Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a chronic mental illness that troubles numerous veterans who went through traumatic experiences while serving in the military. To get familiar with the havoc PTSD wreaks on a veteran’s life, the US The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives full coverage for PTSD treatments.
VA coverage for PTSD treatments
The VA provides a variety of evidence-based treatments and therapies specifically to address PTSD in veterans. They seek to enhance the ability of veterans with symptoms to cope, enhance daily functioning, and enhance overall health. Some of the top treatments include:
- Evidence-based therapies: The VA emphasizes therapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, which are both evidence-based therapies that have been shown to be effective in treating PTSD. Both of these therapies aim to enable veterans to work through trauma and decrease symptoms of PTSD.
- Medications: In some cases, medications can be prescribed to help alleviate certain PTSD symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbances. Medications are generally used in conjunction with therapy for best results.
- Residential rehabilitation programs: For veterans requiring more intensive care, the VA offers residential rehabilitation programs. These programs provide intensive treatment, such as therapy, medication management, and support services, in a structured environment.
Eligibility for VA disability compensation for PTSD
Veterans seeking disability compensation benefits for PTSD must meet some qualification criteria imposed by the VA. In order to qualify for tax-free monthly benefits, both of the following must be met:
- In-service stressor: The veteran must have experienced a traumatic event during active duty.
- Medical diagnosis: The veteran must be professionally diagnosed with PTSD by a qualified medical professional.
It should be noted that when a veteran is assigned a disability rating for PTSD, they can also be entitled to other VA health care benefits and services.
VA definition of a traumatic event
The VA defines various experiences as traumatic events (known as “stressors”) that can lead to PTSD. These are:
- Combat exposure: Combat with hostile forces, fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, or being in imminent danger zones.
- Sexual assault or harassment: military incidents of sexual assault or harassment.
- Traumatic personal interactions: Physical assault, robbery, stalking, or domestic violence by a non-enemy individual, for instance.
- Other traumatic events: Catastrophic automobile accidents, witnessing natural disasters, or friendly fire during training operations.
Veterans considering the submission of a PTSD-related disability claim should keep these definitions in mind.
Filing a VA disability compensation claim
Veterans with PTSD who believe it is service-connected may make a claim for disability compensation to the VA. It involves the following:
- Online filing: Online application through the VA website.
- Other options: Sending through the mail, applying in person, or with the assistance of a trained counselor.
During the examination, the VA would like to know if the veteran has PTSD in order to make them eligible for benefits. The thing to remember here is that treatment is not offered during the examination; the main motivation behind that is benefit determination assessment.
Immediate aid for PTSD veterans
For immediate aid for veterans in need, the VA provides the following resources:
- VA medical centers: Veterans may call their local VA medical center directly for emergency assistance, independent of discharge status or VA health care enrollment.
- Veterans crisis line: A 24/7 crisis hotline that provides confidential support for veterans.
Getting early treatment can be a key step toward effectively managing PTSD symptoms.
