Nearly 18 veterans commit suicide per day, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Even one veteran whose life is lost to suicide is too many.
Yet because the number has declined from 22 veterans per day 10 years earlier, “we’re moving in the right direction,” said Jeff Hurst, an outpatient therapist with the Avera Employee Assistance Program, and a Navy veteran.
“Especially with this younger generation who are more open to talking, seeking help and getting support from their battle buddies or their friends. They know that it's OK to not be OK, it's OK to ask for help,” Hurst said.
When a veteran asks for help, they’re often asking for help with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which Hurst says is a hard contributing factor to veteran suicide.
What Is PTSD?
PTSD is a normal response to what many veterans go through before, during and after combat. It can also result from non-combat events like military sexual trauma or other stressors before, during or after their military service.
PTSD happens after a traumatic event that causes people to look at and react to things differently, but it’s not quite that simple. There are five different types of PTSD, with each level being more severe.
- Normal stress response: a normal response to a traumatic event like a car accident, illness or surgery.
- Acute stress disorder: a response to things like the loss of a loved one, natural disasters or political violence. Almost everyone deals with these top two kinds of events in their lifetime, and can generally manage them with support from friends and family, a few therapy sessions or medication.
- Uncomplicated PTSD: this is the most common type Hurst sees in his practice and can involve nightmares and re-experiencing of the traumatic event, among other things. Veterans may experience two states: One is hypervigilance. “They're always on guard that ‘there's something out there that's going to get me,’” said Hurst. The other is hyper arousal. “Their senses are aroused. Like acute hearing or seeing things.”
- Complex PTSD: This form takes things up a notch, and includes reliving the trauma over and over again. It’s common for victims of abuse and veterans who saw a lot of combat.
- Comorbid PTSD: this includes PTSD and another issue, a coping mechanism like alcohol or drug use, some type of substance use disorder or sometimes it can be PTSD with depression. The combination of PTSD and depression too often leads to suicide.
How Asking the Question Can Help
If you’re worried about a veteran who might be thinking about suicide, it’s important to ask the question: Are you thinking about suicide?
“Absolutely, 100% ask the question,” said Hurst. “There's two concerns that I've heard about, one is that asking the question is going to push them into thinking about suicide. You're not. Studies show you're not going to make them more apt to attempt suicide than if you don't ask the question because you're showing that you care. It's not hey, go do this.”
The second concern for someone who asks the question is, what if they say yes?
“That's the million dollar question. Now what do I do? I encourage people to just be there. You may not know what to do, you may not know what to say, but just be present. Don't leave them alone until you can go talk to somebody or get some help,” said Hurst. “By and large, suicide from thoughts to actions to completion is about time. The more time that you give them, they start to rethink things. That irrationality they're experiencing becomes more rational.”
Help for Veterans Who Are Struggling
PTSD can’t be cured, but it can be treated, so it’s best to seek treatment before it gets to the point of contemplating suicide.
“I tell my clients that all the time that anxiety, depression, PTSD, whatever the disorder is, you will deal with that over your lifetime,” said Hurst. “Mental health is about is helping an individual with the best coping skills that are most effective for them and using those coping skills as they move forward.”
Moving forward means getting help and the first step to healing is asking for help.
“Veterans are a very proud group of people, and this ‘swallow it and suck it up’ doesn't do any good,” said Hurst. “I tell veterans that asking for help is the most courageous thing that you can do. Admitting there's something wrong comes from a place of courage, not a place of weakness.”
Finding help is quick and easy. If you’re having immediate thoughts of suicide, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and then press 1 to speak with a trained responder available 24/7, or go to your local emergency room. In Sioux Falls, 24/7 Behavioral Health Urgent Care is available at the Avera Behavioral Health Hospital.
If the threat of suicide isn’t acute, there’s also the option to contact Military One Source or National Center for PTSD which help veterans and their families with a wide variety of support programs.
Learn more about suicide prevention or Avera behavioral and mental health resources.
