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Suicidality In Veterans Suicide

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Expanding my Knowledge: Veterans and Suicidality In 2011, veterans between 18 and 24 years of age who were enrolled in a VA health program killed themselves at a pace of 80 per 100,000. In shocking contrast, their non-veteran counterparts completed suicide at a rate of 20 per 100,000 in prior years (Morrison, 2014). These numbers beg to question the cause of increasing rates of suicide for veterans and how mental health workers can assist veterans in reducing lost lives. Coll, Weiss, and Yarvis (2011) wrote that while many veterans return home with little to no adjustment problems, about 15 to over 30% of veterans will return with mental and physical health disorders (e.g. TBI, physical disability, etc; Covell, 2011). These mental health …show more content…

The rate of suicide has only increased with those veterans who have struggled to adjust to civilian life or who have brought home these many complex disorders and issues (Rudd, Goulding, & Bryan, 2011; Jakupcak & Varra, 2011; Morrison, 2014). Research has found that suicidality in veterans is an increased risk with many factors, especially for those who have PTSD. Just some of these factors include repeat deployments, lack of time with loved ones, poor social support, financial strain, physical pain, and simply being a male in a society that stigmatizes male emotional expression. Vandervort (2011) identified the significant stress of these factors on an individual’s health; he wrote about seeing his family once in four years due to lack of money, drinking alcohol with unit members to cope and becoming a borderline alcoholic, and having to reduce chances of success in the military to be close to his …show more content…

It is evidenced in numerous areas, such as lacking resources in university counseling centers and poor support from the military (e.g. reactive rather than proactive mental health care; Rudd, Goulding, & Bryan, 2011; Jakupcak & Varra, 2011; Morrison, 2014). Upon returning home, Coll, Weiss, and Yarvis (2011) find that these multiple factors may lead to struggles adjusting to civilian life. Covell (2011) expressed that although many veterans do not struggle with PTSD or mental health disorders, many veterans have missed out on significant experiences or have decreased social support at home because everyone has moved on with their lives .Further, Covell (2011) and Vandervort (2011) both met significant barriers upon leaving the military and trying to get a job. Vandervort stated that he nearly committed suicide before going back into the military. They wrote that employers don’t understand the value of being a combat veteran who is able to work under stress. After many years of service to America, this lack of support may leave veterans feeling angry and hopeless about wasted time in the service and their future. These experiences leading to increased suicidality has been noted by counselors and the mental health field has sought out numerous models that can assist in reducing adjustment issues, suicidality, and increasing quality of life for

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