Crisis Text Line is teaming up with Face the Fight to support the military community. If you’re a veteran, active duty service member, or a family member going through a tough time, help is just a text away. Text SERVICE or SERVICIO to 741741 for free, 24/7, and confidential support in English and Spanish—because no one should face a mental health crisis alone. 

Members of the military community often face unique mental health challenges—such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety—while also encountering barriers to accessing care. Crisis Text Line bridges this gap by providing mental health support ensuring that service members, veterans, and their families can access help anytime, anywhere and confidentially.

Veteran suicide and military mental health remain critical public health concerns, according to the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. While the report’s most recent data shows encouraging trends – with veteran suicide rate in 2022 being lower than 12 of the past 14 years – over 6000 veterans still lost their lives to suicide.

Signs a Veteran is Struggling with Their Mental Health

Addressing veterans mental health means recognizing the common risk factors for mental illness and suicide. There can be a lasting impact from the experience of military combat, so it’s important to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of someone who is struggling and in need of support. Here are some of those characteristics and behaviors to look out for:

• Depression: Can present as persistent sadness, low energy, and a loss of interest in things someone once loved.
• PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder): A mental health condition in which an individual experiences flashbacks and intrusive thoughts related to past combat experiences which can be triggered by everyday occurrences.
• Self-Harm: A coping mechanism, in the form of self-injury, for an individual who is struggling emotionally including cutting, burning, and scratching. 
• Substance Use Disorder: The compulsive and addictive use of drugs and alcohol to cope with emotional or physical ailments, usually associated with the inability to control urges to use.
• Loneliness: Characterized by a deep sense of social isolation and lack of connection with others.

Early identification of these behaviors—whether in a loved one, a fellow service member, or even yourself—is critical in helping to address one’s mental health condition and reduce the risk of suicide. Crisis Text Line encourages individuals and family members within the military community seeking high-quality, immediate, and confidential mental health support to simply text SERVICE or SERVICIO to 741741 to reach a live volunteer Crisis Counselor.

Crisis Text Line: A Free, Confidential Crisis Hotline for Veterans

We know how important it is to have accessible and confidential support in moments of crisis, stress, or uncertainty. For more information on our commitment to protect the anonymity of our texters as well as the privacy of each and every conversation, please visit our page outlining your digital rights as well as our privacy policy.

Crisis Text Line is dedicated to supporting military mental health and well-being for our veterans, active service members, and military family members. We are just one text away from providing life-saving support.  

Taking Action to Prevent Suicide and Depression in the Veteran Community

The Department of Veteran Affairs reports in its 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report that veteran depression and veteran suicide rates have seen a long-term decline from 2001 to 2022, and we all play a part in ensuring this trend persists. Recognizing symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation, and other mental health conditions, in ourselves and others, is the first step. Checking in on loved ones, communicating and asking questions, noting changes in behavior, and listening to others with empathy are just a few things you can do. Read more about how to help a friend who is suicidal or struggling emotionally.

Suicide prevention can be addressed more effectively the sooner symptoms of depression or other emotional struggles are detected and help is sought out. We encourage all veterans, service members, and their families to act early by reaching out to Crisis Text Line before things escalate, helping to prevent a crisis before it happens. 

It’s also important to remember – everyone’s journey and struggle with mental health and well-being is unique to the individual and can often include ups and downs. However, with the support and resources Crisis Text Line provides, we believe that everyone has the ability to overcome their moments of crisis and gain the tools to manage them in the long run.

At Crisis Text Line, we’re proud to partner with Face the Fight to support veterans, service members, and their families. We’re here to help you navigate mental health challenges, stay connected, and access the resources you need to care for your well-being.

If you or a loved one is going through a tough time, you can text SERVICE or SERVICIO to 741741 for free, confidential support in English or Spanish—24/7. And because your privacy matters to us, you can always request to delete your identifiable data, including conversation records and contact information, by texting “DELETE” after your chat. We’re here whenever you need us.