You Served Us: A Veterans Day Message About Mental Health, Substance Use, and Walking Beside You
Today, we honor veterans in our community: those who served, those still serving, and the families and friends who stand beside them. Your strength, sacrifice, and resilience matter. So do the parts of your story that came home with you.
For some veterans, memories of service, loss, or difficult experiences can remain close long after returning home. PTSD, depression, and other mental health challenges may be part of what you’re carrying. Alcohol or other substances may have become a way to cope with painful feelings or memories. That doesn’t make you a failure. It means you deserve care, understanding, and room to talk about what’s happening without judgment.
You served us. Now let us walk beside you.
What You Carry Home Is Part of Your Story
There isn’t one way to experience military service or life after it. Some days may feel manageable; other days may bring memories, sadness, anger, or a sense of disconnection. Veterans Day can bring up different feelings, too. You might feel pride, grief, gratitude, loneliness, or several things at once.
You don’t have to explain your feelings in a certain way to deserve support. And you don’t have to wait until everything feels unbearable before reaching out. A conversation with someone you trust, a peer, or a mental health professional can be a place to begin.
If you’re not sure what to say, you can keep it simple: “I’ve been having a hard time,” or “I’m using more than I want to.” You can start with just one sentence.
When Coping Starts to Feel Heavy
People find different ways to get through difficult experiences. For some, drinking or using drugs may offer a temporary way to quiet distress or get through the day. If that’s part of your story, you deserve care, not blame.
You might be wondering whether it’s time to ask for support. You may notice that substance use is getting in the way of relationships, work, sleep, or the things that matter to you. You may feel ready to talk, or you may only feel a small nudge that something needs attention. Either way, you can start with an honest conversation and take the next step at your own pace.
Recovery can begin in many ways. It might start with telling someone you trust, asking a provider what options are available, or finding a community where you can listen before you’re ready to share. There’s no single right starting point. You deserve to be met with patience.
Asking for Help Is an Act of Courage
Many veterans have spent time looking out for others. It can feel unfamiliar to be the one who asks for support. But reaching out isn’t weakness. It’s a brave way of making room for your own needs and your future.
A first conversation doesn’t have to settle every question. You can ask what support is available, share only what you feel comfortable sharing, and take time to consider what feels right. If you’d like to explore VA mental health resources, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers information about mental health care. The VA also provides an overview of substance use care and support for veterans.
A trusted family member, friend, fellow veteran, or peer can also sit with you while you look into options. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Care That Sees the Whole Person
You are more than your service, your diagnosis, or the way you’ve tried to cope. Whole-person support makes space for your mental health, substance use, relationships, identity, and the experiences that shape your life. It also means listening to what you want help with and respecting your choices.
Support can look different from one person to the next. You may want to talk with a mental health provider, ask about support for substance use, connect with other veterans, or include a trusted person in a conversation. You may not know what you need yet. That’s okay, too. You can take time to ask questions and learn about the options that may fit.
LGBTQ+ Veterans Deserve Affirming Support
For LGBTQ+ veterans, the experiences of identity and service can sometimes meet in complicated ways. You may have had to make choices about what felt safe to share, or you may be sorting through how different parts of your life fit together now. That won’t be everyone’s experience, and no one should make assumptions about yours.
You deserve to be treated with respect. You deserve to use the name and pronouns that feel right to you, and to speak about your identity and relationships without having to defend them. If it would help, you can ask a provider or support organization about their experience working with LGBTQ+ people. You can also share your preferences a little at a time.
At B. Riley House, our LGBTQ+-focused community welcomes people with different identities and experiences. Your story belongs to you. You decide where to begin and what you’re ready to share.
A Small First Step Is Still a Step
If reaching out feels difficult, you might try one small thing today: send a message to someone you trust, write down a question for a provider, or spend time with a person who helps you feel less alone. You can also look for a support meeting and simply listen at first.
If you’re in immediate danger or concerned that you may hurt yourself, call or text 988 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. You don’t have to face an urgent moment on your own.
We’re Here to Walk Beside You
To every veteran who has walked through our doors, and to every veteran considering a first step: thank you. Your recovery journey matters to us. You’re welcome to reach out with questions, take your time, and learn about support without pressure.
B. Riley House serves the LGBTQ+ community and allies, and welcomes anyone seeking support. Our free community recovery meetings in Cleveland are open to everyone; you can check the meeting details or call 216-417-4831 with questions.
You served us. We’re here to walk beside you.