ValueOptions Premiers Video On PTSD To Raise Awareness

NORFOLK, Va., June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As June 27 -- National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day -- approaches, ValueOptions^®, Inc., a health improvement company specializing in mental and emotional wellbeing and recovery, premiered its latest Stamp Out Stigma video interview on www.stampoutstigma.com. The video shares ValueOptions employee Haline's compelling story of recognizing and caring for a military spouse living with PTSD. 

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The video is part of a series of interviews for Stamp Out Stigma, an initiative to educate the public on the prevalence of mental illness and remove stigma as a barrier to people seeking the care they need to recover.  In her captivating testimony, Haline recalls a time when PTSD was hardly understood and rarely diagnosed, discusses our culture's perspective of service members living with a mental disorder, and delivers a personal message of hope and a call to action for individuals living with PTSD and for their loved ones. To hear her story, and to see how others have been impacted by mental illness, visit www.stampoutstigma.com.

"People experiencing PTSD can become 'stuck' in their natural response to a severe threat," said Dr. Mitchell Luchansky, ValueOptions, Medical Director.  "With treatment, recovery is possible. This heightened response can become less and less. That's why identifying PTSD and seeking support for it is absolutely critical for alleviating its symptoms. We are a business that understands the mind and a company that's committed to ensuring our warriors and their families get the best treatment available."

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 7 to 8 percent of the population will develop PTSD at some point in their lives, with 5.2 million adults experiencing the disorder in a given year. Though many of these cases are developed by veterans after experiencing trauma in combat situations, returning soldiers may forgo seeking treatment because of the stigma associated with mental illness.

"Active duty service members, veterans and their families need and deserve our support, so raising awareness about PTSD and the importance of seeking help for this disorder is important to us," said Kerry Mooney, President, ValueOptions Federal Services.  "No one should forgo treatment because they fear the stigma associated with mental illness."  

In addition to supporting returning soldiers with PTSD and other mental health issues, ValueOptions recognizes the importance of nurturing them as they reenter the civilian workforce.  With more than 1.4 million soldiers leaving active duty to return to civilian life, many veterans will experience anxiety about the major lifestyle change, apprehension in their new role or feelings of insignificance. Veteran-focused employee assistance programs give veterans and employers the tools they need to help returning soldiers not just adapt to, but thrive in, a civilian work environment. ValueOptions provides free resources to employers to increase understanding of the unique asset our military members are as employees as well as to shed light on potential workplace pitfalls due to civilian employee perception. For more information on EAPs and other veteran-focused resources, visit www.veteaps.com.

With more than 30 years serving military members and their families in Department of Defense contracts and Homeland Security —as well as being proudly headquartered in Norfolk, home to one of the largest military installations in the nation—ValueOptions is dedicated to fostering awareness of the challenges service members face today and ensuring they get the help they need.

About ValueOptions^®
ValueOptions is a health improvement company that serves more than 32 million individuals. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our health care system faces today. A national leader in the fields of mental and emotional wellbeing, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness, ValueOptions helps people make the difficult life changes needed to be healthier and more productive. With offices nationwide and a network of more than 130,000 provider locations, ValueOptions helps people take important steps in the right direction. We help them live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

About Stamp Out Stigma  
Stamp Out Stigma is an initiative to ensure we remove stigma as a barrier to people seeking the care they need to recover. This initiative commits us all to recognize the high prevalence of mental illness and to reeducate ourselves, friends and family on the truths of mental illness. When we do this, we reduce the stigma. This campaign reminds each of us that we can help transform the dialog on mental health from a whisper to a conversation. Visit www.stampoutstigma.com for more ways to starting talking about mental health.

SOURCE ValueOptions