If you are a veteran and have questions regarding your health, the local mental health authorities (LMHA) in Texas could be the answer. We have 38 centers in Texas with trained and caring professionals who help veterans. You may live near one and not be aware of the help that is readily available to you.LMHAs develop and provide services for persons in a wide variety of areas. Some veterans have experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and are already getting the information that is helping them get their lives back on track. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur following a traumatic event, something horrible that you may witness or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or the lives of others are in danger. You may feel afraid or believe that you have no control over what is happening.
Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD.These events can include
• Combat or military exposure
• Child sexual or physical abuse
• Terrorist attacks
• Sexual or physical assault
• Serious accidents, such as a car wreck
• Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood, or earthquake
After the event, you may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD.
These symptoms are disruptive to life, making it hard to continue with daily activities.
Community Healthcore provides mental health resources for Bowie, Cass, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Red River, Rusk and Upshur counties, providing programs and services in greater East Texas that help people lead lives free from addictions.
One of the Community Healthcore projects, Peer-to-Peer, capitalizes on the strengths of local self-advocates to inspire and provide training to other people with disabilities in a culturally sensitive manner. It encourages more individuals to learn about their rights and take control and responsibility of their own lives. The project started by strengthening existing support groups, and then it shifted its focus to promoting the development of new support groups in an ever widening circle of self-advocacy.
