Military Suicide

Written By Amanda Pena

The 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report indicated that in 2020 there were 6,146 Veteran suicide deaths. This is an average of 16.8 suicide deaths per day. In California there were 439 Veteran suicide deaths reported for the 2020 year.

Hope is found to be a key and necessary anchor to strengthen Veterans amidst numerous life circumstances. Hope must imbue suicide prevention.

The Veteran Affairs Department aims at working with Veterans to address five critical areas:

  1. Lethal means safety

  2. Suicide prevention in at-risk medical populations

  3. Outreach and understanding of prior and non-VA users

  4. Suicide prevention program enhancements

  5. Media campaigns

These efforts have assisted in reducing the rate of suicide death by 343 from 2019.

Men and woman between the age of 18-34 were at the highest risk for Veteran suicide death. This is an increase from other age groups. Overall suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 25-34. Military separation is a critical period that increases suggestibility to death by suicide. Firearms remain the most lethal means of suicide death at 50.3%, followed by suffocation at 28.4%.

While certain groups have substantially higher rates of suicide than the general US population, Veterans bear a disproportionate but preventable burden.

Risk factors for suicide include

  • Substance use disorders

  • Substance abuse, especially heavy binge drinking

  • Feelings of loneliness

  • Feelings of isolation

  • Feelings of hopelessness

  • Feelings of depression

  • Actue psychosocial stressors

  • Having low cholesterol

  • Higher doses of opioid medications for pain control

  • Insomnia

  • Mental health conditions such as anxiety, manic-depressive, depression, PTSD, Schizophrenia

  • Social and financial problems

  • Medical conditions such as HIV, liver disease, seizures, TBI, body pain associated with spinal

  • damage, nerve damage, etc.

  • Job or financial loss

  • Homelessness

  • Moral injury

Warning Signs

  • Anger, rage, mood wings, and episodes of anxiety and agitation

  • Expressing feelings of having no reason to live

  • Increased alcohol and/or substance use

  • Self-destructive and risky behaviors like driving while impaired

It is imperative to partner up with community agencies working towards preventing suicide deaths and educating the public about suicide awareness. Youth’s are managing several life complexities that increase their vulnerability to suicide by death. Help us prevent death by suicide and end a person’s intersubjective suffering, to help them conclude suicide is not considered a viable option. Help us be the solution that allows them to experience a satisfying and meaningful life.

Amanda Pena
Previous

Youth Suicide