World Mental Health Day: Listen to our full investigation into life after the frontline
Last updated 31st Oct 2018
We’re launching a special investigation into life after the frontline for veterans living in the North West.
Depression, anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicidal thoughts are just some of the things veterans in Lancashire are struggling with on a daily basis.
Listen to stories from veterans who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In fact we can reveal the number of people leaving the armed forces because of their mental health has doubled in the last five years, that’s according to figures we’ve seen from the Ministry of Defence.
Craig Monoghan served in Afghanistan and has been battling depression ever since after a number of his close friends were killed.
“It’d be dead weird, I’d be dead angry, I’d go to Starbucks and I’d get dead angry with the person serving me for no reason, but then I’d cry myself to sleep.
“So it came to a point where I was like, right I have two options now. I can just let this beat me and kill me or I can just fight it.
“When you have a traumatic brain injury or PTSD, when you’re at that rock bottom, you think you can’t go any lower and for some weird reason, the way the world works, there’s always a lower.
“Being a soldier, it’s not something you speak about, it’s just not done, blokes just don’t want to step forward.
“Fighting the Taliban was probably easier than fighting myself and my brain, so the last thing I was ever going to talk about was mental health to someone who didn’t know me.
“I just sort of like cracked on and tried to struggle on.
“Eventually about a year and a half later, it all just sort of hit me like being hit with a bat in the face, it just all came pouring in.
“It was pretty extreme at that point and then there were suicide attempts.”
Now, Craig plays rugby for the Sale Sharks and runs their armed forces project to help people in a similar situation to him.
They also tour businesses in the North West trying to get men to open up about mental health.
“I found my focus in doing what I’m doing now and that focus massively helped.
“It doesn’t mean I’m past it or through it, but the difference between now and then is, I know I’ve got the right people around me, I know people care now, and I’m getting the right help.”
A Government spokesperson said:
“Mental health is an issue that affects us all, and studies have shown that those in the military are no more likely to suffer than the general population.
“The vast majority of veterans go on to live happy, healthy and successful lives. But for those who require support, specialist help is available through the NHS, the Veterans’ Gateway and military charities.
“We recently established a cross-Government veterans board, attended by ministers, to make sure that all departments are working to make sure that veterans get the support they deserve."
Here are couple of links if you need any help or support: