causes of military suicide

126View comments The number of suicides among America's troops, averaging nearly one a day this year, has become the second leading cause of death among the military at the fastest pace in the nation's decade of war.

Suicides are now the second most common cause of death in the US military

Suicides are now the second most common cause of death in the US military By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 23:47 EDT, 14 June 2012 | Updated: 01:44 EDT, 15 June 20

The 154 suicides for active-duty troops in the first 155 days of this year far outdistance the U. S. forces killed in action in Afghanistan — about 50 per cent more — according to Pentagon statistics obtained by The Associated Press. The numbers reflect a military burdened with wartime demands from Iraq and Afghanistan that have taken a greater toll than foreseen a decade ago.

Climbing deaths: American troops are committing suicide at an average rate of nearly one a day in the first 155 days of this year, with a military casket and soldiers pictured Figures by the US Defense Department show suicides second to combat deaths among troops while narrowly above transportation accidents.

The military also is struggling with increased sexual assaults, alcohol abuse, domestic violence and other misbehaviour. Because suicides had levelled off in 2010 and 2011, this year's upswing has caught some officials by surprise.

RELATED ARTICLESPrevious 1 Next F-22 Raptor pilots urged to ditch pressure vests in ongoing... Anger after U. S. soccer team IGNORES ranks of American... Share this article The reasons for the increase are not fully understood. Among explanations, studies have pointed to combat exposure, post-traumatic stress, misuse of prescription medications and personal financial problems.

Army data suggest soldiers with multiple combat tours are at greater risk of committing suicide, although a substantial proportion of Army suicides are committed by soldiers who never deployed. The unpopular war in Afghanistan is winding down with the last combat troops scheduled to leave at the end of 2014. But this year has seen record numbers of soldiers being killed by Afghan troops, and there also have been several scandals involving U. S. troop misconduct.

Causes: The number of deaths reported by the U. S. Defense Department shows the previous three years' numbers in combat, transportation accidents and suicide The 2012 active-duty suicide total of 154 through June 3 compares to 130 in the same period last year, an 18 per cent increase. And it's more than the 136.2 suicides that the Pentagon had projected for this period based on the trend from 2001-2011.

This year's January-May total is up 25 per cent from two years ago, and it is 16 per cent ahead of the pace for 2009, which ended with the highest yearly total thus far. Suicide totals have exceeded U. S. combat deaths in Afghanistan in earlier periods, including for the full years 2008 and 2009.

The suicide pattern varies over the course of a year, but in each of the past five years the trend through May was a reliable predictor for the full year, according to a chart based on figures provided by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner.

'He was so afraid of how people would view him once he went for help ... he thought that people would think that he was weak ... just trying to get out of redeploying'- widow of marine who killed himself The numbers are rising among the 1.4 million active-duty military personnel despite years of effort to encourage troops to seek help with mental health problems.

Many in the military believe that going for help is seen as a sign of weakness and thus a potential threat to advancement. Kim Ruocco, widow of Marine Maj. John Ruocco, a helicopter pilot who hanged himself in 2005 between Iraq deployments, said he was unable to bring himself to go for help. 'He was so afraid of how people would view him once he went for help,' she said in an interview at her home in suburban Boston.

'He thought that people would think he was weak, that people would think he was just trying to get out of redeploying or trying to get out of service, or that he just couldn't hack it - when, in reality, he was sick.

He had suffered injury in combat and he had also suffered from depression and let it go untreated for years.

And because of that, he's dead today. 'Department: The first five months of this year have already shown 154 suicides, with this chart showing the numbers by military department since 2008Ruocco is currently director of suicide prevention programs for the military support organization Tragedy Assistance Programs, or TAPS. She joined the group after her husband's suicide, and she organized its first program focused on support for families of suicide victims.

Jackie Garrick, head of a newly established Defense Suicide Prevention Office at the Pentagon, said in an interview Thursday that the suicide numbers this year are troubling.

'We are very concerned at this point that we are seeing a high number of suicides at a point in time where we were expecting to see a lower number of suicides,' she said, adding that the weak U. S. economy may be confounding preventive efforts even as the pace of military deployments eases.

Garrick said experts are still struggling to understand suicidal behaviour. 'What makes one person become suicidal and another not is truly an unknown,' she said. Dr. Stephen N. Xenakis, a retired Army brigadier general and a practicing psychiatrist, said the suicides reflect the level of tension as the U. S. eases out of Afghanistan though violence continues.

'It's a sign in general of the stress the Army has been under over the 10 years of war,' he said in an interview.

'We've seen before that these signs show up even more dramatically when the fighting seems to go down and the Army is returning to garrison. 'But Xenakis said he worries that many senior military officers do not grasp the nature of the suicide problem. A glaring example of that became public when a senior Army general recently told soldiers considering suicide to 'act like an adult.

'Struggles: Troops suspected of struggling with extended war-time demands are also fighting increased sexual assaults, alcohol abuse, domestic violence and other misbehaviours, believed to be linked to the suicides Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard, commander of the 1st Armored Division, last month retracted — but did not apologize for — a statement in his Army blog in January.

He had written, 'I have now come to the conclusion that suicide is an absolutely selfish act. 'He also wrote, 'I am personally fed up with soldiers who are choosing to take their own lives so that others can clean up their mess.

Be an adult, act like an adult, and deal with your real-life problems like the rest of us. 'He did also counsel soldiers to seek help. His remarks drew a public rebuke from the Army, which has the highest number of suicides and called his assertions 'clearly wrong.

'Last week the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, said he disagrees with Pittard 'in the strongest possible terms. 'The military services have set up confidential telephone hotlines, placed more mental health specialists on the battlefield, added training in stress management, invested more in research on mental health risk and taken other measures. The Marines established a counselling service dubbed 'DStress line,' a toll-free number that troubled Marines can call anonymously.

They also can use a Marine website to chat online anonymously with a counsellor. The Marines arguably have had the most success recently in lowering their suicide numbers, which are up slightly this year but are roughly in line with levels of the past four years.

The Army's numbers also are up slightly. The Air Force has seen a spike, to 32 through June 3 compared to 23 at the same point last year.

The Navy is slightly above its 10-year trend line but down a bit from 2011. New rise: The number of suicides had levelled off in 2010 and 2011, causing this year's upswing to be a surprise to officials As part of its prevention strategy, the Navy has published a list of 'truths' about suicide.

'Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane,' it says. 'They might be upset, grief-stricken, depressed or despairing. 'In a report published in January the Army said the true impact of its prevention programs is unknown. 'What is known is that all Army populations ... are under increased stress after a decade of war,' it said, adding that if not for prevention efforts the Army's suicide totals might have been as much as four times as high.

Marine Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently issued a video message to all military members in which he noted that suicides 'are sadly on the rise.

''From private to general, we shoulder an obligation to look and listen for signs and we stand ready to intervene and assist our follow service member or battle buddy in time of need,' Battaglia said.

The suicide numbers began surging in 2006. They soared in 2009 and then levelled off before climbing again this year. The statistics include only active-duty troops, not veterans who returned to civilian life after fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Nor does the Pentagon's tally include non-mobilized National Guard or Reserve members. The renewed surge in suicides has caught the attention of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Last month he sent an internal memo to the Pentagon's top civilian and military leaders in which he called suicide 'one of the most complex and urgent problems' facing the Defense Department, according to a copy provided to the AP.

Panetta touched on one of the most sensitive aspects of the problem: the stigma associated seeking help for mental distress.

This is particularly acute in the military. 'We must continue to fight to eliminate the stigma from those with post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues,' Panetta wrote, adding that commanders 'cannot tolerate any actions that belittle, haze, humiliate or ostracize any individual, especially those who require or are responsibly seeking professional services.

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Eight fire engines and 58 firefighters are scrambled as... Car window shatters on a giraffe's head as shocked couple... Bullseye: Matador is gored by a bull as its horn pierces... 'Mortified' restaurant owner is forced to apologise on... MOST READ NEWSPrevious Next● ● ● ●Comments 6Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated The comments below have not been moderated.sam, earth, 5 years agoand they still want to send our troops to syria and iran to fight for the 1% to gain profit!

no more wars for oil! by the way iran dont even have aircraft to get anywhere so they no threat!311Click to rate Alkebu, United States of America, 5 years ago They allowed this situation to happen and it is up to them to ensure that this situation is corrected immediately, for both on the active duty side and the veteran side to the equation.

This is the bill that is due and it is to be paid in full. Or Congress should forfeit their medical benefits until they can manage to find a way to rectify the situation.

Maybe that will spur the Congress to ensure that this is not an issue for any future armed engagements for our men and women in the United States Armed Forces.13Click to rate Alkebu, United States of America, 5 years ago The sons and daughters are in harms way and deserve the best possible care and treatment for all forms of injuries and infirmities.

It should be priority one for Congress and the President to ensure that what can be done is being done to reverse and abate this situation immediately. The time to act was before the call to arms went out, not several years into an armed engagement.22Click to rate Alkebu, United States of America, 5 years ago The Bush administration was well aware of this trend, and did nothing to correct what it could to stave off the causes of this issue.

Congress was also aware of these stats and did very little to research or to fund any curative measures for this malady. Now it is a full blown issue that can't be simply ignored. The political leadership called on the youth of the nation to take up arms to defend the country.

Now that leadership has turned its back on the very defenders of the land we so preciously depend on. Talk about being ungrateful and naive enough to believe that this would not come to light and raise the ire of its citizens.13Click to rate John, Milwaukee, 5 years ago After 10 years of sending these guy's on umpteen tours to this hell hole what do you expect?

If they shipped the crowd in Washington over there, it would be over in a week.018Click to rate John, Wales, 5 years ago And my street is left with two widows thanks to the Bridgend Community Safety Partnership. So what, who cares!122Click to rate The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mail Online.

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Princess Marie of Denmark, 42, steps out in a leopard print skirt with a snakeskin bag as she visits a school in Copenhagen Meghan's got talent!

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Ronda Rousey wins her debut WWE match as the crowd cheered 'This is awesome!' a year after her disappointing UFC comeback Ed Westwick steps out with girlfriend Jessica Serfaty in LA... as fashion stylist accusing him of sexual abuse files official complaint to the LAPDHas Meghan asked ex Burberry chief to make her wedding dress? Designer Henry Holland reveals why he believes Christopher Bailey may have landed the job Party time!

Ali Fedotowsky throws beach baby shower with pals including Kaley Cuoco She won hearts as The Bachelorette Shine actor Geoffrey Rush 'virtually housebound, barely eats, struggles to sleep and wakes up with a sense of dread' over sex abuse allegations Drake parties with bevy of girls as he enjoys raucous night out in London... after surprising fans with new single Enjoying himself in UKU2 rockers Bono and The Edge perform at funeral of music promoter who launched their careers Dave Kavanagh died in Dublin on Friday Kris Jenner, 62, flashes her legs in chic mini dress alongside beau Corey Gamble, 33, at Daily Front Row Awards Date night for the duo Conor Mc Gregor's father shows he is standing by his shamed UFC fighter after he attacked rival fighters' bus with Instagram post about 'DNA'The morning after the night before!

Princess Di's niece Lady Kitty Spencer gets caught in the rain in Gucci loafers following appearance at a NYC fashion show Ryan Seacrest shows he's a man of many talents as he impressively sings Hello with Lionel Richie on American Idol The pair did a little duet Chewbacca gets into a passionate embrace and his age is FINALLY revealed in new trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story Eagerly awaited movie Introducing Princess Alice?

