Social support for veterans

Abstract

The article aims to outline how mission-traumatized veterans perceive social support. Social support is an essential resource for an individual in coping with the difficulties in everyday life. The subject of the examination is quantitative research with veterans’ participation and own qualitative research – free interviews analyzed using the IPA (Individual Phenomenological Analysis) method. The obtained results indicate that social support can be considered in terms of a meta-resource that activates other vital resources of humans, thereby strengthening them in difficult situations. The expected support criteria are met by friendly self-help groups that can operate in military units and complement the help provided by professionals.

Keywords

• social support
• veterans
• trauma
• stress management
• resources