Anxiety in American veterans is a real and pressing issue.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, mental health conditions like anxiety are among the most commonly claimed service-connected conditions in veterans.

In addition, roughly 12 percent of veterans who served in the Gulf War have been diagnosed with mental health conditions like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and more.

In truth, that number is likely higher but many veterans choose to self-medicate and never tackle their mental problems head-on.