Oddsmakers reveal most popular name for Kate and Wills' baby (and it's closely followed by PHILIP in a nod to Queen's hubby)Pregnant Chrissy Teigen shows off her bump in plunging white form-fitting dress as she joins husband John Legend at Daily Front Row Awards Victoria and Albert in color: Incredible archive of thousands of never-before seen digitized photographs give a glimpse into life in the Royal household Kelly Osbourne beams as she puts on affectionate display with mystery man in Malibu Carrying a black jacket and her beloved Pomeranian dog, Polly Queen Letizia of Spain beams as she attends an awards ceremony in Madrid - after putting on a united front with her mom-in-law following taped 'tense' exchange'We've never had a fight': Bernie Taupin reveals secrets to his 50-year partnership with Elton John, and how he has to write their songs in complete seclusion You Keep Me Hangin' On singer Kim Wilde, 57, wows fans with her 'amazing' ageless appearance on TV... as she claims she has had NO plastic surgery Bella Hadid shows off her supermodel figure in skimpy checked dress as she makes animated appearance at TAG bash in Tokyo Enviably slender frame Revealed: The Queen's perfumer has created a bespoke fragrance for Meghan to wear on her wedding day - and it's a citrus scent inspired by the Mediterranean Matt Damon is given an Australian tour by new BFF Chris Hemsworth as the two spend time with their families at a school sports day in Byron Bay, Australia PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Janice Dickinson jets in to Pennsylvania to give evidence at Bill Cosby's retrial after claiming she was raped by the comic Getting 24/7 security Brooke Burke beams as she steps out with kids after David Charvet split The pair annouced they are divorcing after seven years Catching up!

Kourtney Kardashian has dinner with her kids and Kendall Jenner in Malibu after her island getaway with boytoy Younes Stormy Daniels' lawyer says he'll release composite sketch of the man who 'threatened' her and offer a reward to identify him TOMORROWShowdown time!Things get heated on Real Housewives Of Atlanta Reunion as Ne Ne Leakes says she's 'ready for the battle' with Kim Zolciak It's still the word!

As Grease turns 40 years old, FEMAIL catches up on the lives and careers of the hit musical's biggest stars They have changed a lot Blac Chyna 'is confident' her Magic Mountain brawl will not affect joint custody agreement with Rob Kardashian over daughter Dream How THOR-tful! Chris Hemsworth treats parents to a night at the Commonwealth Games in Sydney as they watch track events from grandstands Beach babe!

Blanca Blanco sprints on the sand while showing fit physique in tiny pink striped bikini in Malibu The 37-year-old actress hit the beach Amelia Hamlin rocks chic blazer dress as she joins mother Lisa Rinna and sister Delilah at Daily Front Row Awards after revealing anorexia battle Boy George admits he accidentally watched How To Get Away With Murder instead of Scandal... and got through two SEASONS before he realized Pretty in pink!

Hilaria Baldwin showcases baby bump with Alec on red carpet at Mean Girls Broadway opening night She's pregnant with the couple's third boy Katy Perry squirms on American Idol after her religious parents call her 'mouthy' as top 24 begin performing They embarrassed their superstar daughter Paris Hilton, Emily Ratajkowski and pregnant Chrissy Teigen take the plunge as they lead the A-list glamour at the Daily Front Row Fashion Awards Hiding out?

Donald Trump Jr dons camouflage and poses on cliff's edge during trip in Spain after wife Vanessa filed for divorce in ugly split A busty display!

Sean 'Diddy' Combs shows off girlfriend Cassie's voluptuous curves in white bikini on Instagram Enjoying their vacation Jersey Shore's Pauly D keen to join forces with stars from the UK's Geordie Shore for wild new show... but fears 'someone will end up DYING''She's allowing Harry to take the lead': Body language expert reveals Meghan's 'deference' for Prince (compared to her 'lack of warmth' for her first husband)Sofia Vergara cuddles up to hubby Joe Manganiello in weekend getaway snaps she shares to Instagram The couple tied the knot in 2015Making a splash!

Kourtney Kardashian drops jaws in tiny bikini during fun-filled getaway to Turks and Caicos Star looked amazing Back to business! Princess Mary of Denmark dazzles crowds at a finance conference in Copenhagen following a family break in Verbier Ripped! Justin Bieber strips down for a dip in Malibu swimming hole... after earlier run in with crazed fan The popstar went for a refreshing dip Watch out Willy Wonka!

Gwyneth Paltrow gives son Moses the sweetest 12th birthday party ever at sugar pop-up Candytopia in LA'She's had a really rough time': Friends fear for 'heartbroken' Ruby Rose after her split with singer Jessica Origliasso OITNB star was rocked Brooklyn Beckham is engrossed in his phone after being pictured with new girlfriend... as he joins dad David and brothers at LA Galaxy game Charlize Theron puts on a very leggy display in sexy leather shorts and killer heels as she's feted at San Francisco Film Festival Red carpet appearance Paris Jackson nails rocker chic in a khaki green cami dress and matching bomber jacket at Daily Front Row Awards Michael Jackson's girl Jimmy Kimmel reveals death threats he has received against his wife and young son after Sean Hannity feud as he apologizes to the gay community The Late Late Show's James Corden and wife Julia enjoy romantic beach stroll as they vacation in Cabo with Molly Sims and Rachel Zoe Puckering up!

Heidi Klum, 44, kisses new boyfriend Tom Kaulitz, 28, as they arrive in Mexico for romantic vacation Putting on the PDATrump's sons spent '$73,000 of TAXPAYERS money' on their trip to Dubai to attend lavish wedding of their billionaire business partner's daughter Black Panther surpasses Titanic to enter top three of all-time grossing films at domestic box office The Disney-Marvel motion picture'Her dad, the billionaire, seems like a great guy': Jeremy Meeks' murdering rapist father says he's 'looking forward' to meeting Chloe and Philip Green Nicole Scherzinger is hippie chic in a tie-dye maxi as she steps out in West Hollywood after being axed from the X Factor UK Singer, 39, looked happy Prince Charles dons a traditional feather headband for an Aboriginal welcome ceremony before enjoying a spiritual blessing Naomie Harris exudes elegance in a patterned ballgown as she joins co-star Dwayne Johnson at Rampage photocall in Shanghai Moonlight actress'I have no idea!'

Blake Lively admits fears she's 'not equipped' for motherhood as she and husband Ryan Reynolds act to protect their young daughters Nicole Richie is stylish in purple gown embellished with silver flowers at awards show in LA The 36-year-old flashed a little cleavage Khloe Kardashian's ex-boyfriend French Montana launches a menswear line for Boohoo MAN inspired by his Moroccan heritage Includes tropical prints Couple goals!

Blake Lively hilariously trolls Ryan Reynolds as she compliments HERSELF instead of husband She took to Instagram Sunday Dakota Fanning glitters in embellished pink frock at Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda event in NYC At the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center George Clooney accepts a gift from homeless man turned actor Radioman in New York City He was stood outside star's residence Doting dad!

Josh Duhamel holds hands with four-year-old son Axl... amid rumors he's dating actress Eiza Gonzalez Transformers actor Adrien Brody, 44, and model girlfriend Lara Lieto, 24, share passionate kiss during errand run The couple looked very much in love Prolific voice actor and comedian Chuck Mc Cann who recorded the famous line 'I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!'

dies aged 83 Very familiar TV face She's a material girl! Madonna, 59, puts on a busty display in black lace corset as she poses for sultry snap in Lisbon Took to Instagram Diane Kruger showcases ample bosom in off-the-shoulder patterned blouse at D&G event in NYC The actress is 41Still causing trouble!

Guest reveals Conor Mc Gregor was 'being rowdy' at Manhattan hotel just hours after getting released from jail Rita Ora showcases her off-duty style in bold panelled joggers and a sporty bumbag during low-key stroll in New York Hot Right Now hitmaker SPOILER The Walking Dead: Negan fights right-hand man Simon and vows to kill 'every last one' of Rick's crew Sunday's episode of the show Baywatch babe!

Charlotte Mc Kinney shows off her endless legs in retro mini dress at Daily Front Row Awards Donned tiny dress Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi is lavished with love as she meets her father Travis Scott's family Rapper took Stormi to meet his relatives Alex Rodriguez Face Times Jennifer Lopez during Ellen show as De Generes quizzes pair on how they met Ex-MLB star opened up Full of Glee!

Lea Michele and Zandy Reich share a quick kiss at lunch before heading off on a hike with her father The duo puckered up for all to see Slam dunk! Eddie Murphy and girlfriend Paige Butcher stroll hand-in-hand into afternoon basketball game Seen in LA'My perverted chihuahua has a thing for my underwear': Ruby Rose goes on bizarre rant after finding her dirty lingerie scattered across yard Hot mama!

Elsa Pataky, 41, flaunts her trim pins in a leather jacket and electric blue boots as she swaps her trademark bohemian style for an edgy look for photo shoot Playing with fire!

Kim Kardashian sizzles as she showcases torso in red string bikini during Turks and Caicos trip The 38-year-old shared images and videos A beaming Erica Packer enjoys a day on the water with friends in Sydney as ex-husband James continues treatment for mental health issues Tiger Woods and ex-wife Elin Nordegren are 'friends now' and 'get along really well' 'Closer now than they were when they were married,' an insider says Sure to be a page-turner!

Chrissy Metz wears colorful tropical fish-themed dress for book signing in Los Angeles The This Is Us star Vanessa Trump 'filed for divorce from Donald Trump Jr after her family's multi-million dollar windfall' from her late father's investments A family affair!

Jennifer Garner and her ex Ben Affleck put on a united front as they take their children to church In Pacific Palisades on Sunday Picture perfect!

Leonardo Di Caprio shares snap with Dame Jane Goodall and Moby at 'inspiring' LA fundraiser Titanic actor went casual Rumors continue to swirl that Matt Damon is planning a move Down Under where his 'great friend Chris Hemsworth enjoys the quiet life away from Hollywood'Brooklyn Beckham flashes new pin-up tattoo which looks VERY similar to Playboy model new flame Lexi Wood Seen sharing a kiss Puppy love!

Liev Schreiber, 50, and girlfriend Taylor Neisen, 26, dote on pet pooch during bundled up NYC outing Quick trip to the dog park Justin Bieber dodges crazed female fan with gift waiting for him in parking lot after spin class The pop star dodged a determined female fan Camila Cabello bundles up as she heads to Vancouver for the first night of her tour Miami singer's first ever solo tour after leaving Fifth Harmony Top of the crops!

Emily Ratajkowski showcases her flawless abs as she strides through LAX in Cup Noodles crop top The newlywed model grabbed a snack Mistress of Wendy Williams' husband ducks for cover and runs a red light after being spotted in New York while still wearing a huge diamond ring Depressed Elvis killed himself, his ex-wife says: Priscilla, 72, claims he 'knew what he was doing' when he died from drug-related heart attack Model behavior!

Elsa Hosk flaunts her supermodel figure wearing lace crop top and matching skirt for photo shoot The 29-year-old stunner Kendra Wilkinson reunites with Hank Baskett for kids' soccer game... days after filing for divorce She filed for divorce on Friday Advertisement DON'T MISS'Our next chapter together': Cardi B and Offset go social media official with their baby news after rapper confirms pregnancy Shared their happiness Keeping it casual!

Justin Theroux rocks ripped jeans and a green coat as he enjoys a casual Sunday in NYC He has an apartment in the West Village Romee Strijd flashes her trim waist as she poses in yellow plaid pants and fuzzy jacket in NYC She made the sidewalk her runway'He doesn't want to grow old alone': Russell Crowe is 'ready to debut his new relationship with mystery girlfriend' after raking in $3.7M from 'divorce auction'A Quiet Place starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt tops box office as it debuts with $50million The thriller edged out Ready Player One Khloe Kardashian cradles bump while bouncing on 'birthing ball' as she awaits arrival of baby girl Modeled a red and black Nike sweater Then & wow, FEMAIL unveil the women who look better now than ever: Elizabeth Mc Govern The transformation of Downton Abbey star Retail therapy!

