Is the Veteran Community Making Veteran Suicide Worse?

[Marauder06]

Veterans kill themselves at the rate of 22 every day, and what does the veteran community do about it? Encourage more of it.

An interesting perspective here, one I hadn't thought of before. This definitely DOES NOT apply to our community here on ShadowSpear; the teasing is good-natured and the mods and admins quickly shut down any assclownery that even comes close to what is shown in the story. But I've seen the extremes discussed in the article many times in many different places. I encourage you to read the article and not just respond to the title or the short excerpt I posted above.

http://www.havokjournal.com/culture/22tozero-veterans-are-making-it-worse/

 

[Worldweaver]

Interesting article. It seems that most of the issues come from social media and the need for validation and acceptance. While 99% of the conversations involve good natured competitiveness and inter-service rivalry, there are the small numbers of, "you are a worthless piece of shit...fucking die" type posts.

As always, I think it depends on the individual and the "place" they are in at the time. Those service members that are on the edge and possibly thinking about suicide are always more susceptible changes in self-efficacy, whether that comes from fellow servicemen, music, movies, or a Facebook post.

Continue to watch out for your brothers and sisters out there.

RTLW

 

[Etype]

Interesting read.

I guess we need to fall back on the old, "everyone's job was/is important.". I don't want to change oil or cook bacon- I'm glad there's someone there to do it, though.



EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DORKS!!!!
Just kidding guys, but seriously...

 

[0699]

Probably written by a pogue fobbit that never even left the wire...

Bitch.

 

[RackMaster]

I think the social media link is key now. Most are pretty isolated when they reach the decision of suicide and the anonymity of the Interwebz may give them the strength to reach out. Then we hammer them because "they can't be fucked up, I saw worse shit and I'm OK"; which is bullshit. If someone rolls an ankle, after we tell them they are pussies and then offer a hand to help them carry on. BUT you don't see a mental injury. So you call them more than a pussy and march on without the sack of shit...

We need to offer that hand to anyone that "stumbles", physical or mental. No more eating our own.

 

[Florida173]

Not a big fan of Huffington Post, but they make a compelling argument on the validity of the numbers stated.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dustin-demoss/veteran-suicide-rate_b_6417182.html

 

[RackMaster]

The numbers are irrelevant, even 1 is to many...

 

[Brill]

Interesting read.

I guess we need to fall back on the old, "everyone's job was/is important.". I don't want to change oil or cook bacon- I'm glad there's someone there to do it, though.



EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DORKS!!!!
Just kidding guys, but seriously...

If I'm reading you correctly, you give off a bad "vibe".

 

[Brill]

In all sincerity, I openly wonder the number military suicides compared to those on anti-depressants or any other mood altering drug. Bottom line, the majority of that shit advertised on TV clearly states that a side effect is suicidal thoughts. Why in hell is that acceptable treatment?

I would also like to see numbers for military suicides during the draft era vs post 9/11 when we lowered enlistment standards.

Finally here's my beef: I know a ARNG soldier (admin FOBBIT) who claimed PTSD because they were in a convoy that got lost from Phoenix to BAF and got medically retired. I also know an 11B who was attached to my same ODA and a SVBIED exploded on the other side of his driver's door. He lived but attempted suicide upon return to CONUS. Discharged and on his own.

 

[Salt USMC]

I would also like to see numbers for military suicides during the draft era vs post 9/11 when we lowered enlistment standards.

This VA study from 2012 addresses that - somewhat. http://www.va.gov/opa/docs/suicide-data-report-2012-final.pdf
Data from tables on pages 20 and 22 that during the sampled years (1999-2010) the Vietnam-era veterans (age group 50-59 and 60-69 are the closest approximations) accounted for a larger number of suicides per year than the post-9/11 generation (29/younger and 30-39). Now, that's only for recent decades. I've tried to find reliable studies that take data from the decades following the Vietnam war, but those are difficult to find. There is a comparative study on PTS rates, which showed that Vietnam vets and post-9/11 vets reported PTS at roughly the same rate.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Good article - It makes me think of the culture of this forum compared to just a few years ago. Folks would get savaged in an intro that referred to SEAL's as "seals", sharks circled the waters waiting for the okay to dog-pile. Over the past years there has been a noticeable and overt attempt by the mods and admins to get this under control - overall intros are now a safe-zone, there is still the occasional feeding frenzy, but someone really has to show their ass for that to happen. Even then, it eventually gets locked down or the user is banned...I think back to the nurse from a few months ago (I think she was a nurse), it took her about 2 posts to get this place going - some pretty strongly written posts were written, and I recall @pardus showing incredible patience - especially since he was the one being attacked by her. In the end, she was banned, most of the insulting posts (from her and from members) were pruned, and life moved on. This really has evolved into into a site where learning happens and those looking for advice are not immediately tossed aside because they did not know how to properly ask the question they are trying to ask.

