CNN had a story this week on suicide and military soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The full story can be found here http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/09/army.suicides/index.html.
The story indicates that there is a large number of suicides that occurred since the start of the war and I had someone close to me that was lost in Iraq to suicide in 2005. The Veterans Administration has extended mental health treatments to post-war soldiers to have covered treatment for mental health for five years after combat. But is this enough?
There are several issues that cause severe mental trauma to our soldiers during and after war. Post traumatic syndrome, stress, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, physical restraints after losing limbs and readjusting to civilian life after war. There is a website that is provided by the Veterans Administration called www.afterdeployment.org that offers many different programs and self-assessment tools to soldiers returning home from war.
There are several Suicide Prevention Organizations that can offer help to anyone that is suffering and has thoughts of suicide:
1.1-800-SUICIDE
2.1-800-273-TALK
3.1-800-799-4TTY (4889) Deaf Hotline
4.www.suicidehotlines.com
5.www.suicide.org
6.www.hopline.com
These are just a few but if you know someone that is suffering, help my be a click or phone call away.