A friend recently highlighted for us that there are five signs of emotional stress that should trigger our action. They are:
- Significant change in personality
- Agitation
- Withdrawal
- Decline in personal care
- Hopelessness
If you observe a veterans with even one of these signs, please ask them how they are doing. Don’t be afraid that you won’t know how to respond to their answer to that question. We are here to help. In an emergency, you can also get help from 911 or from 988.
You can read on this website and elsewhere that there are other signs as well, such as a person giving away a lot of stuff. The five signs listed above seem to be more common early signs of stress. They happen before the veteran starts to give things away, for example.