Question: My son is returning from serving in the army next month and I was wondering how I could tell if he has any mental health problems. I keep hearing about veterans having problems, so I want to know what to watch out for.
– Jennifer M., Glendale
Answer: A large number of returning service members are dealing with mental health issues including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders. Therefore, it is important to watch for signs of any of these problems so that they can be addressed properly without waiting for a crisis.
Here are a few of the more common symptoms that turn up for returning veterans: Increased irritability or getting angry over small things, hyper-vigilance – being overly nervous about noises or other things that are happening as well as difficulty sleeping due to anxiety, flashbacks and disassociation- reliving in the mind a particularly scary moment from the battlefield, relationship problems- this can be caused by the long separation during deployment but can also be a related to increased irritability due to depression or PTSD.
As always, if you are concerned that there may be a problem, it never hurts to get an evaluation. In the case of a veteran, I would recommend contacting the Veteran Affairs (VA) or finding a mental health professional that specializes in veterans or trauma treatment as they would be best suited to evaluate and treat any issues.
Is depression hereditary?
Question: My mother and sister both have had serious problems with depression and anxiety. Is this hereditary? Should I be worried? – Joe R., Jackson Heights
Answer: There is a lot of research being done on this topic. It is definitely more common to have a mental illness if someone else in your immediate family does. Understanding why that is where it gets complicated. Research has shown a hereditary biological factor to many mental illnesses. However, in addition to biological factors, there are also important social factors that play a role in mental illnesses. For example, if someone was laid-off of their job then they would be more likely to be depressed.
Similarly, growing up and/or living with others that have a negative outlook on life can influence your own view of the world and methods for coping with challenges.
The bottom line is that while there are some hereditary and social factors, every person and situation is unique. If you think you might have a mental illness, as usual, I recommend getting an evaluation from a professional.
Also, there are many support groups and programs for family members of those with mental illnesses. A great resource for this in New York is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Jacob Berelowitz, LMSW is host and executive director of Talk Therapy Television. He can be reached at jacob@talktherapytv.org.
