The Northern Ireland population has high rates of trauma exposure and associated psychological conditions, including PTSD. Although seeking help for mental distress may seem like an obvious course of action when stress levels become unmanageable, new research has found that for veterans who have been routinely exposed to trauma, the divide between intent and actual treatment-seeking can be difficult to cross.

Researchers from the School of Psychology at Queen’s analysed data from 657 NI veterans and found that there are many barriers preventing veterans from seeking help, which can have a negative effect on their longer-term mental health.

These barriers can include a lack of access to, or availability of services, a lack of trust for the mental health system, and stigma, such as negative beliefs about themselves if they were to seek help. Additionally, many UK Armed Forces veterans in NI choose not to disclose their veteran status due to security concerns, which adds an additional barrier to seeking help.

Analysis showed that an increased number of traumatic event exposures and increased barriers to care, predicted higher amounts of PTSD symptoms and distress, meaning that the more trauma a veteran experienced and the more barriers preventing them from seeking care, the worse their mental health was likely to be.

Dr Eric Spikol, Research Fellow from the School of Psychology at Queen’s, said:

“Previous research exploring PTSD in veterans in NI found that 36.8% of the study sample were experiencing probable PTSD, which is higher than rates reported in studies of veterans residing in other parts of the UK.

“Our research is the first to examine the effects of barriers to care on PTSD in NI veterans, and these findings show an urgent need for increased support and care resources. Anti-stigma mental health awareness campaigns would help to reduce stigma barriers in both the NI veteran and civilian population. Increased funding for dedicated support resources would not only reduce logistic barriers for veterans but would also decrease mental health care waiting lists for civilians. We believe that an outreach campaign through trusted members and organisations within the NI veteran community could be helpful in reducing trust barriers around the mental health system.”

Professor Chérie Armour, Professor of Psychological Trauma & Mental Health from the School of Psychology at Queen’s, added:

“Experiencing traumatic events, particularly as part of one’s occupational role, can be distressing and are often unavoidable, but the barriers between a person and the care they need can be torn down by a caring, inclusive society.

“As we reflect on Remembrance Day 2023 and those lost in the line of duty, we should also reflect upon how we can improve the care for those who remain with us after completing their service; they shall grow old."

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