The more that mental health is spoken about, the quicker we can eradicate the stigma that stops many from reaching out for support. Veterans who suffer with mental health issues as a result of illness or injury don’t always find it easy to open up, and as a result can suffer in silence.

In December, the charity Help for Heroes commissioned a survey to better understand some of the reasons behind this. The results were more than a little disconcerting: veterans are waiting an average of four years before asking for help with a mental health issue.

For those who have served, it can be especially tough to talk openly about feelings when they are trained to be strong and resilient. They fear that admitting to a mental health issue will be seen as a sign of weakness.

With your support, Help for Heroes wants to put an end to the stigma that stops veterans from asking for help when they need it.

In January, Help for Heroes launched its Cut the Clock campaign, which asked the nation to help us do just that. Brave veterans talked publicly about their mental health struggles, including Nick Martin, who suffered for over half his lifetime before seeking help.

Nick's Story

Nick Martin suffered with undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for 34 years. It wasn’t until he had a massive heart attack that he knew something needed to change.

Nick served in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War. He was on board the ship SS Atlantic Conveyor when it was hit by two Argentine missiles in 1982. He was rescued by a colleague who never made it home.

He suffered a fractured skull, broken jaw and dislocated shoulder as a result of the blast. While his physical wounds would in time heal, the damage that was done to his mental health remains to this day.

On returning from the conflict, life initially went on and Nick continued to serve in the Royal Navy for four more years, but the impact of what he had been through would quickly shape the course his life would take.

He made the decision to leave the Armed Forces in 1986, worried that he was missing out on watching his young children grow up.

When he returned to civilian life, he struggled to adapt. “I started to feel guilty about those who hadn’t returned from the Falklands and wouldn’t experience getting married or moving on with their careers. The guilt I felt about surviving got heavier and subconsciously I started punishing myself. I’d go for a run and push myself until my trainers squelched with blood, or I’d put on the heaviest backpack that I could find and walk until I was totally exhausted.

“I took dead-end jobs – I didn’t want to handle responsibility for anything, not even my own life.” Unbeknown to Nick at the time, he was suffering with PTSD. The following years passed by in a blur.

The first step isn’t admitting you’ve got a problem, it’s knowing that you need help

 

His marriage broke down. There were days when he wouldn’t get out of bed at all because he didn’t want to face what was on the other side of the bedroom door.

“If I was awake for 16 hours it was 15 hours too long. I was spending more and more time on my own too. There was a longing for something to change but I didn’t know how to.”

Then five years ago, Nick suffered a massive heart attack. Realising that he’d come close to losing his life jolted him into seeing that he needed to take action.

“Talking to a counsellor was difficult. I was embarrassed to break down in front of him, because it had taken me so long to ask for help knowing that something was wrong. The first step isn’t admitting you’ve got a problem, it’s knowing that you need help.”

Nick was referred to Help for Heroes to further his recovery. He joined the charity’s Band of Brothers Fellowship and immediately he discovered the benefits of being around like-minded people.

“Joining the Fellowship was like instantly having a family of 1,000 brothers and sisters, people who understand each other because of what they’ve been through.”

Martin suffered for 34 years before being diagnosed with PTSD. His artistic endeavours are all part of his recovery. 

“I do think, if I’d had help from Help for Heroes years ago, what else could I have achieved by now?”

 

Having avoided socialising for many years, Nick initially found that being around other people was daunting, but with support, he became a member of the Invictus Games Choir and took up sports and art classes. Steadily, his confidence grew.

Now that Nick is receiving ongoing support to manage his PTSD, life is looking much more positive. Last year, he showcased his artwork at the first ever Help for Heroes Creative Force exhibition and took part in the Invictus Games in Sydney.

“PTSD is a nasty condition that eats away at you without you knowing it. It took me 34 years to even know that’s what I had and see that it was ruining my life.

“My recovery isn’t complete, but the change to my life has been phenomenal. I’m looking forward and that’s exciting.”

Time To Help

Last year, Help for Heroes was able to offer mental health support to 881 serving personnel, veterans and their families. For every person that has so far received help, many more are still suffering in silence.

For this reason, we must all work hard to raise awareness, cut mental health stigma and be there for those in the Armed Forces community when they need us.

In the future, no veteran should wait years to come forward.

Find out how you can help at helpforheroes.org.uk