How Veterans and Their Loved Ones Can Start This Important Conversation

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Retired U.S. Military Sgt. Major, Jason Geis shared advice for veterans who are battling mental health or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

"Don't think that you're the only one who is going through this, but you have to admit to yourself that there are issues going on," he said during an interview with 23 ABC News KERO. "You have to listen to feedback from your family members."

Geis acknowledged that it's easy to blow off concerned family and friends, but mental health issues can affect important parts of veterans' lives. For him, it hurt his relationships with his stepchildren and caused him to apologize so many times that his apologies seemed to lose meaning.

Geis was deployed to a forward operating base in 2004 north of Al-Fallujah, Iraq, but years later, he found himself struggling with post-traumatic stress despite taking antidepressants. Then, he tried ketamine infusion therapy and shared his experiences with 23 ABC News KERO.

"I think it's pretty important as a leader, even though I'm not a leader in my current job but as a leader in the military," he said. "If I can't come and do this, why would I expect a younger service member to try this?"

How Ketamine Helps Persistent Mental Health Issues

The ketamine infusion treatments that made such an impact on Geis are offered in the St. Cloud area at Aurora Mental Health & Wellness.

The experts at Aurora Mental Health & Wellness are using ketamine to try to help patients with treatment-resistant mental health disorders — and often see better results than other common medications. In addition, ketamine doesn't have those pesky and sometimes embarrassing side effects associated with traditional antidepressants that you take daily.

Research shows that 70 percent of ketamine patients see significant improvement in symptoms of treatment-resistant depression after the initial six loading doses, compared with the 40 percent success rate for traditional anti-depressants, said Dr. Paul Colligan, CEO and a provider at Aurora. (Click here for an explanation of how ketamine works.)

Aurora Mental Health & Wellness also manages traditional oral medications, and some patients are receiving both oral medications and ketamine treatment. They work with patients who have never received mental health treatment before, as well as those who have tried a variety of treatments.

How Loved Ones Can Help Veterans

Regardless of where a veteran is in his or her mental health journey, according to Make the Connection, the common signs that something may be off are:

• Anger/irritability.
• Avoidance behaviors.
• Tendency to isolate.
• Insomnia or low energy.
• Hypervigilance.
• Feeling sad, down, or hopeless.
• Losing interest in work, social activities, or hobbies they once enjoyed.
• Intense guilt, fear, or worry. 
• Trouble managing daily tasks and relationships.
• Flashbacks.

Start the Conversation offers dialogue suggestions, starting with sharing your observations and feelings. They encourage you to remain calm and listen without judgment or minimizing the veteran's feelings.

If the conversation leads to trying new or additional treatments, visit the Aurora Mental Health & Wellness website or call 320-390-7338 to schedule a consultation.

Sources and Additional Resources

• Aurora Mental Health & Wellness FAQs
• Start the Conversation: Talking to a Veteran When You Are Concerned
• When To Start Talking With a Veteran About Mental Health
• Unpacking the Science: How Aurora's IV Ketamine Therapy Revolutionizes Mental Health Care
• What's Old is New Again: The History of Psychedelics in Medicine and Wellness
• Beyond Medication: Aurora’s Comprehensive Approach to Psychedelic Healing