They cite the usual suspects for the shockingly high numbers -- operational tempo, not enough dwell time between deployments, etc., etc., etc. And in the same news cycle comes the idea that really what we need is a "Suicide Prevention Office." Really. Good place to stack all the posters, videos, CDs, DVDs, promotional materials, etc., about NOT killing yourself. In addition to all the pep=talks. Sure...suicide awareness and prevention programs help...some...but clearly, not nearly ENOUGH, or the statistics wouldn't continue to climb despite the best efforts thrown at it. And every suicide devastates the family who's left behind. Read just one tragic story to get a sense of that, linked here.
Let's take a different look at the same problem. Let's stop telling people under stress, hey, don't KILL yourself! It's a bad idea! (Don't you think they know that? But when the pressure gets too great, all the wonderful advice in the world goes out the window...however true it might be). Let's instead start looking at...veterans and servicemembers who struggled at one time, recently, WITH wanting to kill themselves, but who broke free of the grip. How did they do it? To what do they attribute their success? And let's replicate THAT, if it's reproducible.
There's a whole concept called body psychology, where trauma is stored in the body, not "just" in the mind. The theory is "controversial," which means it has its adherents and its detractors (many things do). But if the theory is correct, it opens up ways for removing trauma from the body, other than the "gold standard" (aka, only thing practiced) of talk therapy and psychopharmaceuticals. Even VA admits that what they offer doesn't work for everyone; and that's of those who sign up to be treated, which isn't remotely all who need the help. And it doesn't even count those who are still serving. Trauma takes its toll. Let's be increasingly more open-minded about how to remove it from the body AND the mind.
Clearly, the status quo isn't working. If it were, the numbers of servicemembers and veterans who kill themselves wouldn't continue to climb. All the awareness and prevention in the world doesn't help clear trauma from the body. Let's start exploring the ways that actually do. Talk therapy and drug therapy already have their place. Let's enlarge the conversation to include other modalities. We don't have much to lose; lives are already being lost, and the status quo clearly isn't working. A few more pep talks, a few more videos, an office of suicide prevention: NO. Let's find and fund things that WORK. Start here.
