After serving over two decades in the Australian Army, Craig’s transition to civilian life was far from easy.
Craig’s final rotation in Afghanistan came with significant losses and, on returning to Australia, he struggled to find work. The psychological toll of his deployment, compounded by the difficulties of transitioning to civilian life, led him to face feelings of shame and isolation, and even grapple with thoughts of suicide.
Sadly, Craig’s story is not an isolated one. Australian veterans are disproportionately affected by suicide, with recent data showing they are almost 40% more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
We recently spoke to Craig about his experiences with mental health problems during his transition from service to civilian life, and how his connection to the veteran community helped him navigate the path to recovery.
Feeling isolated
For Craig, a lack of social connection was the catalyst for his feelings of isolation, and he wants to share his own experiences to show other veterans how these social and community connections can help to improve their mental wellbeing.
‘The transition out of defence is quite a difficult place to navigate, and my transition was terrible.’
Without a solid understanding of mental health at the time, Craig admits that he did not take steps to support his mental health during his own transition period, and found himself in an environment that was not supportive of healing.
‘I was denying that I had any problems whatsoever and was just pushing forward.’
What we know
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that the leading cause of death for ex-serving males aged under 30 years is suicide, accounting for 42% deaths within this group (compared to 29% of non-serving men of the same age).
The figures are even more alarming for ex-serving women. Ex-serving women are 100% – or two times – more likely to die by suicide than non-serving women.
Other factors that increase the suicide risk for veterans include:
- involuntary medical discharge
- younger age groups
- shorter lengths of service.
The ‘rebuild’ journey
At a turning point in his story, Craig began his journey towards improved mental wellbeing which he coins his ‘rebuild phase’.
Where Craig had previously tried to push his feelings aside, the catalyst for change came when his friends and family expressed genuine concern about the significant trauma he was carrying, encouraging him to reach out for support.
Accessing professional support
First, Craig accessed professional support and spoke to psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. Anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF can access fully funded mental health care and professional counselling.
Building community connections
Reconnecting with his community also had a positive impact on Craig’s mental wellbeing.
He joined 42 for 42, a not-for-profit founded by ex-Army veterans that honoured veterans and their families by building a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in Afghanistan.
‘I got to meet families of the fallen, families of my friends, and that was very important to me and really helped me to move forward,’ says Craig.
Many community organisations support veterans in rebuilding social connections, including sporting clubs, which often serve as second families. There’s a wide range of community groups that bring veterans together around hiking, running, gardening clubs, and more.
Finding a new purpose
Another key phase for Craig was finding a new purpose.
‘I made personal goals about what I’d like to do, and that was really significant step forward for me that allowed me to start moving up the crest of my wave for my own mental health.’
While there were still some losses along the way, focusing on the little wins kept pushing him forward.
Prioritising self-care
The final phase for Craig was self-care and taking courses to build his own knowledge around mental health and wellbeing.
‘The Mental Health First Aid course is brilliant. It lets you attune to yourself, but it also lets you attune to other people.’
Craig says the mental health first aid skills he gained are invaluable in his role as a volunteer and believes they are useful for anyone working with people.
The first line of support
In the 15 years since he transitioned out of the Army, these strategies have been a lifeline for Craig, with the support of those around him playing a central role in his recovery.
Indeed, those who care for, work with, or assist veterans are often the first line of support when someone is experiencing mental health problems or suicidal thoughts.
For Craig, it was his family and friends who inspired him to seek help. This reflects what we know about help seeking – that individuals are more likely to seek support if someone close to them suggests it.
This is where programs like Mental Health Protect can make a real difference. Funded by the Australian Government, Mental Health Protect offers free mental health literacy and suicide prevention training specifically for the veteran community.
Through this program, the community can access free Mental Health First Aid and LivingWorks training to learn the practical skills to recognise the signs that someone may be experiencing mental health problems or suicidal thoughts, and how to provide initial support, connect them with professional care and keep them safe.
Moving forward
‘Moving forward, I will have ups and downs, but I will be able to identify when I’m moving down and use the strategies I have in place to move back up.’
‘I also know I can seek professional support, I can go to my family, I can go to my peer groups, I can go to my community. There are always people there to listen.’
Mental Health Protect is a free, fully funded mental health literacy and suicide prevention training program available to the veteran community.
The program aims to equip veterans, as well as their friends, family, colleagues and supporters, with essential mental health first aid and suicide first aid skills to help them recognise and respond to mental health problems or crises when it matters most.
