Orlando VA Medical Center

How do you deal with stress? Who do you talk to? Do you have an outlet? Many Veterans may find themselves in various situations they deem as stressful. At the Orlando VA Medical Center, there are caring professionals ready and willing to assist. In May, the Mental Health team began integrating mental health services with primary care at the Lake Baldwin campus.

“Mental Health is being integrated into Primary Care so that mental health and substance misuse evaluation and treatment is more accessible and acceptable to Veterans in Primary Care,” said Dr. Paul Deci, Orlando VA Medical Center’s Mental Health chief.  “It will provide earlier interventions for common mental health and substance use issues to quickly treat them and prevent their worsening. Veterans will have access to a wider array of mental health and substance misuse services in Primary Care while Specialty Mental Health teams will be able to more effectively focus on those Veterans needing more intensive and longer term treatment.”

The program started with the Orange and Teal primary care teams with other teams to follow as additional psychologists become available. Currently, four teams have a mental health presence on them.

“Veterans appreciate that they do not have to return at a later date to be seen and find that participating in therapy at the location of their Primary Care Provider is comforting and lends to less stigma of receiving services,” said Dr. Mary Charbonneau, a Mental Health Psychologist assigned to the Teal Team. “It is very exciting that within the next few months, with additional new hires, we will have a psychologist on most teams to best serve the mental health needs of our Veterans.

Psychologists on the Primary Care teams provide same day evaluations and brief therapy for mild depression or anxiety, substance misuse, grief, insomnia, and chronic pain. They also assist with arranging for the Veteran’s care with the Specialty Mental Health Care Teams if the Veteran needs more intensive or longer term mental health care than what is available in Primary Care.

“The use of this evidence based model will increase Veterans’ access to Mental Health services and allow us to provide Veterans in need with effective care at the time it’s needed the most,” said Deci. “We will also reach more Veterans needing care.”

Many Veterans find themselves in a stressful situation but may not need professional assistance. The Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention suggests several stress management techniques such as Relaxation Training, Time Management, and Positive Thinking, to name a few.

Stress is a normal feeling of emotional or physical tension that affects your nervous system.  It can impact you in many ways, including your mental health. “Stress isn't always bad,” said Eileen Kelly, a Psychiatric-Mental Health nurse practitioner.  “In small doses it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best.  But if you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body can suffer harmful effects.”

Emotional stress occurs in situations people consider difficult, challenging, or threatening.  Beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and can cause damage to your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

“Poorly managed stress, chronic stress, and severe stress can contribute to anxiety and depression, as well as other medical and mental health conditions,” said Kelly.  “Everyone perceives and experiences stress differently.  It's important to recognize your own individual stress limits and if levels are out of control.”

Healthy stress management is about taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, your environment, and the way you deal with problems in order to lessen your vulnerability to mental health problems.

Any Veteran facing an emotional crisis is encouraged to call the Veterans' Hotline at

1-800-273-TALK and press 1 for Veterans.

 

 

By Charles Tubbs