This applies even if the individual isnt enrolled in the VA system.
Some information in this article may be triggering for certain readers.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Verywell / Laura Porter
I didnt have the mental capacity or the time to deal with anything personal.
Anything that had to do with myself just got pushed out of the wayit didnt matter.
Lees mental health started to spiral when she got home in October 2004, though.
Theveteransays she thought about suicide and felt angry and depressed.
Thats when she was able to begin acknowledging the rapes and healing from them.
The effects of MST can impact a veterans mental health in profound ways, even years after the incident.
That interpersonal trauma can be a significant betrayal.
As a result, survivors struggle to feel safe among others and often isolate themselves away fromsupport systems.
Survivors of MST also tend to have higher rates of other types of trauma.
Theyre more likely to have endured sexual and physical abuse in childhood.
Whos to say that I wasnt lying, or making something up, or remembering things differently?
Since then, advocates have been trying to make improvements for MST survivors.
That is the first step.
Even after 17 years, she still has her bad days, but has been doing much better.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
January 13, 2023.
U. S. Army.The army values.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Military sexual trauma.
The American Legion.Legion stands for MST survivors, veterans survivors.
