NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — Thanksgiving can be a challenging time for many veterans, with stress and mental health concerns often increasing during the holiday.
Some mental health experts say awareness and access to support can make a critical difference.
While Thanksgiving is often a time of celebration, it can also bring feelings of anxiety. stress, and irritability.
For some veterans, past military combat trauma and PTSD can become more intense this time of year.
Large crowds and loud noises are certain things that can trigger veterans during the holiday.
Kathleen Young is the Director for Behavioral Health for NOVANT Health.
She says allowing room to adjust can be a big step in making veterans feel comfortable during the holidays.
“There are things you can do and sometimes they’re a little bit more simple than what you would think, and I think the first piece is a lot of times we put a lot of expectations on the way things should be at the holidays, and that things need to be exactly as they’ve been for years and years, and so to be able to be flexible and allow things to be different and maybe not the same is really important,” said Young.
There are many resources available in the Wilmington area for veterans.
The national crisis line is 9-8-8, and if you’re a veteran, be sure to dial — “one.”