Rising Suicides Stump Military Leaders
By KRISTINA WONG @kristina_wong
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2011
The U.S. military doesn't need September's Suicide Prevention Month to realize it has a problem within its ranks.
The increase in suicide deaths is one of the most distressing issues facing military leaders who want to reduce the rates among active-duty service members. More than 2,000 of them have killed themselves in the past decade, including 295 last year compared with 153 in 2001.
Despite their best suicide-prevention efforts, reducing the number of military suicides has been a frustrating challenge, military leaders acknowledged earlier this month at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C. Recent efforts have included increasing at-risk service members' access to mental health professionals, while reducing the stigma attached to mental health care. Internet outreach, including "video chats," has also shown some promise.
The difficulty, however, is in identifying which initiatives work best and deciphering the multiple triggers that can lead to suicide within the armed services, which accounts for a small fraction of the total number of people who serve.
The most commonly identified risk factors and "stressors", according to the leaders who testified, are relationship issues, work-related problems, financial pressure, legal concerns, alcoholism and substance abuse.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Rising Suicides Stump Military Leaders, duh
For the last ten years they've been stumped because they have been listening to and paying the wrong people. Repeating the same failed programs with these results has not managed to sink in. With this attitude, they'd still be using bows and arrows.
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As a retired soldier that has survived my own attempt, the army still handles this wrong. you tell a soldier that if they come forward about such ideas that they wont be punish or treated bad then live up to that. a year and a half after my attempt and that was all i could hear from people in charge. how about listen to the soldiers that want to change the service for the better and how to stop this from happening to someone else.
ReplyDeleteThe part that really sucks is that it all depends on what base you're on. Some leaders are doing a great job on supporting all of you and others couldn't care less because they don't believe PTSD is real. Imagine that? How in this day and age could some still be so ignorant they refuse to understand any of this?
ReplyDeleteI've been to many meetings on military suicides and PTSD, so I can tell you that there are many getting help, including brass, and staying in. The biggest problem seems to be with the attitude you can train your brain to prevent it. They end up telling all of you if you end up with PTSD, you didn't toughen your mind enough. Until they all wake up, these suicides will keep going up.
I am glad you were not successful. I can tell you after living with my husband, a VIetnam Vet, it gets better. I almost lost him too. Tomorrow is our 27th wedding anniversary. Email me if I can help you heal in anyway. woundedtimes@aol.com