Rihanna looks stunning in a quirky floral skirt and jacket as she goes shopping in Italy She hit the Gucci store in Milan on Saturday Olivier Awards 2018: Bryan Cranston declares 'older white men' no longer have 'free reign' as he throws his support behind Time's Up movement How Hamilton hip-hopped to glory: Musical dominates UK's Olivier Awards and wins seven of 13 categories Broadway hit made it across the pobd Olivier Awards 2018: Hamilton is the night's big winner with seven awards... but hit musical fails to beat Harry Potter And The Cursed Child's record He's still got it!

Prince Charles mingles with church parishioners over a cup of tea - and two excited fans can't help but photobomb his picture Calamity Charles!

Prince, 69, says bits of him 'keep falling off' and here are the details of the future king's huge catalogue of injuries over the years'I'm 21, a Virgo, Cali-Girl, and I have cystic acne': Riverdale star Lili Reinhart gets real about skin issues with post showing her using spot treatment Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter enjoy date night at star-studded Avengers: Infinity War fan event Child-free night Gavin Rossdale is forced to halt his performance and keep zealous fans at bay as they storm the stage during Bush concert in Atlantic City Jenna Dewan spotted without her wedding ring as she steps out in LA following Channing Tatum split Slipped into a stylish denim midi dress Serena Williams dances to remixed nursery rhymes and shows off mini-me daughter Alexis Olympia Posted a cute clip Not a bad view!

Bella Hadid showcases defined torso and sizzling legs as she poses in her underwear against Tokyo skyline 'Found in translation'Elizabeth Olsen flaunts her braless cleavage in plunging leather dress at star-studded Avengers: Infinity War fan event Hugged her figure Brooklyn Beckham splits with Chloe Moretz: Teen is spotted passionately kissing Playboy model Lexi Wood in West Hollywood tattoo parlor Fun in the sun!

Reese Witherspoon dances with son Tennessee on seaside veranda in flirty blue dress Beamed as she stood behind her dancing son Sofia Richie puts on leggy display in frayed jean shorts during outing with boyfriend Scott Disick They have been together since last year'It's still your sibling forever': Jay-Z calls Kanye West his 'brother' after infamous feud... as he insists they are 'beyond friends' Cleared the air Family fun!

Kate Mara gives her stepson a piggyback ride during casual shopping trip with husband Jamie Bell Frabbed some items from J.

Crew Liv Tyler sports warm coat as she enjoys a stroll through the city with her family in New York Carried her nearly two-year-old daughter Pierce Brosnan, 64, perfects his posture with some driftwood as he goes shirtless on the beach in Hawaii Seemed right at home on the sand Kim Kardashian puts on VERY busty display as she wears jaw-dropping black dress in throwback snap Flaunting her figure Making a splash!

Alessandra Ambrosio shows off bikini body in scarlet two-piece on Hawaiian family holiday Managed to turn the beach into a catwalk Beyoncé and Jay Z 'plan to build a compound around their $88million Bel-Air mansion' to improve security Hollywood power couple Olivia Culpo slips into sexy white robe for cleavage baring Instagram shot Recently split from NFL player Danny Amendola after two years Fitness focused!

Jennifer Garner is all smiles as she flaunts her figure in leggings after weekend workout Left a weekend workout session with a friend Toy Story 4 official release date CONFIRMED by Pixar as Woody and Buzz return in June 2019 More than 20 years since its first debut Stranger Things couple Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer have tense stand-off on night out in LA Engaged in an argument outside of a restaurant Bella Hadid rocks blonde wig and plaid outfit in Japan... before getting frisky with chopsticks She's been enjoying a trip to Japan all week Olivier Awards 2018: Ronnie Wood, 70, and wife Sally, 39, join Brian May and Anita Dobson for glam awards show Star-studded event Cardi B CONFIRMS her pregnancy wearing tight white dress during Saturday Night Live performance Cameras kept angled above her stomach Naomi Watts shares a sweet moment with son Sasha, 10, as they take a sun-drenched stroll on the beach in Mexico Topping up the tan in Tulum Miranda Lambert 'split' from musician boyfriend Anderson East... after two years together The House That Built Me singer dated the musician for two years Kristen Stewart and girlfriend Stella Maxwell leave gym both wearing midriff-baring outfits Stewart matched her Victoria's Secret Angel girlfriend's look Elsa Pataky shares a sultry snap of herself sitting on top of a washing machine... as she visits Gold Coast, Australia with husband Chris Hemswort Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel flaunts her trim pins in leather hot pants and knee-high Roman sandals as she explores Sydney'It's amazing and challenging at the same time': Dance Moms star, Maddie Ziegler, 15, lifts the lid on life as a dancing sensation Life in the spotlight Mane attraction!

Keith Urban flaunts his luscious locks and bulging biceps as he performs at the Tortuga Music Festival in Florida He's still got it!Madison Beer looks casual in a busty white crop top and jeans as she steps out for lunch in Beverly Hills She drove her pal to a local lunch spot Rita Ora looks kooky in a color-pop orange coat with leopard print lapels as she makes a solo outing in New York Made sure she was easily spotted Lily James says she thinks Meghan will be a 'force for good' as she reveals her interest in the royals since boyfriend Matt Smith's role in The Crown'I really love it here': Kelly Rowland reveals why she has chosen Sydney's beachside suburb Bondi as home as she appears on The Voice Australia Good times!

Paris Hilton celebrates Paris Jackson's birthday with fiance Chris Zylka and her parents Both are daughters of famous parents Alec Baldwin returns as Donald Trump to explain why he hates Jeff Bezos in SNL cold open and flies off script during 'freestylin' press conference Miley Cyrus shows toned tummy in pirate-inspired ensemble at My Friend's Place gala in Los Angeles Showed peeks of her toned tummy Kate Wright flaunts her busty assets and washboard abs in a striped bikini as she continues to soak up the sun in Dubai with beau Rio Ferdinand What a fight!

Thor actor Chris Hemsworth heaps praise on female UFC fighters after brutal Namajunas and Jedrzejczyk match Playful selfie Duke of Edinburgh, 96, spends his fifth day in hospital recovering from hip replacement op as one of the world's leading surgeons is spotted leaving The Queen joins climate change fight to plant trees across the Commonwealth as she chuckles with Sir David Attenborough in documentary Plenty more PRINCES in the sea!

With Harry officially off the market we reveal the VERY eligible royal bachelors who are yet to make it down the aisle My, that's a big one!

Prince Charles gawps at Aboriginal elder's two-metre long ceremonial club as he tries out a boomerang on his tour of Australia The penny pinching prince! Charles reveals that he is still wearing a pair of shoes he bought in 1971 - and is holding on to a 50-year-old jacket What a difference a week makes! Queen Letizia and mother-in-law Queen Sofia put on a united front as they pose for pictures after 'tense' exchange Emily Ratajkowski dons sweats and leather trench coat for stroll with husband Sebastian Bear Mc Clard Walking arm-in-arm'Aw hell naw!'

Chadwick Boseman reprises his regal Black Panther character King T'Challa to hilarious effect as he plays Black Jeopardy Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler flaunts her lithe body in a moss-hued bikini as she relaxes in New Zealand hometown Jaime King dons cozy overcoat for outing with husband Kyle Newman... following upsetting car attack The 38-year-old Hart of Dixie star looked stoic Kendra Wilkinson takes a shot as she calls herself a 'drunk bunny gamer' after splitting from Hank Baskett Former Playmate Bold choice!

Gabrielle Union commands attention in bright orange fleece jacket as she leaves her NYC hotel Shooting Bad Boys Wheelie great time!

Kourtney Kardashian, 38, and Younes Bendjima, 24, enjoy romantic break at lush mystery location The reality star Justin Bieber takes a painful tumble when he twists his ankle during a game of soccer in Los Angeles He's been quite the workout junkie as of late John Barrowman vs Target: Actor films FURIOUS rant at retail giant after shop staff 'lecture' him for buying homeless man clothes and a $40 gift certificate Karlie Kloss and boyfriend Joshua Kushner head out for a cup of coffee in New York City They have been together for nearly six years Sofia Vergara sports flowing skirt and high heels for trip to the hardware store in West Hollywood Was keen on some home improvements Quentin Tarantino takes ride on coin-operated kiddie Scooby-Doo van outside of LA market The 55-year-old director looked happy Cheers Ma'am!

Russia claims the Queen is a heavy drinker enjoying 'cocktails all day' and Theresa May 'has a brandy habit' Propaganda war'Where are we?'

Amanda Seyfried enjoys date night with her husband Thomas Sadoski at The Bachelor mansion Held hands with him New Avengers: Infinity War TV spot showcases Black Panther connection with epic Wakanda battle Marvel, have made Black Panther the focus'I'm so blessed': Tori Spelling shares photo of baby Beau in celebration of National Love Our Children Day She is the mother of five kids'I'll be ready': Khloe Kardashian is all packed for the hospital when she goes into labor ahead of welcoming daughter this month'I need to lose 20 pounds': Kylie Jenner says she wants to shed more weight... as Travis Scott's mom plans on throwing lavish bash for Stormi Black Panther poised to leap past Titanic to enter top three of all-time grossing films On pace to surpass 1997's Titanic ($659.5 million) on Saturday EXCLUSIVE: Conor Mc Gregor inside the offices of Brooklyn bail bondsman who paid $50,000 to get him out of jail because he didn't have enough cash handy Jessica Simpson a Nashville star as she hosts a fashion show for her Dillard's clothing line Was set to meet and greet fans'How sweet the sound!'

Jordin Sparks counts down to her son's arrival as she hears his heartbeat at ultrasound appointment She is having a boy'Partner 4 life': Ciara flaunts her amazing abs as she hangs out in workout gear with husband Russell Wilson Has one of the most stunning figures Lottie Moss puts on a VERY busty display in plunging lace corset during girls' night out in London Model, 20, continued her busy social life Zayn Malik 'plans to bid farewell to his eye tattoo of ex Gigi Hadid' as he tries to 'move on with his life' The singer, 25, wants to make some changes TALK OF THE TOWN: Is Meghan in rehearsal for her big day?

Picture is of Meghan's character Rachel Zane getting married in her show Suits ABS-olutely fabulous! Lucy Hale throws a navy sweater over coordinating workout gear as she runs errands in LA No need for help Strike a pose!

Olivia Culpo slips into sexy white robe for cleavage baring Instagram shot Coming to the end of a well-deserved break after hard work Hilary Duff dons a beige cardigan and sneakers for weekend outing with son Luca in Los Angeles She's currently shooting season five of her hit'I can justify it with the family': Neil Patrick Harris reveals why he signed up for Netflix comedy A Series Of Unfortunate Events Latest project'My daughter's no fantasist': Father of girl accused of 'setting up' David Matthews fights back as he praises her for having 'courage' to come forward Le Ann Rimes puts on leggy display in sexy black dress as she grabs dinner at Nobu in leather jacket She recently enjoyed a snowy Easter in Canada Princess Charlotte will make history once her new sibling arrives by becoming first female royal to retain position in line to the throne... even if she has a brother Former Miss Universe Alicia Machado who Trump branded 'Miss Piggy' says US president tried to sleep with her The Venezuelan ex-beauty queen Couple goals!

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In 2006, the army stopped letting soldiers take their service weapons home on weekends. The suicide rate fell there, too, by 40 percent. The high rate of gun suicides in the United States is not a new problem. Even in the 1980s and 1990s, when violent crime rates were much higher, gun suicides were still a more common cause of death than gun murders.

Gun Deaths Are Mostly Suicides Gun Deaths Are Mostly Suicides

60Public Health Gun Deaths Are Mostly Suicides Gun Deaths Are Mostly Suicides By Margot Sanger-Katz Oct. 8, 2015When Americans think about deaths from guns, we tend to focus on homicides. But the problem of gun suicide is inescapable: More than 60 percent of people in this country who die from guns die by suicide.

