Former Marine helps other veterans cope with mental health struggles

SALT LAKE CITY — For many veterans, leaving the military doesn’t mean leaving the stress behind.

Bryce Gosney, a former U.S. Marine who served from 2003 to 2012 and completed two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, knows this challenge firsthand.

“That military mindset is hardwired into people’s brains… It teaches people to be ready. It teaches people to be alert,” he said. “The problem is that that mindset that’s tuned for experiencing negative things can also be applied to your family, to the way you live your life. And it can, over time, make normal and safe situations into something that isn’t quite so normal for you and doesn’t feel quite so safe.”

Related: Beyond the parade: Needs of veterans extend past the day that honors them

Veterans can experience PTSD, anxiety and depression long after leaving the service — even if those struggles aren’t visible.

Research also shows that veterans are at a 57% higher risk of suicide than those who have not served.

Now a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with Serenity Mental Health, Gosney works to help other veterans adjust to and feel safe in civilian life.

“We have to kind of shift the way that we think, and if you need help doing that, there is no problem with that. There’s no stigma against that,” he said.

Gosney also pointed out that first responders experience trauma, too.

“It’s not just Iraq. It’s not just Afghanistan for them. It is here. It’s in our cities and towns. It’s in Ogden, it’s in Layton. It’s all around us,” he said.

Gosney noted that this time of year can be particularly tough for veterans.

“The holidays are one of the hardest seasons for people, but veterans especially,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a time of happiness, but if we have been stuck too long in this negative headspace…it makes us feel like we don’t belong.”

While there’s no quick fix, Gosney said there are steps veterans can take to improve their mental health.

That includes basic habits like sleep, nutrition, and exercise, along with therapies, mindfulness, and staying socially connected.

He also mentioned other useful approaches like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment, to support recovery. “We are physically exercising those positive parts of the brain so that they are more dominant in the brain,” he said.

“If you put in that work over years, it’s going to have the effect. It’s just going to be one day at a time,” he said. “You are not alone. There are other people and other veterans out there.”

Read more: National nonprofit distributes holiday meal kits to hundreds of local military families on Veterans Day

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If you are a veteran struggling with mental health, help is available. You can dial 988, then press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. It’s available 24/7 and is completely confidential.

Additional resources

• SafeUT: Parents, students, and educators can connect with a licensed crisis counselor through chat by downloading the SafeUT app or by calling 833-3SAFEUT (833-372-3388)
• SafeUT Frontline: First responders, including firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, and healthcare professionals can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUT Frontline app.
• SafeUTNG: Members of the National Guard can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUTNG app.
• Utah Warm Line: For non-crisis situations, when you need a listening ear as you heal and recover from a personal struggle, call 1-833 SPEAKUT 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The Huntsman Mental Health Institute offers a wide variety of programs and services including suicide prevention and crisis services, hospital treatment, therapy & medication management, substance Use & addiction recovery, child & teen programs, and maternal mental health services including birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
• LiveOnUtah.org is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing Utah’s culture around suicide and mental health. They offer resources for faith based groups, LGBTQ+, youth, employers, firearm suicide prevention, and crisis and treatment options.

Counties in Utah provide services for mental health and substance use disorders. Centers are run by the thirteen Local Mental Health and Substance Use Authorities all across the state and offer therapy, substance use disorder treatment, support groups, mobile services, youth treatment, and more.

These resources and more information can be found by clicking here.

Other community-based resources

• NAMI Utah provides education, support and advocacy for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers prevention programs, public education, support for loss survivors, and fundraising for research.
• Encircle Utah: LGBTQ+ family and youth resource center.
• Utah Pride Center empowers Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.
• The Trevor Project: LGBTQ teen resource center.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health
• Latino Behavioral Health Services
• Center for Workplace Mental Health offers suicide prevention and response for employers.