How mental health services can help veterans in crisis

How mental health services can help veterans in crisis

may is mental health awareness month and all this week we’re doing stories on why mental health matters in a 2012 report the department of veterans affairs estimated that 22 veterans die by suicide in the united states every day now the number has fluctuated in recent years but the key message is that suicide affects veterans at a higher rate than the general population and as we’ve learned it’s a complicated problem to try and solve i wake up every single morning and the first thought in my head is is today the day he was trying to fight it he was trying to fight the demon and it’s just the demon one every veteran is different every story is different but for many of the men and women who have served in the armed forces access to mental health services can often be the difference between life and death veteran jimmy craig knows that unfortunate truth all too well he was about 71 days out for an appointment one of his battle buddies reached out to him during a crisis and it’s a phone call he will never forget he called me back i answered the phone i say what’s up man and it was silence silence he didn’t say a word and he just i said well always you need to man i’m right here i could hear him now he was he was struggling the friend said he would call again the next day and then right before the phone went dead i heard it jimmy would never get that call because the sound he heard was a gunshot anybody that’s been in combat that’s been wounded in combat blown up shot whatever has the physical issues those get dealt with just like anybody else going to the doctor but the mental health part of it needs to be a focus here at the chalmers p wiley veterans facility in columbus a team of behavioral health experts provide services such as mental health rehabilitation crisis intervention and suicide prevention but i think for a lot of veterans it still is difficult to walk in and say i need help for mental health issues dr heather robinson is the director of the trauma and recovery division at the v.a she’s also a veteran i would say the veterans that have served during time they saw things that we typically are not built to see and they have to live with that for the rest of their life dr robinson says there is a critical need for mental health care and for doctors with military experience to work with these veterans veteran providers we do understand the military culture something as simple as the acronyms that the military uses the risk that you assumed by just saying i’m going to be in the military and and that does help bring some trust she says help is available but often the biggest hurdle is getting that veteran to seek it out it’s not a weakness it really takes a lot of strength to walk into this facility or into my office and say i need help i’m not managing things well dr robinson admits it can take up to two weeks or more to get an appointment with one of their psychologists for continued treatment it’s a huge complicated system and it’s a huge complicated problem marine veteran cole lyle is the executive director of mission roll call a movement giving veterans a voice on issues important to them like health care and benefits but their number one priority is suicide prevention it could be service connected it could be acute stress from financial issues or relationship issues or conglomeration of all those things lyle believes veteran suicide is more of an outreach and education problem than anything else of the 18 million veterans in this country he says only 9 million of them engage with the v.a we know that veterans who are engaged with va or community resources are less likely to take their own lives so getting that information and getting those resources out there to veterans is a big deal and to be honest not every va does a great job of outreach and suicidal thoughts are something jimmy can relate to it’s the very first thing i think of in the morning is today the day i make everything stop living can be much harder for war veterans like jimmy who suffer from ptsd night terrors every night same dream the loss of our friends the guys that you don’t see anymore it’s a lot of it’s survivor issues why them and living with a veteran can also be difficult for their spouse libby craig watches jimmy suffer in silence not really knowing how to help him it’s hard but i have to be that sounding board for him i have to listen i have to help i have to be patient it’s hard but we’re a team come on she says they have good days bad days and worst days and although the suicidal thoughts are concerning it’s a challenge you’ve got to figure out a way to to not shoot yourself libby believes her husband is strong he’s still here and still trying to help other veterans they have to find each other and the combat guys seem to they’ve been through it it doesn’t have to be the same combat fight but in general combat is combat according to data released by the va last fall veteran suicides fell to their lowest level in 12 years in 2019. the average reported that year was 17 but again that number only includes deaths the va was made aware of remember if you are having suicidal thoughts there is help you can call the national suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 and we’ve also put a list of veteran support services with this story on our website just go to tentv.com

For many of the men and women who have served in the armed forces, access to mental health services can often be the difference between life and death.