SUICIDE EPIDEMIC OUTRAGE – Since 2001 147,892+/- Veterans have died by suicide.
Another Veteran will die by suicide in 24 minutes 38 seconds.
Total this year 68893 have died by suicide.
Of these suicides, 75-85% are Vietnam-Era Veterans. In the original VA study, back in 2011/12 only 21 states reported. CA, TX and FL did not report their suicides. That is why Team Veteran Foundation uses a more realistic 48 minutes which means 30 Veterans per day are dying by suicide. In 2018 we lost 10,950 Veterans to suicide. With 22-30 Veterans dying daily from suicide, time is of the essence. The vast majority of these suicides are the result of long-term injuries and/or gross over-medication or serious misdiagnoses of PTS when the actual diagnoses should have been traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The Red Flags to look for with someone contemplating suicide are:
– Talking or discussions about wanting to die
– Researching ways to kill oneself
– References to hopelessness or feeling as if life has no purpose
– Feelings of being trapped or in unbearable pain
– Feelings of being a burden to others
– Increased alcohol or drug use
– Sleep changes; either excessive sleep or insomnia
– Isolation and withdrawal
– Expressions of rage or a desire to seek revenge
– Anxiety, agitation or recklessness
– Extreme mood swings
– Giving away important personal items or pets