Suicide gets a lot less attention than murders for a few reasons. One big one is that news organizations generally don’t cover suicides the way they do murders. There’s evidence that news attention around suicide can lead to more suicides. Suicide is more stigmatized and less discussed than homicide.

Nick Collins, right, embraced a high school classmate, Nathan Kahn, at the site of an investigation into a murder-suicide in Greenwood, Minn., in September. Jim Gehrz/Star Tribune, via Associated Press But, as a matter of public health, gun suicides are a huge problem in the United States. Suicide is the second-most common cause of death for Americans between 15 and 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Across all ages, it is the 10th-most common cause of death, and caused 1.6 percent of all deaths in 2012.

Not all of those suicides are by gun, but a majority are. And while some people feeling suicidal impulses will choose another method if a gun is not at hand, public health researchers cite two reasons guns are particularly dangerous: 1) Guns are more lethal than most other methods people try, so someone who attempts suicide another way is more likely to survive; 2) Studies suggest that suicide attempts often occur shortly after people decide to kill themselves, so people with deadly means at hand when the impulse strikes are more likely to use them than those who have to wait or plan.

Advertisement That means that strategies that make suicide more inconvenient or difficult can save lives. Guns, when they are in the home, can make self-harm both easy and deadly. More Americans Die in Gun Suicides Than Gun Homicides Gun deaths in the U. S. per 100,000 people1510 50 Suicide Homicide Total1990 2000 2013Death rates are age-adjusted. Some categories of gun deaths, such as those from accidents, are not shown. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention There are a few classic studies that look at these factors.

One is historical: In England in the first half of the 20th century, many people died after intentionally inhaling lethal fumes in coal gas ovens. When oven technology changed to less dangerous natural gas, fewer people had an easy means of suicide in their home. Only some people found another suicide method, and the suicide rate fell substantially. You have 4 free article s remaining. Subscribe to The Times Another occurred in Israel, where members of the military had a high suicide rate.

But in recent years, as the gun homicide rate has flattened out, the gun suicide rate appears to be ticking back up slightly.

Many of the gun-control measures that politicians propose to reduce the number of homicides and mass shootings would have a limited effect on gun suicides.

Efforts to ban so-called assault weapons or to reduce the number of bullets that could be loaded into a gun at once would probably not make suicide any less likely. But other measures meant to prevent gun homicides might have an effect on gun suicides, particularly those designed to identify and help people with mental health needs.

Mental illness, which may contribute to mass shootings, is a clear risk factor for suicide. The Upshot provides news, analysis and graphics about politics, policy and everyday life. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our newsletter.60Related Coverage To Reduce Suicide Rates, New Focus Turns to Guns Feb. 13, 2013In a Safer Age, U. S. Rethinks Its ‘Tough on Crime’ System Jan. 13, 2015The Science Behind Suicide Contagion Aug. 13, 2014Advertisement

The causes of suicide are numerous and harder and harder to detect as time goes by. Understanding the causes of suicide is the first step in dealing with what causes suicide and how to deal suicide caused by bullying before it is too late. The truth is there are too many suicides caused by bullying that go unnoticed.

Causes of Suicide

In Health Professionals Causes of Suicide Modified : September 24,2014Suicide is an unfortunate occurrence that affects the United States in alarming numbers. More than 38,000 people committed suicide in the year 2013. Self-inflicted death is currently ranked number 12 in the top causes of death in America.

The suicide rates seem to be the highest among males and people who are between the ages of 15 and 54. A wide range of reasons exists for suicide. Some of the most common causes of suicide are as follows:1. Mental Illness Large amounts of people who commit suicide have depressive mental illnesses. Conditions such as unipolar depression and bipolar depression can cause suicidal thoughts if they are untreated. In fact, 15 percent of people who have unipolar depression die by suicide, and 25 to 50 percent of those with bipolar disorder attempt suicide at least once.

A person who has either one of those conditions must participate in therapy and have the proper medications such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants. The individual must also have a strong support system that involves caring and attentive family members.

Teens who have mental illnesses are more vulnerable than adults are because they have underdeveloped coping mechanisms. People who know little about the diseases may wonder what causes suicidal thoughts. The suicidal thoughts are caused by imbalances in the brain chemicals. They may occur because of depleted amounts of serotonin or the lack of the presence of dopamine. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers work by boosting the levels of the chemicals that cause contentment.

Other factors that may cause such a person to have suicidal thoughts are ordinary life problems that become exaggerated because of the illness. Depressed individuals must have people in their corners who are willing to motivate them and talk them through dark moments in their lives.2.

Financial Problems Many people commit suicide because of financial problems. Having the responsibility of taking care of a family, home and car can feel as if the weight of the world is on one’s shoulders. Workers who are abruptly fired or laid off have a tendency to commit suicide when their finances start rapidly depleting.

Clinical depression rates increase as unemployment rates increase, according to a study by the American Journal of Community Psychology. Women and men who lose their jobs must have as much support and resources as people who have mental illnesses. Such support could include family assistance, spousal support and services through the unemployment office

.3. Abuse and Bullying Teenage bullying is one of the leading causes of teenage suicide. It is the third leading cause of death in young children according to a report by the CDC. Abuse brings feelings of low self-esteem, shame and guilt that can quickly escalate to the desire to end one’s life. Without the proper care and attention, a teenager will attempt suicide.

Approximately 30 percent of students who suffer though bullying in school opt to stay home to avoid the abuse. The time they spend alone with themselves gives their minds a chance to wander and generate negative thoughts. Parents must learn the signs of impending suicide and develop strategies to prevent such from occurring.

Adults who experienced adult or childhood abuse are susceptible to suicide attempts, as well. These adults often have unresolved feelings about their self-worth. A large majority of abuse survivors develop personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder and codependency.

Borderline personality disorder can be one of the causes of suicide as well as codependency. Such people usually measure their self-worth on the actions and feelings of other people. Therefore, someone with these disorders may want to hurt himself or herself following a failed relationship or a job rejection.4. Divorce and Family Losses People are most susceptible to suicide attempts following a serious family breakup. The spouse who receives the divorce papers from the other spouse is the one who is most likely to attempt suicide.

Married people sometimes have their entire lives planned, and they involve all members of the family. The thought of going on without one’s children and spouse may be too much of an emotional blow. Divorcees often need counseling and support to make through those times.5.

Death of a Loved One Death is something that many people cannot handle when it happens to someone they love. A parent who loses a child may quickly become distraught and unable to find reasons to live. A spouse who loses his or her wife may have a similar reaction.

The grieving process includes a natural period of depression. Medical specialists, therapists, family members, and friends will need to monitor the person in question and try to nurture him or her as best as possible. The person may not see the light that inspires him or her to continue living.6. Terminal Illness A diagnosis with a terminal illness such as AIDS or cancer may be one of the suicide causes.

It is difficult for a person to cope with finding out that he or she will not have many sunrises left to see. It is up to that person to find spiritual and emotional health by seeking assistance from friends and loved ones. Establishing a positive relationship with one’s deity may help the person to transition. Additionally, some organizations have services that will help a person who has received such a diagnosis.7.

Drug Abuse Excessive drug abuse and addiction can prompt a suicide attempt if the person becomes psychotic. The individual may also lose hope in his or her ability to stop using. Such may cause that person to ingest an excessive amount of drugs.

Additionally, drug abusers can easily have a depressive episode as they are detoxing from the substance. For this reason, people who are suffering with drug problems should obtain in-patient care where staff members can monitor their progress on a consistent basis.8.

Legal Problems Criminal convictions and legal problems can cause suicide. Many people who are facing life terms or lengthy prison sentences take their lives because of the unknown. They worry about suffering abuse inside the facility. They worry about how they will function in society once the prison term is over.

They hurt over the loss of time with their significant others and children. Some of them many not see a reason to live, but there is always a reason to live.9.

General Hopelessness Life struggles sometimes cause people to want to give up. A consumer who has low-income may grow tired of constantly struggling to pay bills. This person may be mentally fatigued by raising children and dealing with society’s prejudices, discrimination and unjust practices. A person like this may attempt suicide after something poor occurs. How to Recognize Impending Suicide People who are contemplating suicide will show several signs.

Family members and friends must be assertive if they know someone who has suffered or is suffering from any of the aforementioned causes of suicide. Some of the most common signs of an impending suicide attempt are as follows: Mentioning Death A person who is thinking about suicide usually has to convince himself or herself that it is acceptable. The person may do that by speaking of death in a serious or joking manner. The person may ask family members how they would feel if he or she were no longer around.

Suicidal people who are angry may come out and blatantly say that they should just kill themselves. Assertive family members, spouses and mental health providers must take action if such occurs. No one should take death-talk lightly.

Extreme Self-Doubt Extreme self-doubt is a huge indicator of an impending suicide attempt. The person may refer to himself or herself as worthless or useless. He or she may express feelings that no one in the world cares. In some case, the person may say that he or he wishes that he or she were never born. Other comments that a suicidal person may make are that he or she messes up everything and never gets anything right.

Deserting Important Possessions A person who is going to commit suicide may part with items that once meant everything to him or her. The person may simply throw those items in the trash, or he or she may give them away to a loved one such as a younger brother or sister.

Odd Writings and Drawings Artistic individuals who are contemplating suicide may express such using their creative abilities. A writer may create a dark poem about death. A visual artist may paint or draw pictures of corpses, blood or other deadly images. If the person does not usually create deadly art, then interested parties should be concerned about that person. Suicidal people often keep these items in binders, drawers, or areas under the bed. The ones who want to cry for help before they do the act might leave such material in the open for a parent to find.

Verbalizing Depression A depressed person may have the ability to vocalize his or her feelings. This person may openly tell another person how much he or she is hurting. Recipients of such information must take it seriously and act on it. A depressed person who says that he or she is depressed is not lying.

That person feels horrible inside and needs help immediately. Other signs of an impending suicide attempt may include increased drug use, reckless and risky behaviors, social withdrawal, unrealistic worries and dramatic changes in one’s behavior or personality. How to Avoid Teen or Adult Suicide Suicide can be prevented if parents monitor their children closely, and if friends would be supportive friends.

The following are four ways a parent or family member can help someone who is suicidal: Notify the Authorities A suicidal person may become angry about a phone call to police. However, that phone call may save the person’s life. Family members and loved ones who are unavailable at the time of the suicide threat must call 911 and send someone to the person’s home immediately.

The police officer is not going to the home to arrest the person or place charges on him or her. The officer is going to find some help for that person to stabilize him or her.

Shower the Person with Love Suicidal people need to know that their friends and loved ones love them back, and that they make a difference in their lives.

Anyone who sees the signs of impending suicide should make extra effort to pull the individual into a room, hug that person, and let that person know that he or she cares.

Sometimes a little compassion and support can save a life. Seek Medical Attention A depressed person needs to see a medical professional who can prescribe the right therapies or medication that can stabilize him or her. Parents of suicidal teens can force them to take treatment. Adult friends and mates of suicidal adults do not have that option, but they can still provide a strong support system for such individuals.

Such services as group counseling, individual counseling, outpatient treatment, and depression support groups can help a person to come out of a depressive stage. The person needs to understand that he or she needs help, however. Sometimes it takes a team of supportive people to give that person everything he or she needs. Information is avaible on the web to help people deal with the causes of suicide and their repercussions.

Support groups exist for just about every kind of depressing situation. Help is available for depression, bipolar disorder, teenage bullying, adult abuse survivors, drug addiction, financial problems and the like.

No one ever has to feel so alone that he or she must cease to live. Everyone in the world has a purpose, and every dark day has a bright counterpart. Suicide is never the best option for any problem. Anyone who knows someone who is suicidal can call the suicide prevention lifeline at 800-273-TALK, or visit an online support site.

