How virtual care helped one Veteran finally face his PTSD

It’s never too late: Army Veteran finds path to PTSD recovery through virtual care

Three years ago, Darrell Fullmer would never have imagined sitting in front of his laptop, talking openly about his challenges with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But that’s exactly how the 56-year-old Army Veteran found his path to healing.

For nearly three decades, Fullmer had been convinced that seeking mental health care was a sign of weakness—a belief that kept him angry and isolated. The breakthrough came when VA’s Telemental Health care removed the barriers that had prevented him from getting help for so long.

“I believed that only weak people get mental health issues. I can compartmentalize things,” he said. “But now that I’m in therapy, I realize that I missed a lot of things.”

A breakthrough after decades of stigma

Along with the stigma surrounding therapy, Fullmer faced another huge barrier to receiving care. Because of his PTSD, he found it difficult to be in crowds and new places. That made tasks like receiving care at a VA clinic very challenging.

When Fullmer’s daughter announced her pregnancy, everything changed. He no longer wanted the people around him to feel like they were avoiding him.

When he was referred to Telemental Health services, he didn’t know what to expect, but was willing to try, especially since he could attend appointments from home using VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing app.

“It’s a lot easier to talk when you’re in an environment you’re comfortable in,” Fullmer said.

Fullmer realized that his behavior and way of thinking were more like “coping,” and that he would need to work hard to change his thinking to dealing with PTSD.

“In that first session we talked a lot about ‘masking things,’ and then I started realizing that I probably had… well, I did. I had a lot more issues than I thought,” he admitted.

Fullmer began meeting virtually with his VA therapist every few weeks and a psychologist every month. Through these sessions, he learned to recognize early warning signs and developed practical coping strategies.

“I learned how to see the indicators, the signs … just things that I didn’t realize before. I can feel the anxiety and things getting intense. I just never noticed that before,” he said. “So, [my therapist and psychologist] really helped me.”

His care team taught him breathing techniques and other mental health management skills that helped him identify stressors before they escalated. For the first time in decades, Fullmer had tools to manage his symptoms.

Progress, not perfection

For the past three years, Fullmer has been working with his care team to address his mental health. While he recognizes that his recovery is still in progress, he has seen significant changes in his relationships and way of thinking.

“I think in the beginning I was harder on myself than I should have been,” he said. “I’ve learned that I’m going to have fallbacks. I’m going to make mistakes. But with the therapy, they don’t judge you for that.”

Fullmer emphasizes that it’s never too late to seek help and that what might seem “normal” isn’t always healthy.

“If I could help anybody, I’d tell them: ‘Look, I didn’t believe in any of this stuff. I didn’t think any of it worked. I didn’t think I had a problem.’ As opposed to saying, ‘Maybe I had no right to react that way.’ So that’s where I’m working and learning now,” he shared.

Now Fulllmer’s a believer, knowing that Telemental Health services can break down barriers that prevent Veterans from accessing critical mental healthcare. By providing care in a comfortable environment and removing the need to travel to unfamiliar places, virtual care services opened a door that had felt closed to him for almost three decades.

Talk to your VA care team today to see what mental health services are available and right for your needs and preferences. To learn more about all available virtual care options, visit the VA Telehealth Services.