Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol: Support for Veterans

Taking care of your mental health, drug, or alcohol issues takes courage and is a sign of strength. There are many programs and people ready to help Veterans and Service Members.

If you’re not sure about getting help:

• Know the signs of needing help
• Use these screening tools to understand the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, drug, and alcohol use
• Know the signs of PTSD and learn about PTSD treatment options
• Take a confidential, anonymous stress and depression quiz

Find support in your community

Many community groups can help with mental health, drug, or alcohol issues. These groups can help you talk with people who have gone through treatment and recovery, get to appointments, or pay your bills. Find a support group or local program.

Talk with your loved ones and community members—you may be surprised by how many people’s lives have been touched by mental health, drug, or alcohol issues and want to help. Get tips on how to ask for help.

Get help from VA

Veterans Affairs (VA) can connect you with help for mental health, drug, or alcohol issues or thoughts of suicide—no matter your discharge status, service history, or eligibility for or enrollment in VA health care.

You can find:

• Help right away if you are thinking about hurting yourself or others
• VA treatment programs for drug or alcohol use and mental health
• Support for survivors of suicide loss
• Grief and spiritual support from the VA National Chaplain Service
• Resources and tools for managing your money
• Moving Forward is a free, online educational and life coaching program that teaches problem-solving skills to help you to better handle life's challenges. It is designed to be especially helpful for veterans, service members and their families.

VA also has resources to help you cope with life’s challenges including your career, education, finances, and relationships.

Find your nearest VA location for mental health, drug, or alcohol prevention and treatment services, including reaching a suicide prevention specialist.

Get help from a Vet Center

Vet Centers can help you improve your emotional health through no-cost community-based counseling—including family and couples counseling. These services can help you talk through problems during or after military service in a safe and confidential space. They can also help you find the care and resource you need—and connect you with other Veterans in your community.

Qualifying for these services depends on military experience, including National Guard or Reserve components and their families. Check if you qualify for Vet Center Services.

• Find a Vet Center
• Ask questions about Vet Center programs and availability by calling 1-877-927-8387 (open 24/7)
• Learn more about Vet Centers

Hear from other Veterans who found support

After watching the events of 9/11 unfold as children, Mario and his friends made a pact to join the military. Mario enjoyed serving as a gunner’s mate in the Navy and took pride in his work, but he felt like he no longer mattered when he left the service. With his wife’s encouragement, he sought mental health support.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Deborah experienced symptoms of PTSD and endured substance misuse and abusive relationships. She reached out to VA for support and discovered that opening up and trusting in others created the path to recovery she needed.

Hear from more Veterans and get connected with resources at Make the Connection, where Veterans can find self-help tools and resources to help identify and overcome transition challenges. You can also connect with Peer Support through VA Health Care. Peer Support is a program of Veterans who are also trained counselors.

If you need housing or are worried about keeping your housing, there are programs to help

You or a loved one can call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for assistance. It is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors who can talk with you right now and connect you with your nearest VA for help. You can learn more about these resources from VA’s Homeless Programs.

Find Support if you’re an Active Service Member

• Free confidential help is available from Military OneSource 24/7. Call 1-800-342-9647. If you’re overseas, there are international calling options.
• If you seek medical care, military commanders cannot access Service Members’ mental health care information without meeting certain criteria. Department of Defense Instruction (DoDi) 6490.08 (PDF | 272 KB) lists situations in which an exception must be made such as serious risk of harm. Seeking help early prevents needing a higher level of care and potential career impacts.
• The National Resource Directory (NRD) connects wounded warriors, service members, veterans, and their families with national, state, and local support programs. NRD is a partnership among the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs.
• If you’re concerned about your security clearance because of your mental health, know that in most cases you can reach out for help without risk. Get the facts about mental health and security clearances.
• You can also reach out to the Real Warriors Campaign for information about prioritizing psychological fitness. Call 1-866-966-1020 or chat with them online. Both options are open 24/7.
• If you’re transitioning back to civilian life, you can get resources from VA’s Solid Start or call 800‑827‑0611 to learn how VA can help you make a smooth transition including navigating benefits and services.
• The Psychological Health Center of Excellence (PHCoE): PHCoE provides psychological health research consultation and expertise to leaders, providers, service members, and their families. Call 866-966-1020, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, live chat, or email.
• Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE): TBICoE promotes state-of-the-science traumatic brain injury care from point-of-injury to reintegration for service members, veterans and their families.
• TRICARE® is the health care program serving uniformed service members, retirees, and their families worldwide.