September is Suicide Prevention Month!
Did you know that suicide is the second leading cause of death among military
personnel?
Military personnel who experience PTSD or Depression are more likely to feel isolated
from their loved ones and therefore increase their risk for suicide. Those who experience
negative self-talk including feelings of hopelessness, self-hatred, and guilt also increase their risk
of suicide.
If you notice that your loved one has become disconnected, struggles with insomnia, has
intense levels of agitation, expresses feeling trapped or is having suicidal thoguhts, and/ or if
they are making any preparations for death such as: a suicide note, practicing attempts, these are
all indicators that your loved one is struggling and may be thinking about suicide.
How do we prevent suicide?
It has been found that Military Personnel who have strong social supports and
connections are less likely to think about suicide. Being able to have access to resources that can
support them in a variety of ways such as medically, financially and emotionally have also been
found to decrease the likelihood of suicide. Having access to mental health treatment such as
cognitive behavioral therapies can help Military Personnel to manage their symptoms.
Did you know that suicide is the second leading cause of death among military
personnel?
Military personnel who experience PTSD or Depression are more likely to feel isolated
from their loved ones and therefore increase their risk for suicide. Those who experience
negative self-talk including feelings of hopelessness, self-hatred, and guilt also increase their risk
of suicide.
If you notice that your loved one has become disconnected, struggles with insomnia, has
intense levels of agitation, expresses feeling trapped or is having suicidal thoguhts, and/ or if
they are making any preparations for death such as: a suicide note, practicing attempts, these are
all indicators that your loved one is struggling and may be thinking about suicide.
How do we prevent suicide?
It has been found that Military Personnel who have strong social supports and
connections are less likely to think about suicide. Being able to have access to resources that can
support them in a variety of ways such as medically, financially and emotionally have also been
found to decrease the likelihood of suicide. Having access to mental health treatment such as
cognitive behavioral therapies can help Military Personnel to manage their symptoms.
Source: https://www.abct.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/military-suicide.pdf
Veteran Crisis Hotline: Dial 988 then Press 1
