Via VA Watchdog:
The five-month CBS News probe, based upon a detailed analysis of data obtained from death records from 2004 and 2005, found that veterans were more than twice as likely to commit suicide in 2005 as non-vets.
A recent Veteran Affairs Department estimate says some 5,000 ex-servicemen and women will commit suicide this year, largely as a result of mental health issues, and Keteyian says, "Our numbers are much higher than that, overall."
He says the numbers in the CBS News study shocked everyone from Sen. Patty Murray (D, Wash.) to veterans' rights advocate Paul Sullivan.
Murray told Keteyian, "That's a lot of young men and women who've gone to fight for us, and come home and found themselves that lost."
Said Sullivan, "This is pulling the fire alarm to say our veterans need help now."
Via Veterans For Common Sense, some things you can do if you are concerned about someone, particularly veterans, mental health to the point where you think they may be suicidal:
For information about suicide prevention assistance, please see second article below. Hotline for Veterans: Veterans who need help immediate counseling should call the hotline run by Veterans Affairs professionals at 1-800-273-TALK and press 1 identifying themselves as military veterans. Staff members are specially trained to take calls from military veterans and its staffed 24 hours a day, everyday. While all operators are trained to help veterans, some are also former military. For a wallet-size card titled "What to do you if you think someone is having suicidal thoughts," please click here.(PDF)
"In 2005, for example, in just those 45 states, there were at least 6,256 suicides among those who served in the armed forces. That’s 120 each and every week, in just one year."
How to Spot Warning Signs
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides the following warning signs.
* Talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself
* Trying to get pills, guns, or other ways to harm oneself
* Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide
* Hopelessness
* Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
* Acting in a reckless or risky way
* Feeling trapped, like there's no way out
* Saying or feeling there's no reason for living
* For more on mental health services at the Dept of Veterans Affairs, click here or call the VA's suicide hotline at 800.273.TALK (8255).
Suicide Signs Unique to Veterans
Experts on suicide prevention say for veterans there are some particular signs to watch for.
* Calling old friends, particularly military friends, to say goodbye
* Cleaning a weapon that they may have as a souvenir
* Visits to graveyards
* Obsessed with news coverage of the war, the military channel
* Wearing their uniform or part of their uniform, boots, etc
* Talking about how honorable it is to be a soldier
* Sleeping more (sometimes the decision to commit suicide brings a sense of peace of mind, and they sleep more to withdraw)
* Becoming overprotective of children
* Standing guard of the house, perhaps while everyone is asleep staying up to "watch over" the house, obsessively locking doors, windows
* If they are on medication, stopping medication and/or hording medication
* Hording alcohol -- not necessarily hard alcohol, could be wine
* Spending spree, buying gifts for family members and friends "to remember by"
* Defensive speech "you wouldn't understand," etc.
* Stop making eye contact or speaking with others
6 comments:
I just left a comment about this subject over at an average american patriot.
I watch my husband carefully for the signs, always now.
The "you wouldn't understand" retort gets me every time. Although I don't fully understand, I'm sure I could be somewhat sympathetic - so this is an issue close to my heart.
If i went over to a foreign land, lived like an animal, was prepared to offer the ultimate sacrifice for my God and Country, and then returned home to hear the pessimistic, disrespectful, feminizing jargon that spews from the likes of people such as yourself - I too would shoot myself, square in the face.
-infectiousInk
You don't like my opinions? Then attack my opinions, but I'll be damned if people crack jokes about Veterans committing suicide.
Let me enlighten you asshole, my husband is an Iraq Veteran Against the War - he too spews the "pessimistic garbage" that I spew. In fact he is the very reason I began "spewing my garbage" all over my blog. My support of him, and his opinions through my own has helped him in his healing process. Being vocal about what is going on and trying to do something about it is one of very few things that has got him on the right track.
Maybe if you grew a spine, and went over there, you'd actually know what you were talking about. As it stands, you are seriously uninformed about the link of depression, PTSD, DU and this war.
But if you think suicide is funny, maybe you should try the punchline on yourself sometime.
Because I sure as hell don't think its funny. And I sure as hell don't think that any one who has a loved one suffering from depression or PTSD, both of which my husband has, plus possible DU contamination from this God damned war thinks its funny.
You're awfully brave to insult a VETERAN and his WIFE online, randomly on a forum about a damn serious subject, when you don't have the balls to go over there yourself and expose yourself to the physical and psychological dangers.
But hey, you're more than happy to send more people off to do it for you, aren't you?
Wow cPalm... It is clear where you stand. "Fuck the vets" is all you got for them.
Anok, I am sorry that my Blog seems to be getting over run by a couple of wingnuts that seem to have an idiotic Ayn Rand attitude. ("I got mine - now fuck you all")
All the dimwad wants to do is drop a link in the comments in the hopes that someone will pay attention to his sad little Blog.
CTman, don't you apologize for something someone else said. You can't be held responsible for some idiot vomitously leaving asinine remarks on your blog.
Besides, its always better when you know where someone stands on an issue like this, it gives you the leeway to stand as far away from them and their opinions as humanly possible.
Oh My God. Unbelievably sad. And CPalm said exactly what I figured was coming, a typical ' I haven't been there and I ain't never shot nobody, but IF I DID, I sure as heck would shoot myself if I had to listen to you people.'
haha... nice
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