The causes of suicide are numerous and harder and harder to detect as time goes by. Understanding the causes of suicide is the first step in dealing with what causes suicide and how to deal suicide caused by bullying before it is too late. The truth is there are too many suicides caused by bullying that go unnoticed.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-related mental illness affecting 8% of Americans. PTSD is closely related to Dissociative Disorders. In fact, most people with a Dissociative Disorder also have PTSD. The cost of trauma disorders is extremely high to individuals, families, and society. Recent research suggests that people with trauma disorders may attempt suicide more often than people who have major depression.

What Is a Dissociative Disorder?

Copyright 2010 Sidran Traumatic Stress Institute Introduction Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) (known in the past as Multiple Personality Disorder-MPD) and other Dissociative Disorders are now understood to be fairly common effects of severe trauma in early childhood.

The most common cause is extreme, repeated physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse. There is a great deal of overlap of symptoms and experiences among the several Dissociative Disorders, including DID. Some people who may not qualify for a specific diagnosis may, nevertheless, have problems with dissociation.

For ease of reading, we use “Dissociative Disorders” as a general term for all of the diagnoses. Individuals should seek help from qualified mental health providers to answer questions about their own particular circumstances and diagnoses. Q: Is DID the same as MPD? n 1994, the American Psychiatric Association’s manual that classifies and describes all psychiatric diagnoses changed the name from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) to Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

They felt this better reflected the current professional understanding of the disorder, based on significant recent research. Q: What Does Trauma Have to Do with DID?

Research also shows that people with trauma disorders have more serious medical illnesses, substance use, and self-harming behaviors. Q: What Is Dissociation? Dissociation is a disconnection between a person’s thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of who he or she is. This is a normal process that everyone has experienced. Examples of mild, common dissociation include daydreaming, highway hypnosis, or “getting lost” in a book or movie, all of which involve “losing touch” with awareness of one’s immediate surroundings.

Q: When Is Dissociation Helpful? During a traumatic experience such as an accident, disaster, or crime victimization, dissociation can help a person tolerate what might otherwise be too difficult to bear.

In situations like these, a person may dissociate the memory of the place, circumstances, or feelings about of the overwhelming event, mentally escaping from the fear, pain, and horror. This may make it difficult to later remember the details of the experience, as reported by many disaster and accident survivors.

Q: What is a Dissociative Disorder? Tragically, ongoing traumatic conditions such as abuse, community violence, war, or painful medical procedures are not one-time events. For people repeatedly exposed to these experiences, especially in childhood, dissociation is an extremely effective coping “skill.” However, it can become a double-edged sword.

It can protect them from awareness of the pain in the short-run, but a person who dissociates often may find in the long-run his or her sense of personal history and identity is affected.

For some people, dissociation is so frequent it results in serious pathology, relationship difficulties, and inability to function, especially when under stress. Q: Who Gets Dissociative Disorders? As many as 99% of people who develop Dissociative Disorders have documented histories of repetitive, overwhelming, and often life-threatening trauma at a sensitive developmental stage of childhood (usually before the age of nine).

They may also have inherited a biological predisposition for dissociation. In our culture, the most frequent cause of Dissociative Disorders is extreme physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in childhood. Survivors of other kinds of childhood trauma (such as natural disasters, invasive medical procedures, war, kidnapping, and torture) have also reacted by developing Dissociative Disorders.

Q: Is DID a Major Mental Health Problem? Current research shows that DID may affect 1% of the general population and as many as 5-20% of people in psychiatric hospitals.

The rates are even higher among sexual-abuse survivors and addicts. These statistics put Dissociative Disorders in the same category as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, as one of the four major mental health problems today. Q: Does DID Affect Both Women and Men? Most current literature shows that Dissociative Disorders are recognized primarily among women. The latest research, however, indicates that the disorders may be equally prevalent (but less frequently diagnosed) among men. Men with Dissociative Disorders are most likely to be in treatment for other mental illnesses or drug and alcohol abuse, or they may be incarcerated.

Q: How Does a Dissociative Disorder Develop? When faced with an overwhelming situation from which there is no physical escape, a child may learn to “go away” in his or her head. Children typically use this ability as a defense against physical and emotional pain, or fear of that pain. By dissociating, thoughts, feelings, memories, and perceptions of the trauma can be separated off in the mind.

This allows the child to function normally. This often happens when no parent or trusted adult is available to stop the hurt, soothe, and care for the child at the time of traumatic crisis. The parent/caregiver may be the source of the trauma, may neglect the child’s needs, may be a co-victim, or may be unaware of the situation.

Q: How Do Dissociative Disorders Help People Survive? Dissociative Disorders are often called a self-protection or survival technique because they allow individuals to endure “hopeless” circumstances and preserve some healthy functioning. For a child who has been repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted, however, dissociation becomes a reinforced and conditioned defense.

Q: If It’s a Survival Technique, What’s the Down Side? Because it is so effective, children who are very practiced at dissociating may automatically use it whenever they feel threatened–even if the anxiety-producing situation is not extreme or abusive.

Even after the traumatic circumstances are long past, the left-over pattern of defensive dissociation sometimes remains into adulthood. Habitual defensive dissociation may lead to serious dysfunction in school, work, social, and daily activities.

Q: How Do the Identities of DID Develop? Until about the age of eight or nine years, children are developmentally primed for fantasy play, such as when they create and interact with imaginary “friends.” When under extreme stress, young children may call on this special ability to develop a “character” or “role” into which they can escape when feeling threatened. One therapist described this as nothing more than a little girl imagining herself on a swing in the sunshine instead of at the hands of her abuser.

Repeated dissociation can result in a series of separate entities, or mental states, which may eventually take on identities of their own.

These entities can become the internal “personality states” of DID. Changing between these states of consciousness is often described as “switching.”Q: Do People Actually Have “Multiple Personalities”? Yes, and no. One of the reasons for the decision to change the disorder’s name from MPD to DID is that “multiple personalities” is a misleading term.

A person with DID feels as if she has within her two or more entities, each with its own way of thinking and remembering about herself and her life. These entities previously were often called “personalities,” even though the term did not accurately reflect the common definition of the word.

Other terms often used by therapists and survivors to describe these entities are: “alternate personalities,” “alters,” “parts,” “states of consciousness,” “ego states,” and “identities.” It is important to keep in mind that although these alternate states may feel or appear to be very different, they are all manifestations of a single, whole person.

Q: Is it Obvious when a Person Switches Personalities? Unlike popular portrayals of dissociation in books and movies, most people with Dissociative Disorders work hard to hide their dissociation. They can often function so well, especially under controlled circumstances, that family members, coworkers, neighbors, and others with whom they interact daily may not know that they are chronically dissociative.

People with Dissociative Disorders can hold highly responsible jobs, contributing to society in a variety of professions, the arts, and public service. Q: What Are the Symptoms of a Dissociative Disorder? People with Dissociative Disorders may experience any of the following: depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts or attempts, sleep disorders (insomnia, night terrors, and sleep walking), panic attacks and phobias (flashbacks, reactions to reminders of the trauma), alcohol and drug abuse, compulsions and rituals, psychotic-like symptoms, and eating disorders.

In addition, individuals can experience headaches, amnesias, time loss, trances, and “out-of-body experiences.” Some people with Dissociative Disorders have a tendency toward self-persecution, self-sabotage, and even violence (both self-inflicted and outwardly directed). Q: Why Are Dissociative Disorders Often Misdiagnosed? Dissociative Disorders survivors often spend years living with the wrong diagnosis. They change from therapist to therapist and from medication to medication, getting treatment for symptoms but making little or no actual progress.

Research shows that people with Dissociative Disorders spend an average of seven years in the mental health system before getting the correct diagnosis. This is common because the symptoms that drive a person with a Dissociative Disorder to treatment are very similar to those of many other psychiatric diagnoses. Q: What Are Some Common Misdiagnoses? Common misdiagnoses include attention deficit disorder (especially among children), because of difficulties in concentration and memory; bipolar disorder, because “switching” can look like rapid-cycling mood swings; schizophrenia or psychoses, because flashbacks can cause auditory and visual hallucinations; and addictions, because alcohol and drugs are frequently used to self medicate or to numb the psychic pain.

Q: What Other Mental Health Problems Are People with DID Likely to Have? In addition, people with Dissociative Disorders can have other diagnosable mental health problems at the same time. Typically these include depression, post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive symptoms, phobias, and self-harming behavior such as cutting, eating disorders, and high-risk sexual behaviors.

Although they may get expert treatment for the more common secondary issue, if the dissociative disorder is not addressed, recovery is generally short lived.

Q: Can Dissociative Disorders Be Cured? Yes. Dissociative Disorders respond well to individual psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” and to a range of other treatment modalities, including medications, hypnotherapy, and art or movement therapy. In fact, compared to other severe psychiatric disorders, Dissociative Disorders may carry the best prognosis, if proper treatment is undertaken and completed.

The course of treatment is long-term, intensive, and painful, as it generally involves remembering and reclaiming the dissociated traumatic experiences. Ultimately, the “alters” or “parts” can merge into a single whole “personality,” reclaiming the awareness, identity, and history previously held by the individual parts. Individuals with Dissociative Disorders have been successfully treated by therapists of all professional backgrounds, generally with special training, working in a variety of settings.

Q: Where Can I Get More Information? Sidran Institute. At Sidran, we help people understand, recover from, and treat dissociative and traumatic stress conditions. We are a national nonprofit organization and one of the nation’s leading providers of traumatic stress education, publications, and resources. Sidran is dedicated to helping people with traumatic stress conditions, providing education and training on treating and managing traumatic stress, and informing the public on issues related to traumatic stress. Sidran Institute Press, our publishing division, is a leading publisher of books about trauma and dissociation.

The Sidran Bookshelf is a Web-based and mail order supplier of books, audio and video productions, and informational materials of particular interest to Dissociative Disorder survivors, their supportive family and friends, and their therapists. The Sidran Help Desk provides customized resources to survivors, clinicians, family, and friends all over the world.www. Sidran.org Copyright 2013 Sidran Traumatic Stress Institute

combat and operational stresscombat and operational stress The expected and predictable emotional, intellectual, physical, and/or behavioral reactions of Service members who have been exposed to stressful events in war or military operations otherthan war.

combat and operational stress

Combat stress reactions vary in quality and severity as a function of operationalconditions, such as intensity, duration, rules of engagement, leadership, effectivecommunication, unit morale, unit cohesion, and perceived importance of the mission.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page:combat and operational stressFacebook Twitter Feedback Flashcards & Bookmarks?

Please log in or register to use Flashcards and Bookmarks. You can also log in with Facebook Twitter Google+ Yahoo The Free Dictionary presents: Write what you mean clearly and correctly. "

?). A recent study found U. S. veteran suicide rates to be as high as 8,000 a year. See suicide statistics (below and bottom of Suicide Prevention page). Summary of Veterans Statistics for PTSD, TBI, Depression and Suicide.

Veterans statistics: PTSD, Depression,  TBI, Suicide.

"Veterans statistics: PTSD, Depression, TBI, Suicide. The following veterans statistics are from a major study done by the RAND Corporation ( full pdf of study ), a study by the Congressional Research Service, the Veterans Administration, the Institute of Medicine, the US Surgeon General, and several published studies.

PTSD statistics are a moving target that is fuzzy: do you look only at PTSD diagnosed within one year of return from battle?

Do you only count PTSD that limits a soldier's ability to go back into battle or remain employed, but that may have destroyed a marriage or wrecked a family? Do you look at the PTSD statistics for PTSD that comes up at any time in a person's life: it is possible to have undiagnosed PTSD for 30 years and not realize it--possibly never or until you find a way to get better and then you realize there is another way to live.

When you count the PTSD statistic of ""what percentage of a population gets PTSD,"" is your overall starting group combat veterans, veterans who served in the target country, or all military personnel for the duration of a war?

