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Started By
Message
re: On Average, A Veteran Commits Suicide Every 65 Minutes
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:41 pm to Sao
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:41 pm to Sao
quote:That number is likely high - possibly by a lot.
On Average, A Veteran Commits Suicide Every 65 Minutes
However, I truly believe the number would be MUCH lower if we would allow psychedelic therapy for these vets. It's criminal that our society has criminalized these substances - even in therapeutic settings.
1
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:45 pm to Sao
When a person is under that sort of stress and sees that sort of violence, it’s changed them.
I will say this, watching one of the guys i shots, eyes go black as i watched his body shut down is a picture that i have never forgotten.
Things like that never go away
I will say this, watching one of the guys i shots, eyes go black as i watched his body shut down is a picture that i have never forgotten.
Things like that never go away
Posted on 2/18/21 at 3:47 pm to Sao
The Forever War has a lot to do with it.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 3:50 pm to Sao
Peer support groups are very helpful. Talk, talk, talk. Throw up the bull shite and get it the hell out. Viet era Vets were treated poorly. I was accused of everything from killing civilians to being a dope jumkie.
The hardest part was coming home. I was also denied employment for being a Vet.
The hardest part was coming home. I was also denied employment for being a Vet.
This post was edited on 2/18/21 at 4:23 pm
Posted on 2/18/21 at 4:11 pm to Sao
I lost a coworker to suicide some years back. He was a door gunner in Nam and no doubt was part of a lot of bad stuff. His family said the fun loving, outgoing kid that left home came back as somebody they didn't know anymore. He sought help but the demons always found their way back to him.
The poster here that posted a few months ago that said ptsd isn't real, just weak minded people is so full of crap. The numbers don't lie.
The poster here that posted a few months ago that said ptsd isn't real, just weak minded people is so full of crap. The numbers don't lie.
This post was edited on 2/18/21 at 4:17 pm
Posted on 2/18/21 at 5:09 pm to Sao
quote:
20+ per day is an epidemic. Something's wrong. Bad wrong.
There are so many contributing factors it is a near-impossible challenge to solve. The downside to our fraternity is pretty big but so is the upside.
Example: My dad is 80 and a vet. He had some health issues away from home and alone - literally 6+ hours from his house and at least a day of flying from me.
An EMT was checking him out and recommended he go to the hospital to get checked out - the hospital was about 40 miles away (dad was in some small town in Wisconsin). Dad balked because he said "I would have a ride to the hospital but no way to get back to my truck after". The EMT, also a veteran, told gave dad his cell number and said go get checked out when you are discharged call me, I got your back on a ride out here.
That is the upside. The downside is I saw several buddies die over my time in, I have dark times thinking about the lives of men better than me that were cut short. I know I am not doing all they could have. If I dwell on it I can go crazy.
In the end, suicide is a choice to follow the dark dogs down an alley you know doesn't end well or stop yourself, call a friend, drink a beer, do anything to stop that circle.
It is a hard decision, but if someone is determined to suck start a pistol there is nothing that can be done.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 5:11 pm to Sao
I’ve lost two of my soldiers to suicide. They were incredible men; I think of them often.
This post was edited on 2/18/21 at 5:12 pm
Posted on 2/18/21 at 5:31 pm to Sao
A contestant on season two of Alone is a veteran and talked about this a lot on his season. It was very eye opening.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 5:32 pm to Sao
Gubment doesn't want to solve it because in the long run it saves them money.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 8:08 pm to Sao
quote:
if you're an acquaintance of anyone within that stat, what's the major problem?
My husband served 20 years. The VA is understaffed and overwhelmed.
quote:
How, where and why do 'we' keep failing these guys and girls?
The first thing they do is put vets on a shite ton of pills, all with side effects that create even more health problems, which leads to, you guessed it, MORE PILLS! There are not enough providers to see vets for therapy and counseling as often as they need it. The situation gets dire very quickly. Often, vets suffer from addiction which starts in their Dr's office of all places. You can't give narcotics to people who are looking to escape the mental and physical pain of war and expect them to NOT become addicts.
quote:
Does more need to be done the second they come home to acclimate their heart and mind?
Yes! It needs to start in basic training and continue all the way through service and after being discharged. Most military members are deemed "defective", for lack of a better term, if they return from deployment with mental health issues, so many dont say anything. There is a fear of being medically discharged and losing your career, especially if you've served 10+ years and hope to retire. Many carry this stuff around for years and don't unpack it until they get out. We fail them every step of the way.
quote:
Does it start way before that in terms of the process of getting them ready to be a soldier period?
Part of the problem is that most of these guys and gals join out of patriotism and love of country and then go fight in wars that have nothing to do with patriotism or peace keeping. It's kind of a mind frick to be blown up and watch your best friends die and then have no clue what you're even doing there. Try looking yourself in the mirror when you feel like you have harmed innocent people and everything you thought you believed in is turned upside down. Our government owes our military a lot of explanations.
quote:
Something's wrong. Bad wrong.
You can say that again.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:27 pm to Sao
I have severe PTSD, I have learned to over come it though and I’m thankful for that. But soldiers live 365 days or more in a heightened state of alertness, at anytime you can be attacked, bombed, mortared etc. that alone can cause severe mental stress. Then thrown in the combat soldiers who are outside the wire and see what pure evil is it gets worse and trust me these assholes over there are pure evil.
Help starts within, most are to proud to ask for help. But we are trained that when facing an overwhelming force that we radio for support and when the support is in its way we still have to hold position and fight till it gets there. This is how we are trained. Veterans we need to apply that to life. If those demons are overwhelming us we call for support and keep calling until we find someone that says keep fighting hold your position I’m on my way.
