National Alliance on Mental Illness
Veteran's Support

NAMI Veteran's Resource Center

NAMI is proud to provide a comprehensive set of resources for veterans and active duty military members, as well as their families, friends and advocates.

Recent studies tell us that nearly a third of veterans who seek care through Veterans Administration (VA) health centers receive mental health diagnoses. With more and more soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental health concerns, NAMI recognizes the need for increased services for veterans and their families.

The number of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder from the Department of Veterans Affairs jumped by nearly 20,000—almost 70 percent—in the 12 months ending June 30, 2007, VA records show.

More than 100,000 combat veterans sought help for mental illness since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001, about one in seven of those who have left active duty since then, according to VA records collected through June, 2007. Almost half of those were PTSD cases.

The total of mental health cases among war veterans grew by 58 percent from 63,767 on June 30, 2006, to 100,580 on June 30, 2007, VA records show. The mental health issues include PTSD, drug and alcohol dependency, and depression. They involve troops who left the military and sought health care from the veterans department.

A study released on March 12, 2007 stated that of 103,788 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans seen at VA health care facilities, 25,658 (25%) received mental health diagnoses; 56 percent of whom had 2 or more distinct mental health diagnoses.

Overall, 32,010 (31%) of veterans in the March 12, 2007 study received mental health and/or psychosocial diagnoses. The youngest group of OEF/OIF veterans (age, 18-24 years) were at greatest risk for receiving mental health or posttraumatic stress disorder diagnoses compared with veterans 40 years or older.

In 2003, an estimated 56.6 percent of veterans used alcohol in the past month compared with 50.8 percent of comparable nonveterans. An estimated 13.2 percent of veterans reported driving while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs in the past year compared with 12.2 percent of comparable nonveterans.

Daily cigarette use was more common among veterans, with an estimated 18.8 percent smoking cigarettes daily in the past month compared with 14.3 percent of comparable nonveterans.

In 2002-2003, an estimated 1.2 million male veterans were identified as suffering from serious mental illnesses. Approximately 340,000 of these individuals had co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Approximately 209,000 female veterans (13.1 percent) reported serious mental illness, and 25,000 (1.6 percent) reported co-occurring substance use disorder and SMI.

In the years since these studies, incidence numbers have continued to soar.

With our Veterans Resources Center, NAMI has consolidated the most useful and relevant online resources. Whether you are looking for information on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, mental illness, or how to obtain Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, the Veteran's Resource Center provides a comprehensive list of online resources for information and recovery solutions.