And veterans PTSD statistics get revised over time. The findings from the NVVR Study (National Vietnam Veterans' Readjustment Study, in Four Volumes) commissioned by the government in the 1980s initially found that for ""Vietnam theater veterans"" 15% of men had PTSD at the time of the study and 30% of men had PTSD at some point in their life.

But a 2003 re-analysis found that ""contrary to the initial analysis of the NVVRS data, a large majority of Vietnam Veterans struggled with chronic PTSD symptoms, with four out of five reporting recent symptoms when interviewed 20-25 years after Vietnam.""

(see also NVVR review)There is a similar problem with suicide statistics. The Do D and their researchers tend to lose track of military personnel once they retire, and do not track veteran suicides for all branches of the military (see September 2015 New York Times articles on Marine suicides and a battalion-wide suicide epidemic ).

And, not all suicides will be counted as a military suicide (plus, is a person who drinks themselves to death committing suicide

As of September 2014, there are about 2.7 million American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (compared to 2.6 million Vietnam veterans who fought in Vietnam; there are 8.2 million ""Vietnam Era Veterans"" (personnel who served anywhere during any time of the Vietnam War)According to RAND, at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression.

(Military counselors I have interviewed state that, in their opinion, the percentage of veterans with PTSD is much higher; the number climbs higher when combined with TBI.) Other accepted studies have found a PTSD prevalence of 14%; see a complete review of PTSD prevalence studies, which quotes studies with findings ranging from 4 -17% of Iraq War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder).

A comprehensive analysis, published in 2014, found that for PTSD: “Among male and female soldiers aged 18 years or older returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, rates range from 9% shortly after returning from deployment to 31% a year after deployment.

A review of 29 studies that evaluated rates of PTSD in those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan found prevalence rates of adult men and women previously deployed ranging from 5% to 20% for those who do not seek treatment, and around 50% for those who do seek treatment. Vietnam veterans also report high lifetime rates of PTSD ranging from 10% to 31%. PTSD is the third most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis among veterans using the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.

”PTSD and comorbid AUD"", Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2014; 5: 25–36, Ralevski, et al.50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatmentout of the half that seek treatment, only half of them get ""minimally adequate"" treatment (RAND study)19% of veterans may have traumatic brain injury (TBI)Over 260,000 veterans from OIF and OEF so far have been diagnosed with TBI.

Traumatic brain injury is much more common in the general population than previously thought: according to the CDC, over 1,700,000 Americans have a traumatic brain injury each year; in Canada 20% of teens had TBI resulting in hospital admission or that involved over 5 minutes of unconsciousness (VA surgeon reporting in BBC News)7% of veterans have both post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuryrates of post-traumatic stress are greater for these wars than prior conflictsin times of peace, in any given year, about 4% (actually 3.6%) of the general population have PTSD (caused by natural disasters, car accidents, abuse, etc.

)recent statistical studies show that rates of veteran suicide are much higher than previously thought, as much as five to eight thousand a year (22 a day, up from a low of 18-a-year in 2007, based on a 2012 VA Suicide Data Report ).

(See suicide prevention page ). Contrary to the impression many media articles give, veteran suicide rates, although definitely higher, are not astronomically higher than civilian rates. See New York Times 2013 article, ""As Suicides Rise in US, Veterans are Less of total,"" by James Dao. PTSD distribution between services for OND, OIF, and OEF: Army 67% of cases, Air Force 9%, Navy 11%, and Marines 13%.

(Congressional Research Service, Sept. 2010)recent sample of 600 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan found: 14% post-traumatic stress disorder; 39% alcohol abuse; 3% drug abuse. Major depression also a problem. ""Mental and Physical Health Status and Alcohol and Drug Use Following Return From Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan."" Susan V. Eisen, Ph DOddly, statistics for veteran tobacco use are never reported alongside PTSD statistics, even though increases in rates of smoking are strongly correlated with the stress of deployment and combat, and smoking statistics show that tobacco use is tremendously damaging and costly for soldiers.

More active duty personnel die by own hand than combat in 2012 ( New York Times)According to September 2015 New York Times articles, some branches of the military do not keep fine-grained data, or any data at all on the suicide rates (and this must mean on the mental health as a whole) of their veterans.

There are ""battalion epidemics"" of suicide in the military, which much higher rates of suicide and mental health problems. Other veterans PTSD statistics references and resources: Findings from the National Vietnam Veterans' Readjustment Study Summary of ARMY STARRS finding published in JAMA in 2014 .

In 2008, the Army suicide rate exceeded the civilian rate (20.2 vs 19.2 per 100,000 per year, demographically matched). The military then started to investigate why and what could be done about it, forming the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (ARMY STARRS).

The American Journal of Public Health has had a number of excellent articles/studies on suicide prevention as a public health initiative, and also on suicide and the military, including approaches to suicide prevention (see especially the March 2012 issue, which included "" Suicide Prevention is a Winnable Battle ,"" by Eric D. Caine)Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military and Veteran Populations: Final Assessment.

Institute of Medicine. June, 2014.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47743091/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/does-macho-culture-keep-suicidal-soldiers-seeking-help/#. T-E1NLVYv0c (suicide rates per 100,000--11 civilian; 19 military after these two wars)http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57449255/military-suicides-grow-at-sharp-rate/ (same topic; goes into one person's case; half of military suicides from those who have not gone to war)http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/culture/black-women-key-to-easing-military-suicides--20120612 (importance of social support)Sleep problems outperform depression and hopelessness as cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of suicidal ideation and behavior in young adults in the military Ribeiro, J D.; Pease, J L.; Gutierrez, P M.; Silva, C ; Bernert, R A.

[Stanford]; Rudd, D M.; Jr., TJ E. Journal of Affective Disorders, Feb 2012 , pp 743-50 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.09.049. See also 10-year study in JAMA Psychiatry 2014 Oct;71 (10):1129-37http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614101116.htm (article on above study)may be hereditary? www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080612070438.htm Prevalence and Characteristics of Suicide Ideation and Attempts Among Active Military and Veteran Participants in a National Health Survey.

Robert M. Bossarte, Ph D, Kerry L. Knox, Ph D, Rebecca Piegari, MS, John Altieri, BS, Janet. Am J Public Health. 2012 March; 102 (Suppl 1): S38–S40Evaluating Evidence of Risk for Suicide Among Veterans Robert M. Bossarte, Ph D; Cynthia A. Claassen, Ph D; Kerry L Knox, Ph D. MILITARY MEDICINE, 175. 10:703, 2010The Invisible Plague of Concussion by Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Senior Neurosurgery Resident Stanford University and Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. BBC Sept 5, 2013Thank You For Your Service, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist David Finkel looks at the life of soldiers in the US, after their return from deployment. ( NYT review) "

We suggest that moral injury is likely one of the most important factors in military suicide rates. Moral injury is not PTSD. The latter is a dysfunction of brain areas that suppress fear and integrate feeling with coherent memory; symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, dissociative episodes and hyper-vigilance. PTSD is an immediate injury of trauma.

Moral Injury: The Crucial Missing Piece in Understanding Soldier Suicides

THE BLOG 07/23/2012 11:19 am ET Updated Sep 22, 2012Moral Injury: The Crucial Missing Piece in Understanding Soldier Suicides By Rita Nakashima Brock, Ph. D. This piece was co-authored by Col. Herman Keizer, Jr. (ret. ), Co-Director of the Soul Repair Center, who served for 34 years as a military chaplain, and Dr. Gabriella Lettini, co-author of ‘ Soul Repair: Recovering from Moral Injury After War,’ Beacon, forthcoming November 2012.

The crisis of military suicides, averaging one a day, has captured national attention. The July 23 cover story in Time magazine summarizes much of this coverage. Unfortunately, it is misleading. The article presents the suicides of two officers — a helicopter pilot who served in Iraq and a medical doctor who did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.

This example skews the article in two ways. First, in focusing on officers, it selects a group that tends to see less direct combat than the enlisted men who both do more direct fighting and commit suicide at higher rates than officers.

Second, in contrasting the two officers’ deaths, it suggests that suicide rates are the same for those who serve and those who do not serve in combat. However, the medical doctor first was an enlisted soldier who worked on a bomb squad and served in Bosnia.

He was also in Oklahoma City just after the federal building was attacked — years before he decided to become a doctor.

It’s likely he saw war conditions during his earlier service. We need to remember that the U. S. has sent its forces into violent conflicts every year since World War II, except one, so Iraq and Afghanistan are not the only ways a soldier may have experienced combat. The most serious blind spot in the reporting on military suicides is an absence of discussions about the moral impact of military training and its implementation in combat. Soldiers are trained to kill, which is regarded as criminal behavior in civilian life, and they are trained to be lethal without even thinking about it, a method of training called reflexive fire training.

Moral injury has a slow burn quality that often takes time to sink in. To be morally injured requires a healthy brain that can experience empathy, create a coherent memory narrative, understand moral reasoning and evaluate behavior. Moral injury is a negative self-judgment based on having transgressed core moral beliefs and values or on feeling betrayed by authorities.

It is reflected in the destruction of a moral identity and loss of meaning. Its symptoms include shame, survivor guilt, depression, despair, addiction, distrust, anger, a need to make amends and the loss of a desire to live. While the Army has long provided protective training for soldiers sent to war, this is clearly now inadequate.

Battles with insurgencies make violence against civilians commonplace and acceptable in ways that violate international standards for the conduct of war and the moral code of conduct for soldiers.

For example, “Sniper Wonderland,” a military drill chant says: See the little girl with the puppy;Lock and load a hollow pointed round... Take the shot and maybe if you’re lucky;You’ll watch their lifeless bodies hit the ground....

The most recent Army attempt to prepare troops for battle appears to have failed miserably. Its “Comprehensive Soldier Fitness” (CSF) program, begun in 2009 with a $125 million investment and lauded in a New York Times Magazine article in March 2012, has been widely criticized.

It bypasses the difficult ethical questions that many healthy human beings ask about war, and its spiritual fitness component has no moral content. It suggests that a soldier’s commitment to a higher purpose — mission first — makes for resiliency. But most people capable of such a commitment also have empathy for others and deep moral values. The Army’s “spiritual fitness” encourages soldiers to see events in a neutral light, rather than labeling them as good or bad, and to create a nightly list of positive things that happened that day.

The lack of awareness is startling regarding what it might mean to ask someone to think of killing a child, losing a close friend or torturing detainees as neutral or positive. Proving a direct cause-effect relationship between such training and suicides is difficult, of course. However, there are certain moral reactions to war and the experience of combat training that indicate a violation of moral conscience in war can have devastating inner consequences in soldiers.

A larger proportion of soldiers and veterans who serve in combat seek the counseling help of a chaplain over the help of a clinician. This choice has two likely reasons. First, speaking to a chaplain does not create a negative psychological record in a military career. Second, psychological training does not require knowledge of theological issues, moral discussions of good and evil, or religious meaning.

In fact, when soldiers raise moral questions about conscience in therapy, they are often referred to clergy. The reporting on military and veteran suicides mostly fails to explore the role of moral injury. When a suicide occurs years after a soldier returns from war, combat experience is often disregarded as a primary cause of the suicide. Yet, as Karl Marlantes, a Vietnam veteran, reports in “ What It Is Like to Go to War ,” he was fine for a decade, and then, he crashed.

Often, such delays are used to deny VA services or are regarded as a family problem, rather than as a consequence of service in combat. The alarming rates of reported suicides are squishy statistics and do not reflect the true numbers of soldiers who take their own lives. Many combat veterans tell stories of comrades who shot themselves, but who were reported as “non-combat” or “accidental” casualties. Soldiers who deliberately place themselves in harm’s way in hopes of dying are reported as casualties, not suicides.

