Blog Written by: Brittney Marono

SEA WAVES embodies awareness as both a core value and a call to action in our work. This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are honored to share quotes on our social media from members of the military community who have lived experience with eating disorders. We will also be highlighting a powerful piece written by an active duty Navy service member navigating her eating disorder healing journey.

Awareness is more than simply knowing. It is a powerful tool that can drive advocacy, reduce stigma, and create meaningful change within our communities.

By amplifying lived experiences, we hope to foster connection, understanding, and support for those who may be struggling. Despite increasing awareness, many individuals, especially within military populations, continue to face barriers to seeking care. We are here to bridge that gap by providing services to those who need them. Below are a few important mental health facts you may not know.

General Military:

• Approximately 17.6% of active-duty service members received care for a mental health condition in 2022, highlighting substantial behavioral health needs within the military (Curry et al., 2024).
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are among the most common mental health conditions affecting veterans, particularly those exposed to combat (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023).
• A meta-analysis found that roughly 20–23% of military personnel and veterans experience depression, indicating elevated risk relative to many civilian estimates (Lim et al., 2022).
• Military populations may be at increased risk for depression due to chronic stress, deployment exposure, and reintegration challenges (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023).

Eating Disorders:

• Eating disorders are among the deadliest psychiatric conditions, with anorexia nervosa associated with significantly elevated mortality risk (Eating Disorders - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), n.d.).
• A 2021 study found that approximately one-third of women and one-fifth of men in the veteran population reported symptoms consistent with a DSM-5 eating disorder diagnosis (Masheb et al., 2021).
• One study found that nearly half (49.3%) of eating disorder patients admitted to a residential facility in the US had symptoms compatible with a PTSD diagnosis (Brewerton et al., 2020).

Substance Use:

• Substance use disorders frequently co-occur with PTSD and depression, particularly among veterans, complicating treatment and recovery (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023).
• Veterans are at increased risk for alcohol misuse and substance-related disorders, often linked to trauma exposure and stress during transition to civilian life (Seal et al., 2011).

References

Brewerton, T. D., Perlman, M. M., Gavidia, I., Suro, G., Genet, J., & Bunnell, D. W. (2020). The association of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder with greater eating disorder and comorbid symptom severity in residential eating disorder treatment centers. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(12), 2061–2066. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23401

Curry, J., Regasa, L., & Brown, J. (2024). Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions in Active Duty Service Members. Military Health System. https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Psychological-Health-Center-of-Excellence/Clinicians-Corner-Blog/Special-Populations-and-Topics/Prevalence-of-Mental-Health-Conditions-in-Active-Duty-Service-Members

Eating Disorders—National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders

Lim, I. C. Z. Y., Tam, W. W. S., Chudzicka-Czupała, A., McIntyre, R. S., Teopiz, K. M., Ho, R. C., & Ho, C. S. H. (2022). Prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress in war- and conflict-afflicted areas: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 978703. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.978703

Masheb, R. M., Ramsey, C. M., Marsh, A. G., Decker, S. E., Maguen, S., Brandt, C. A., & Haskell, S. G. (2021). DSM-5 eating disorder prevalence, gender differences, and mental health associations in United States military veterans. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(7), 1171–1180. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23501

Seal, K. H., Cohen, G., Waldrop, A., Cohen, B. E., Maguen, S., & Ren, L. (2011). Substance use disorders in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in VA healthcare, 2001–2010: Implications for screening, diagnosis and treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 116(1), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.027

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2023). Mental Health Research. https://www.research.va.gov/topics/mental_health.cfm