As far as the VA Trump was on the right path with veterans choice program. I think that needs to be expanded and basically used like a HMO and those doctors bill the service provided back to the VA.
Help starts within, most are to proud to ask for help. But we are trained that when facing an overwhelming force that we radio for support and when the support is in its way we still have to hold position and fight till it gets there. This is how we are trained. Veterans we need to apply that to life. If those demons are overwhelming us we call for support and keep calling until we find someone that says keep fighting hold your position I’m on my way.
As far as the VA Trump was on the right path with veterans choice program. I think that needs to be expanded and basically used like a HMO and those doctors bill the service provided back to the VA.
Posted on 2/19/21 at 12:27 am to Sao
quote:
what's the major problem?
It is not a problem so much as a a culture of responsibility. If you look at statistics around the world of cultures who commit murder vs cultures who commit suicides, it really comes down to where people place blame when there is failure.
Those who commit suicide typically have a high propensity to blame themselves when they perceive failure. The military for very good reasons has an ethic that maintains anything you fail to do is your responsibility, even in leadership, you have the man in the dock ideology. If your unit fails in its mission, it was your responsibility.
Combine this with all the factors many of the other posters mentioned, from failing to find work when leaving the military, to spousal betrayal, alcohol and drug addiction, chronic pain as a result of the job, seeing the mission you undertook as banal, the loss of friends and you get the problem.
Posted on 2/19/21 at 12:29 am to Sao
Dreams of Napalm
An old man sits in the alleyway,
A veteran of Vietnam,
They sent him home a casualty,
But he still dreams of napalm,
Captain of the football team,
Some said he was college bound,
But the draft board cut short all his dreams,
Sent his boots to foreign ground,
They were ambushed in the jungle,
When he watched his buddy die,
Then he picked up his machine gun,
And he let the bullets fly,
Yeah they gave him a medal,
For his valiant attack,
But a mine took his legs off,
Before they sent him back,
Well they gave a ticker tape parade,
And he watched it from his chair,
And he tried to live a normal life,
But his mind was still back there,
Yeah the nightmares never seemed to end,
So he pours another glass,
If he’s lucky then he’ll dream again,
Of when he threw a touchdown pass.
Now he shivers,
In the cold,
With his bottle,
Grey and old,
Tattered coat upon his shoulders
But the winter’s getting colder
Yeah an old man sits in the alleyway,
Now his life is at an end,
Just another wasted casualty,
Of a war we couldn’t win,
Yeah the boys they sent away from home,
Those that made it back again,
Tossed aside like trash in the alleyway,
With the wounds that never mend
An old man sits in the alleyway,
A veteran of Vietnam,
They sent him home a casualty,
But he still dreams of napalm,
Captain of the football team,
Some said he was college bound,
But the draft board cut short all his dreams,
Sent his boots to foreign ground,
They were ambushed in the jungle,
When he watched his buddy die,
Then he picked up his machine gun,
And he let the bullets fly,
Yeah they gave him a medal,
For his valiant attack,
But a mine took his legs off,
Before they sent him back,
Well they gave a ticker tape parade,
And he watched it from his chair,
And he tried to live a normal life,
But his mind was still back there,
Yeah the nightmares never seemed to end,
So he pours another glass,
If he’s lucky then he’ll dream again,
Of when he threw a touchdown pass.
Now he shivers,
In the cold,
With his bottle,
Grey and old,
Tattered coat upon his shoulders
But the winter’s getting colder
Yeah an old man sits in the alleyway,
Now his life is at an end,
Just another wasted casualty,
Of a war we couldn’t win,
Yeah the boys they sent away from home,
Those that made it back again,
Tossed aside like trash in the alleyway,
With the wounds that never mend
Posted on 2/19/21 at 12:33 am to Sao
Veterans get a fake appreciation and gratitude. They really do deserve better.
Posted on 2/19/21 at 12:53 am to Sao
quote:
what's the major problem?
If they had the answer the statistics wouldn't be where they are.
Some of the problems:
- Seeking help for mental illness has been seen as a sign of weakness historically in the military.
- Fear of losing promotion
- Fear of losing rights
- Ego (too proud to ask for help)
- Repeat deployments where horrible shite happens and then sent home to pretend like it didn't, or sent right back to more horrible shite.
- Lack of mental health facilities
- Lack of competent mental health professionals
- No support from the public "thank you for your service, Hero etc." are just platitudes, actual support from the public would probably go a long way. Some circles generally hate military people, especially in areas around bases.
There are a lot more problems, poor chain of command, poor policy by service branches, lack luster training on the issue etc.
Posted on 2/19/21 at 7:14 am to Sao
What’s a former vet?
Posted on 2/19/21 at 7:57 am to Sao
Tragic. Unfortunately we keep sending our fathers, sons, and daughters to fight police actions all over the world and they come back broken, physically, spiritually, and mentally. War does that to people.
I don't see that getting any better under Plugs. If anything it will only get worse.
Now you tell me our soldiers must share barracks with transvestites. Who in the hell would want to join the Army and be forced to deal with that creepy b/s?
Look for Plugs and his democrat pals to activate the draft.
Elections have consequences.
I don't see that getting any better under Plugs. If anything it will only get worse.
Now you tell me our soldiers must share barracks with transvestites. Who in the hell would want to join the Army and be forced to deal with that creepy b/s?
Look for Plugs and his democrat pals to activate the draft.
Elections have consequences.
This post was edited on 2/19/21 at 8:04 am
Posted on 2/19/21 at 8:01 am to Sao
I’m a disabled vet and it’s a daily battle fighting these demons. The VA just gives me pills and when they don’t work. They give me more pills and up the dosage. The only happiness I have is when I’m alone away from everybody. Being that I have a wife and young kids it’s hard to lock myself in a room all day. My kids are my motivation to get better.
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