Since many life-insurance policies will not pay benefits to families if suicide is the cause of death, the need to disguise suicide may mean some apparently accidental deaths were, in actuality, planned. We will never know the true suicide numbers, but we do know moral injury causes intense inner anguish.

Moral injury is not a clinical condition that can be medicated or cured by psychology. It requires the reconstruction of a moral identity and meaning system with the support of a caring, nonjudgmental community that can provide a way for veterans to learn to forgive themselves.

But any community that wants to offer such support must have the moral courage to examine its own responsibility for war. With such a small percentage of Americans (1 percent) serving in the military, and the escalating unpopularity of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, too few people or communities remember the initial popularity of the wars or care about the cost to the men and women we send to fight on our behalf.

We care, and we believe our whole society bears responsibility for addressing moral injury. Whether or not we supported the wars, they do not end when soldiers come home.

Instead, they continue in the souls of those who fought and in their families and communities when they return to civilian life. That is why we believe one right response of moral conscience to military and veteran suicides is to study and address moral injury as a hidden wound of war. Rita Nakashima Brock, Ph. D. Director, The Soul Repair Center MORE: Veteran Suicide Army Suicides Afghanistan War Iraq War Military Suicides

Some examples of mental health crises include depression, trauma, eating disorders, alcohol or substance abuse, self-injury and suicidal thoughts. If you suspect a friend or family member is experiencing an emotional crisis, your help can make a difference.

How to help in an emotional crisis

"How to help in an emotional crisis Mental health disorders are common in the United States, affecting tens of millions of Americans each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yet only a fraction of those people receive treatment. Without treatment, mental health disorders can reach a crisis point.

Spotting the Signs One of the most common signs of emotional crisis is a clear and abrupt change in behavior. Some examples include: Neglect of personal hygiene. Dramatic change in sleep habits, such a sleeping more often or not sleeping well. Weight gain or loss. Decline in performance at work or school. Pronounced changes in mood, such as irritability, anger, anxiety or sadness. Withdrawal from routine activities and relationships. Sometimes, these changes happen suddenly and obviously. Events such as a natural disaster or the loss of a job can bring on a crisis in a short period of time.

Often, though, behavior changes come about gradually. If something doesn't seem right with your loved one, think back over the past few weeks or months to consider signs of change. Don't wait to bring up your concerns. It's always better to intervene early, before your loved one's emotional distress becomes an emergency situation. If you have a feeling that something is wrong, you're probably right. Lend an Ear If you suspect your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, reaching out is the first step to providing the help he or she needs to get better.

Sit down to talk in a supportive, non-judgmental way. You might start the conversation with a casual invitation: ""Let's talk. You don't seem like yourself lately. Is there something going on? ""Stay calm, and do more listening than talking. Show your loved one that you can be trusted to lend an ear and give support without passing judgment.

When discussing your concerns, stick to the facts and try not to blame or criticize. Seek Professional Help Reaching out can help your friend or family member begin to get a handle on an emotional crisis. But professional help is the best way to fully address a mental health problem and get that problem under control.

You can explain that psychologists have specialized training that makes them experts in understanding and treating complex emotional and behavioral problems. That training is especially critical when an emotional disorder has reached crisis levels. Psychologists use scientifically tested techniques that go beyond talking and listening.

They can teach their clients tools and skills for dealing with problems, managing stress and working toward goals. To help your loved one find a psychologist to speak with, you might encourage your loved one to speak to his or her primary care provider about available mental health resources in your community.

If your workplace has an employee assistance program (EAP), that can be a useful resource and referral service. You can also find a psychologist in your area by using APA's Psychologist Locator Service. Concerns About Suicide or Self-Harm or Threats to Harm Others No emotional crisis is more urgent than suicidal thoughts and behavior, or threats to harm someone else.

If you suspect a loved one is considering self-harm or suicide, don't wait to intervene. It's a difficult topic to bring up, but discussing suicide will not put the idea in someone's head. In fact, it's not abnormal for a person to have briefly thought about suicide. It becomes abnormal when someone starts to see suicide as the only solution to his or her problems.

If you discover or suspect that your loved one is dwelling on thoughts of self-harm, or developing a plan, it's an emergency. If possible, take him or her to the emergency room for urgent attention. Medical staff in the ER can help you deal with the crisis and keep your loved one safe.

If you think someone is suicidal or will harm someone else, do not leave him or her alone. If he or she will not seek help or call 911, eliminate access to firearms or other potential tools for harm to self or others, including unsupervised access to medications.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also a valuable resource. If you're concerned about a loved one's mental state or personal safety, and unable to take him or her to the emergency room, you can talk to a skilled counselor by calling 1-800-273-TALK. If you're concerned about a loved one, don't put it off. You can make the difference in helping your friend or family member get back on track to good mental health.

Thanks to Jacqueline Gray, Ph D, and Lynn Bufka, Ph D, for contributing to this article. Resources Campaign to Change Direction National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)The full text of articles from APA Help Center may be reproduced and distributed for noncommercial purposes with credit given to the American Psychological Association.

Any electronic reproductions must link to the original article on the APA Help Center. Any exceptions to this, including excerpting, paraphrasing or reproduction in a commercial work, must be presented in writing to the APA. Images from the APA Help Center may not be reproduced.share this page:facebook twitter linkedin google+ email Find a Psychologist Related Reading Stress management: How to strengthen your social support network Supporting a Family Member With Serious Mental Illness How to Cope When a Loved One Has a Serious Mental Illness "

For this reason, researchers have been particularly interested in examining the extent to which PTSD occurs among veterans. Rates of PTSD in Vietnam veterans, Persian Gulf War veterans, and Iraq War veterans are provided below.

Rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Military Veterans

"PTSD PTSD and the Military Rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Military Veterans PTSD and Veterans of Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq and Afghanistan By Matthew Tull, Ph DUpdated June 20, 2017Share Pin Email Print Kataryzyna Bialasiewicz/Istockphoto.com/Regardless of which war or conflict you look at, high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans have been found.

Throughout history, people have recognized that exposure to combat situations can negatively impact the mental health of those involved in these situations. In fact, the diagnosis of PTSD historically originates from observations of the effect of combat on soldiers. The grouping of symptoms that we now refer to as PTSD has been described in the past as ""combat fatigue,"" ""shell shock,"" or ""war neurosis. ""

The Link Between Trauma and PTSDVietnam Veterans The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) was conducted by the U. S. government following a congressional mandate in 1983 to better understand the psychological effect of being in the Vietnam War. Among Vietnam veterans, approximately 15 percent of men and 9 percent of women were found to have PTSD at the time of the study.

The incidence over a lifetime following involvement in a war, however, is much greater. Approximately 30 percent of men and 27 percent of women had PTSD at some point in their life following Vietnam. These rates of PTSD in Vietnam veterans were much higher than those found among non-Vietnam veterans and civilians.

The rates are alarming since they indicate that at the time of the study, there were about 479,000 cases of PTSD and one million lifetime PTSD cases as a result of the Vietnam War. Persian Gulf War Although the Persian Gulf War was brief, its impact was no less traumatic than other wars.

From the time the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991 to now, veterans have reported a number of physical and mental health problems. Studies examining the mental health of Persian Gulf War veterans have found that rates of PTSD stemming from the war range anywhere from nine percent to approximately 24 percent.

These rates are higher than what has been found among veterans not deployed to the Persian Gulf. Iraq War and Afghanistan The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are ongoing. That's why the full the impact the war has had on the mental health of soldiers in Iraq in not yet known. One study looked at members of four United States combat infantry units (three Army units and one Marine unit) who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The majority of soldiers were exposed to some kind of traumatic, combat-related situations, such as being attacked or ambushed (92 percent), seeing dead bodies (94.5 percent), being shot at (95 percent), and/or knowing someone who was seriously injured or killed (86.5 percent).

After deployment, approximately 12.5 percent of these veterans had PTSD, a rate greater than that found among these soldiers before deployment. One study of National Guard Soldiers highlighted the persistent effects of combat by looking at the rates of PTSD both three months and 12 months post-deployment.

Rates of nine to 31 percent were noted overall, but of even more importance was the persistence of symptoms a year after return. In this study, there was also a high rate of alcohol misuse illustrating self-medication—a risky form of self-treatment for PTSD. Special Note About PTSD Treatment in Veterans The treatment of PTSD is multidimensional, often including both therapy and medications.

It's worth noting, however, that one form of treatment, exposure therapy, may not be advisable for most veterans with PTSD.

At least one study found that this therapy was not helpful, and the only significance between those receiving the therapy (imaginal exposure sessions while adding behavioral activation) and those who did, not was increased anxiety in those treated with this approach. Conclusion Regardless of the war, soldiers involved in a war consistently show high rates of PTSD.

If you are a veteran, the National Center for PTSD provides some excellent information on coping with the effects of war. If you are returning from Iraq, information about VA Transition Centers and additional resources are also provided. And, if you are a family member of a veteran, important information is also available pertaining to living with and caring for someone with PTSD.

Sources: Allan, N., Gros, D., Myers, U., Korte, K., and R. Acierno. Predictors and Outcomes of Growth Mixture Modeled Trajectories Across an Exposure-Based PTSD Intervention With Veterans.

Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2016 Nov 23. (Epub ahead of print). Gray, G., Kaiser, K., Hawksworth, A., Hall, F., and E. Barrett-Connor. Increased Postwar Symptoms and Psychological Morbidity Among US Navy Gulf War Veterans. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

1999. 60:758-766. Hoge, C., Castro, C., Messer, S., Mc Gurk, D., Cotting, D., and R. Koffman. Combat Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mental Health Problems, and Barriers to Care. New England Journal of Medicine. 2004. 351 (1)13-22. Stimpson, N., Thomas, H., Weightman, A., Dunstan, F., and G. Lewis. Psychiatric Disorder in Veterans of the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Systematic Review. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2003. 182:391-403. Thomas, J., Wilk, J., Riviere, L. et al. Prevalence of Mental Health Problems and Functional Impairment Among Active Component and National Guard Soldiers 3 and 12 Months Following Combat in Iraq. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2010. 67 (6):614-23. Unwin, C., Blatchley, N., Coker, W. et al. Health of UK Servicemen Who Served in Persian Gulf War. Lancet. 1999. 353 (9148):169-78. "

Before you begin this journey you need to know what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is. Less than a year ago I did not know what PTSD was and I believed that Veterans who claimed to have PTSD were using their claims to shield them from the consequences of their own stupidity or alcohol/drug abuse.

"Chapter 1 (Complete Chapter)History and Definitions of PTSDSection I. GENERAL01-01. General. Since you are reading this manual one of the followings things is probably taking place:a. You think you may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).b. You are being treated for PTSD.c. You know someone who has PTSD.

Boy was I wrong. In this chapter I will present a brief history of PTSD and define PTSD in language you can understand so that;a. You can determine whether or not you may be afflicted with PTSD.b. When the time comes you will be better equipped to express your symptoms to your doctor, justify your claim in your stress letter, and explain your condition to your interviewer.

Section II. HISTORY01-02. General. Prior to the studies done on Vietnam veterans, there were very few scientific studies of what we today call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).01-03. The 1800’s. During the early 1800’s military doctors began diagnosing soldiers with ""exhaustion"" following the stress of battle. This ""exhaustion"" was characterized by mental shutdown due to individual or group trauma. Like today, soldiers during the 1800’s were not supposed to be afraid or show any fear in the heat of battle.

The only treatment for this ""exhaustion"" was to bring the afflicted soldiers to the rear for a while then send them back into battle. Through extreme and often repeated stress, the soldiers became fatigued as a part of their body’s natural shock reaction.

During that time, in England, there was a syndrome know as ""railway spine"" or ""railway hysteria"" that bore a remarkable resemblance to what we call PTSD today, exhibited by people who had been in the catastrophic railway accidents of the period.

