide you with treatment and offer lifelong benefits.
Getting Benefits for Your Mental or Cognitive Impairment
There are several steps you can take to receive benefits for mental health or cognitive disorder. First, you will have to present a valid diagnosis from a qualified professional. Your VA disability attorney can help you gather your medical records and present them to the VA for verification.
The second thing you have to do is prove that your injury was caused by an “in-service event.” This means that you will have to show that your injury happened as a direct result of your service and not from another cause. Your attorney can help with this as well.
Finally, you will have to show a direct connection between the injury and the “in-service event.” This means that there has to be a clear pattern that shows that your injury was a direct result of your “in-service” event. An attorney can help with this process as well.
Military service can leave scars on both the body and mind. It can be hard to maintain your standard of living after a traumatic event, brain injury, or mental illness. When this happens, you need a skilled attorney to help you get the veterans’ compensation for cognitive disorders that you deserve.
Look After Your Mental Health
Unfortunately, mental health often falls second to physical health. However, the wounds can be just as severe and debilitating. Going through active service is an intense life experience that can be sprinkled with various traumatic events that are not easy to process. Do not hesitate to reach out to a therapist for counseling and guidance.
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