Military Psychiatry and Veterans Mental Health

Veterans Mental Health Care: A Look at VA Care in the Post WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq War Eras

All wars take a psychological toll on Veterans as mental health challenges follow many soldiers off the battlefield and into civilian life. However, little was understood about mental health ailments with symptoms ranging from sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, oftentimes referred to as battle fatigue or war neuroses, amongst others, until the 20th century. Advancements in medical and public perception grew to understand mental health conditions as a scientific clinical condition, not a form of personal or character weakness, culminating in the first identification of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in DSM-III as a mental health condition by the APA in 1980. Throughout its existence, the Department of Veterans Affairs and its predecessor organizations have cared for, treated, and studied Veterans living with these conditions and made advancements that have improved mental health care for all.

Today, the VA continues to provide services and care to Veterans of all wars suffering from mental illness and its effects. For more information, visit https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ If you are a Veteran in crisis or are concerned about a Veteran who is, call the Veterans Crisis Line to connect with caring, qualified responders for confidential help.

This gallery is dedicated to the military psychiatrists who increased their commitment to finding new approaches for those soldiers exposed to the psychological hazards of combat and to the servicemen and women who risked their lives to protect our freedom.

This exhibition is a partnership between the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). A special thank you to Katie Rories, VHA historian, for providing her expertise in Veterans Administration history; Peter G. Bourne, M.D., for the donation of his personal archives; and Mr. John Carty for loaning WWII artifacts from his personal collection.