CMV: If your trauma leaves you with social, mental, emotional disabilities, you should receive disability benefits like anyone else with a disability, regardless of whether the trauma happened in service or civilian life

I'm a disabled US Army veteran. While trauma is very much a part of trauma, I understand that I'm different from many others who live with trauma in that I have been able to seek out disability benefits due to my PTSD diagnosis. I'd like to argue that just because my trauma happened in service doesn't make it more "worthy" of disability benefits than trauma experienced by someone else. I think anyone whose trauma has left them with mental, emotional, or social disabilities should be eligible to seek out disability benefits, regardless of whether the traumatic events happened in civilian life or in service.<br><br><br>My experience is less common in the sense that I was in a training accident for the majority of the traumatic events that I experienced. I was involved in an armored vehicle rollover accident where I nearly lost my life, suffered a brain injury, PTSD, hearing and vision loss, and tore my rotator cuff. In the months and years that followed, I was placed in an accident investigation and was repeatedly questioned about the accident without any mental health support, had my career cut short due to medical separation, and was medically discharged from the military. My transition to civilian life was a rocky road, and I've continued to suffer from severe symptoms of PTSD that affect my ability to hold down a job. However, I've been able to receive disability benefits that have allowed me the financial stability to pursue my own treatment for my trauma and work on healing. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many others with PTSD, including civilians who do not have access to disability benefits despite meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and having disabilities as a result of their trauma history.<br><br>PTSD is a mental health disorder characterized by symptoms that interfere with daily life, including intrusive symptoms, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and trauma-related beliefs or behaviors. These symptoms can cause significant distress and impairment in daily life, social relationships, and occupational functioning. Clearly, PTSD can lead to disabilities just like any physical disorder or other mental health condition. However, there's a misconception that PTSD is somehow less serious or disabling than other conditions.<br><br>The symptoms of PTSD can vary widely in severity. For many individuals with PTSD, their disabilities continue to be severe even after receiving mental health treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used to address symptoms of PTSD, but the reality is that many people continue to experience some level of symptoms even after completing treatment. Some will continue to experience severe symptoms that interfere with their ability to hold down a job and function in daily life. This doesn't mean that trauma-informed care isn't effective, but rather that PTSD is a complex disorder that can be very difficult to treat. In addition, treatment isn't always easy to access, especially for those without insurance or who lack access to mental health care providers in their area.<br><br>While some have argued that granting disability benefits for PTSD would be too costly or even encourage individuals to remain symptomatic in order to continue receiving benefits, I think this argument is short-sighted. In reality, the cost of granting disability benefits for PTSD is likely to be much lower than the cost of leaving PTSD untreated or undertreated, which can lead to increased healthcare utilization, lost productivity, and even criminal justice involvement. Furthermore, disability benefits can provide individuals with PTSD the financial stability they need to pursue treatment and improve their mental health outcomes. This isn't to say that there aren't individuals who will seek out disability benefits for the wrong reasons, but the reality is that disability benefits are difficult to access even for individuals with severe disabilities.<br><br>In conclusion, PTSD is a serious mental health disorder that can lead to disabilities just like any physical disorder or other mental health condition. Individuals with PTSD should be eligible to seek out disability benefits, regardless of whether their traumatic experiences occurred in civilian life or in service. **I'd love to hear your arguments against this position.**