For 83-year old Air Force Veteran Alfred Izzarone, having a VA care team diagnose his PTSD was the first of many steps in taking care of his mental health. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he didn’t know if he would be able to get care.
Fortunately, VA’s TeleMental Health services allowed Izzarone to continue his treatments without interruption.
“They saved my life,” Izzarone said. “Before I started treatment, I was a mess.”
The road to healing
After he moved to Maryland in 2015, Izzarone began working with a new VA care team, which led to a diagnosis of PTSD. The process was eye-opening for him after he had spent years wondering why he felt the way he did.
“I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming,” he said. He had intense nightmares and began losing hope after his wife passed away. “I was close to suicidal. I was at the end of my rope, but they saved my life.”
With a treatment plan in place, Izzarone began therapy sessions, at first in-person and then virtually. Being able to use VA’s TeleMental Health services was a game-changer for him. He could receive care from the comfort of his home when in-person visits became more challenging.
“They kept the same thing going that they had done in person,” Izzarone said of the VA staff in Cambridge, Maryland. “The clinic here is amazing—the doctors, the nurses, the front staff—they care about you. They look out for you.”
Through therapy via TeleMental Health, Izzarone was able to continue his progress, learning coping mechanisms to manage his PTSD symptoms effectively.
Embracing life again
Thanks to the care he has received, Izzarone has rediscovered the joy of life. He spends his days gardening, fishing and visiting with friends and family. He also loves attending concerts and baseball games. His mental health journey is ongoing, but he now faces each day with confidence and resilience.
Izzarone hopes that his story will encourage other Veterans to reach out for support from a VA mental health provider.
“That’s what they’re there for,” Izzarone said. “They will speak to you and help you get through whatever you’re going through.”
VA TeleMental Health: Help is just a click away
VA TeleMental Health services are available to Veterans across the country, with a range of mental health care options, including:
- Individual and group therapy sessions via telehealth.
- Mobile health apps for managing symptoms.
- Crisis support and suicide prevention services.
- Medication management and psychiatric consultations.
- Support for PTSD, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.
If you are dealing with PTSD, depression or any other mental health challenge, know that support is available. To learn more about TeleMental Health, talk with your VA provider or visit VA’s Telehealth Services page.
Author: nikkiverbeck