Invisible Wounds: Addressing Veterans' Mental Health Challenges by Centering Their Experiences and Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

The phrase “invisible wounds” refers to a nearly infinite number of different struggles people may bear that are not readily apparent to those around them. Anyone can be the bearer of such struggles, but those with military service are especially likely to have experienced traumas, including institutional betrayals, that led to private psychic wounds, wounds that are often compounded by chronic physical pain and cognitive challenges stemming from traumatic brain injuries. Holding one or more marginalized identities can further add to veterans’ emotional and mental health burdens, as can stigma and deeply instilled notions of the need to be self-sufficient. When all these factors are considered together, it is not surprising that veterans are at elevated risk of suicide when compared to their non-veteran peers.

Our goal for this special edition is to spotlight invisible wounds that impact veterans daily. Although we are open to including traditional empirical papers that highlight understudied mental health struggles or the struggles of veterans holding marginalized identities, we are especially interested in including mixed methods and qualitative papers that center on veterans’ perspectives. We want to showcase research that gives voice to veterans’ struggles and focuses on what they believe would help them heal.

Dr. Tracy L. Simpson
Dr. Nicholas Livingston
Dr. Ashley C. Mog
Guest Editors

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