![veterans stacy holding her RAF hat](/media/11297/000006890005-edit.jpg?rxy=0.43137254901960786,0.4106666666666667&width=980&height=425&v=1d97c4db38600d0)
Tackling Stigma with Veterans
We want veterans who struggle with their mental health to be able to ask for help quickly. So veterans across Scotland have shared their stories on why this is so important.
On average it takes more than 10 years for a veteran of the armed forces to ask for support for their mental health, with many reaching crisis point before telling anyone.
We want to change this. So we have been working with veterans all over Scotland, to create The Guard campaign. Veterans have told us that that not wanting people to know what they are going through, and worries about being seen as weak, stop veterans reaching out when they struggle with their mental health.
We want veterans who struggle with their mental health to be able to ask for the help they deserve quickly, without worries about how they will be perceived. You are not alone, and there is great support from organisations, who understand what they are experiencing.
Self-stigma is a big issue for so many veterans and the veterans we have worked with want to break down that barrier by sharing their own experiences.
Below, hear the veterans speak about their stories, and find out more about how mental health stigma impacts veterans.
If you are in Edinburgh between November 29th, and December 8th you can also see the veterans portraits on display in the waiting room at Edinburgh Waverley station.
Veteran Voices
A new podcast series from See Me and In Motion Theatre Company, Veteran Voices explores veterans’ mental health and the challenges many people face when transitioning to civilian life.
Based on a series of conversations with veterans, these monologues – performed by actors – capture the complexities of veterans mental health and hope to encourage more conversations within the veteran community.
Listen to the podcast