 

[Etype]

In all sincerity, I openly wonder the number military suicides compared to those on anti-depressants or any other mood altering drug. Bottom line, the majority of that shit advertised on TV clearly states that a side effect is suicidal thoughts. Why in hell is that acceptable treatment?

I wouldn't consider anything I go through as a problem, but I make a conscious effort not to drink or anything when my mind is wandering/racing/whatever.

Some friends who have been hurt pretty bad have gone on some roller coaster rides, which I would believe to be strongly linked to their pain meds.

It's not high school anymore- the mind altering substances carry pretty heavy implications.

 

[RetPara]

It's the combinations that REALLY screw your head up. For most of last year I was in a REALLY bad place because my Psycho prescribed me some meds, in combination that really had me fucked up. It's only been the past 3-4 months that my head has been straight. The shit can sneak up on you so slowly that you don't notice it happening.

 

[reed11b]

The numbers are irrelevant, even 1 is to many...

Unfortunately, that may not be a realistic goal. The majority of Veteran suicides come from the male 20-25 category, a group that commits suicide at very high rates outside the military as well. A large percentage of Veteran suicides are service members that have not deployed. Suicide is going to happen in the Military due to the demographics of who joins. It's when the suicide rate for service members is higher than the same population on the civilian side that the alarm needs to be raised.
Currently the suicide rate is higher in the military, (first year was ’09 or ’10 I believe) hence the increased concern and focus.
Reed

 

[RackMaster]

@reed11b I agree but at what % of loss is acceptable? There should be more focus on prevention both in and out of the military community. Suicide prevention and mental health awareness should be a medical priority.

Meds are a funny thing, it's not an exact science and we all have different chemical make-ups in our melons. One med or dosage could work for one and not the other. It took me 2 years and a half dozen meds before the "right" one sorted me out. Even then, alterations to dosage and additional meds have been needed over the years. For some it's not needed but I've accepted my brain doesn't function right without some help.

 

[Brill]

I wouldn't consider anything I go through as a problem, but I make a conscious effort not to drink or anything when my mind is wandering/racing/whatever.

Right there with you brother (after learning the hard way). Alcohol makes things 1000 times worse. When things get weird, I reach out to buddies I was with, not to bring up the same "holy shit that was close" stories but to just talk. Wonder if it's the association of safety with the same voice on the "radio"? Dunno but it seems to work.

 

[Brill]

It's the combinations that REALLY screw your head up. For most of last year I was in a REALLY bad place because my Psycho prescribed me some meds, in combination that really had me fucked up. It's only been the past 3-4 months that my head has been straight. The shit can sneak up on you so slowly that you don't notice it happening.

Bet if you ask coworkers or family, they could see the immediate change.

 

[pardus]

Unfortunately, that may not be a realistic goal. The majority of Veteran suicides come from the male 20-25 category, a group that commits suicide at very high rates outside the military as well. A large percentage of Veteran suicides are service members that have not deployed. Suicide is going to happen in the Military due to the demographics of who joins. It's when the suicide rate for service members is higher than the same population on the civilian side that the alarm needs to be raised.
Currently the suicide rate is higher in the military, (first year was ’09 or ’10 I believe) hence the increased concern and focus.
Reed

A, the Military is a tough job, mentally and physically. Some thrive on it others do not. An option to look at would be a waiver of the contract agreement that binds certain people into a place they really don't want to be, and feel trapped due to their contractual obligation.
B, the Military needs to stop thinking that fucking people over is an acceptable part of the service. Yeah shit happens, but fucking someone just because, unacceptable.

 

[Etype]

There is no sample to compare us to, but I wonder how we compare to similar civilian groups.

Even then, steps should be taken both among peers and program driven to make us more resilient than comparable groups of individuals.

 

[RetPara]

Bet if you ask coworkers or family, they could see the immediate change.

Well... no has told me I can't choke people when I get pissed... for a while.... but then that person took a job in another state.... hard to tell if my brandy consumption has really declined since it's Lent and have given up cheap liquor.... good brandy is fucking expensive....