In 1876 DR. Mendez Da Costa published a paper diagnosing Civil War combat veterans with ""Soldiers Heart"": The symptoms included startle responses, hyper-vigilance, and heart arrhythmia’s.01-04. The 1900’s. During WWI overwhelming mental fatigue was diagnosed as ""soldier’s heart"" and ""the effort syndrome"".

An article published on a now restricted Internet web site maintained by Med. Access entitled ""Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"" states that ""...some 60,000 of the British forces were diagnosed with the problem and 44,000 of these were retired from the military because they could no longer function in combat"". (www.medaccess.com/cfs/cfs_02.htm (this page is no longer accessible without a password))The term ""shell shock"" emerged during WWI followed in WWII by the term ""combat fatigue."" These terms were used to describe those veterans who exhibited stress and anxiety as the result of combat trauma.

The official designation of ""Post Traumatic Stress Disorder"" did not come about until 1980 when the Third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published.01-05. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This ""bible"", published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) provides the ""official"" definition of all mental illnesses.

When first published in 1952 what we now know as PTSD was called ""stress response syndrome"" and was caused by ""gross stress reaction"". In the second edition (DSM-II), 1968, trauma-related disorders were lumped together in an area called ""situational disorders"".

Mrs. Patience Mason, author of Recovering From The War: A woman’s Guide to Helping Your Vietnam Veteran, Your Family, And Yourself, points out that those Vietnam Veterans treated for the disorder during that period were informed that if their symptoms lasted more than 6 months after their return from Vietnam they had a ""pre-existing"" condition, making it a ""transient situational disorder"", and the problem was not service connected.

This resulted in a lot of ""walking wounded"" and I am certain attributed to the high suicide rate suffered by Vietnam Veterans of that time. Finally, in the third edition, 1980, DSM-III the title ""Post-traumatic Stress disorder"" was used and placed under a sub-category of ""anxiety disorders"". In the current edition, 1994, DSM-IV, ""Post-traumatic Stress Disorder"" is again used but has been placed under a new ""stress response"" category and remains in the ""anxiety disorder"" category.

You may have noticed above that what started out as a ""syndrome"" turned into a ""disorder"". According to Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary a ""syndrome"" is ""a group of signs and symptoms that collectively characterize or indicate a particular disease or abnormal condition"" and a ""disorder"" is an illness.

PTSD changed from being part of a collective indicator to a singular illness, a significant medical distinction. With few exceptions, up until DSM-IV, most combat veterans were diagnosed with ""shell shock"", which didn’t warrant long term treatment.

Other combat veterans were merely diagnosed with ""bad nerves"" which not only didn’t warrant long term treatment, but also induced a ""get over it"" attitude from the military and medical communities. This type attitude was personified in the movie ""Patton"" when General Patton, played by George C. Scott, threatened apparently uninjured military hospital patients with malingering.

The initial definition of PTSD described a psychological condition experienced by a person who had faced a traumatic event which caused a catastrophic stressor outside the range of usual human experience (an event such as war, torture, rape, or natural disaster).

This definition separated PTSD stressors from the ""ordinary stressors"" that were characterized in DSM-III as ""Adjustment Disorders"", such as divorce, failure, rejection and financial problems. Section III. DEFINITIONS01-06. American Psychiatric Definition. The following is a quote, references to children excluded, from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994, section 309.81, beginning on page 427.

All supplemental information, in parenthesis and bold, is from The Post-Traumatic Gazette, edited by Mrs. Patience Mason: This disorder is described as occurring when:""A. The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present: (1) the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self (i.e.

combat, friendly fire, being mortared or rocketed, wounded, captured, driving a truck on a mined road, flying in a helicopter that was shot at, jumping our of a helicopter into a hot LT) or others (if you had a buddy who was wounded or lost squad members, family member, or seeing anyone who has recently been killed or injured such as being a medic or nurse on a trauma ward, body bagging, seeing someone you didn’t know killed, seeing kids, women or other Americans or civilians who had been killed, or wounded, etc.)

(2) the person's response involved intense fear, helplessness or horror. ""According to the DSM-IV, "" B. The traumatic event is persistently reexperinced in one (or more) of the following ways: (1) recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions.

(2) recurrent distressing dreams of the event. (3) acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur on awakening or when intoxicated).

(4) intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event (5) physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by at least three (or more) of the following: (1) efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the trauma (If you try not to think about the war or if you try not to feel love because you lost a beloved buddy, try never to feel guilt because you think you fucked up over there, try never to be happy because you were ambushed when you were feeling fine, trying never to get angry because you’re afraid of what you might do) (2) efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma (never watch war movies, don’t hunt, don’t go to veterans day parades or associate with other vets, can’t stand authority figures because of the REMF’s or the lifers, etc.)

(3) inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma (particular battles or periods of time that you can’t remember or whether those guys were killed or just wounded) (4) markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities (what did you used to do that you don’t since your PTSD came on?

Lots of guys with PTSD stay home watching TV which is this symptom. Others still get out but they’ve given up hunting, or going places where there are crowds or whatever) (5) feelings of detachment or estrangement from others (No one can understand what it’s like. I’m on the outside looking in at all these people who haven’t a clue. I don’t care about things or people the way I used to) (6) restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings) (unable to cry when parent dies or kid dies, told you have no feelings, can’t feel love for wife, etc.)

(7) sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or even a long life span)."" (may be still driving drunk or stoned, still jumping out of airplanes or taking other risks, afraid to commit to anyone or anything, etc.

)The Diagnostic criteria in section 309.81, DSM-IV, goes on the state:""D. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal (not present before the trauma), asindicated by two (or more) of the following: (1) difficulty falling or staying asleep; (2) irritability or outbursts of anger; (3) difficulty concentrating (Read a page and can’t remember it? Forget what your wife just told you or constantly hear ""I told you that yesterday!"" Feel dumb because you don’t follow a lot of conversations, etc., or just can’t focus because part of you is scanning for danger all the time?)

(4) hypervigilance (always looking for danger, worrying about people getting hurt, still looking for tripwires and sitting with your back to the wall, avoiding crowds, etc.) (5) exaggerated startle response (hit the dirt at the sound of a backfire, can’t be touched when asleep, etc.)E.

Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in Criteria B, C, and D) is more than 1 month. F. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Specify if: Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than 3 months Chronic: if duration of symptoms is 3 months or more Specify if: With Delayed Onset: if onset of symptoms is at lease 6 months after the stresssor"" (Reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth Edition.

Copyright 1994 American Psychiatric Association. Experiencing any or all of these symptoms does not mean you are ""crazy,"" but that you are suffering the normal effects of trauma brought on by an abnormal event.01-07.

Department of Veterans Affairs Definition, The Short Version. The VA Home Page on the Internet says: In order to establish service connection for PTSD, the evidence must establish that during active duty a veteran was subjected to a stressor or stressors that would cause characteristic symptoms in almost anyone. Evidence of combat or having been a prisoner of war may be accepted as conclusive evidence of a stressor incurred during active duty.

Evidence of combat includes receipt of the Purple Heart, the CIB, or other similar citation. The medical evidence must establish a clear diagnosis of PTSD and must link the current symptoms to the claimed stressor. (www.va.gov/benefits/ptsdwhat.htm)01-08. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Definition, The Technical Versions.

The following, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR), part 38, offers the ""official"" definition you will be most concerned with:a. ""Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 3.304 (f) Service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder requires medical evidence establishing a clear diagnosis of the condition, credible supporting evidence that the claimed inservice stressor actually occurred, and a link, established by medical evidence, between current symptomatology and the claimed inservice stressor.

If the claimed stressor is related to combat, service department evidence that the veteran engaged in combat or that the veteran was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, or similar combat citation will be accepted, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, as conclusive evidence of the claimed inservice stressor.

Additionally, if the claimed stressor is related to the claimant having been a prisoner-of-war, prisoner-of-war experience which satisfies the requirements of 3.1 (y) of this part will be accepted, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, as conclusive evidence of the claimed inservice stressor.""b. ""Mental Disorders - 4.125 General considerations. The field of mental disorders represents the greatest possible variety of etiology, chronicity and disabling effects, and requires differential consideration in these respects. These sections under mental disorders are concerned with the rating of psychiatric conditions, specifically psychotic and psychoneurotic disorders and psychological factors affecting physical conditions as well as organic mental disorders.

Advances in modern psychiatry during and since World War II have been rapid and profound and have extended to the entire medical profession a better understanding of and deeper insight into the etiological factors, psychodynamics, and psychopathological changes which occur in mental disease and emotional disturbances. The psychiatric nomenclature employed is based upon the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM - III), American Psychiatric Association.

This nomenclature has been adopted by the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It limits itself to the classification of disturbances of mental functioning. To comply with the fundamental requirements for rating psychiatric conditions, it is imperative that rating personnel familiarize themselves thoroughly with this manual (American Psychiatric Association Manual, 1980 Edition) which will be hereinafter referred to as the APA manual.4.126 Substantiation of diagnosis.

It must be established first that a true mental disorder exists. The disorder will be diagnosed in accordance with the APA manual. A diagnosis not in accord with this manual is not acceptable for rating purposes and will be returned through channels to the examiner.

Normal reactions of discouragement, anxiety, depression, and self-concern in the presence of physical disability, dissatisfaction with work environment, difficulties in securing employment, etc., must not be accepted by the rating board as indicative of psychoneurosis.

Moreover, mere failure of social or industrial adjustment or the presence of numerous complaints should not, in the absence of definite symptomatology typical of a psychoneurotic or psychological factor affecting physical condition, become the acceptable basis of a diagnosis in this field. It is the responsibility of rating boards to accept or reject diagnoses shown on reports of examination.

If a diagnosis is not supported by the findings shown on the examination report, it is incumbent upon the board to return the report for clarification. (CFR 38).""01-09. The European Description. If you are not confused enough have a look at the description offered by the World Health Organization in Geneva.

The good part is that PTSD is now recognized world-wide as a ""real"" disorder. The bad part is found in their ""Diagnostic Guidelines"".

What follows is an exact from their Internet Home Page:""Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder F43.1 This arises as a delayed and/or protracted response to a stressful event or situation (either short- or long-lasting) of an exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which is likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone (e.g.

natural or man-made disaster, combat, serious accident, witnessing the violent death of others, or being the victim of torture, terrorism, rape, or other crime)…. Typical symptoms include episodes of repeated reliving of the trauma in intrusive memories (""flashbacks"") or dreams, occurring against the persisting background of a sense of ""numbness"" and emotional blunting, detachment from other people, unresponsiveness to surroundings, anhedonia, and avoidance of activities and situations reminiscent of the trauma.

Commonly there is fear and avoidance of cues that remind the sufferer of the original trauma. Rarely, there may be dramatic, acute bursts of fear, panic or aggression, triggered by stimuli arousing a sudden recollection and/or re-enactment of the trauma or of the original reaction to it….

The onset follows the trauma with a latency period which may range from a few weeks to months (but rarely exceeds 6 months).

The course is fluctuating but recovery can be expected in the majority of cases. In a small proportion of patients the condition may show a chronic course over many years and a transition to an enduring personality change. Diagnostic Guidelines This disorder should not generally be diagnosed unless there is evidence that it arose within 6 months of a traumatic event of exceptional severity.

A ""probable"" diagnosis might still be possible if the delay between the event and the onset was longer than 6 months, provided that the clinical manifestations are typical and no alternative identification of the disorder (e.g.

as an anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder or depressive episode) is plausible…..""ICD-10 copyright 1992 by World Health Organization Internet Mental Health (www.mentalhealth.com) copyright 1995-1997 by Phillip W. Long, M. D. Section IV. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE01-10. The Eye Opener. When I finally forced myself to go to a VA Clinic I was in a very high state of anxiety and depression had already begun to set in.

I had had a bout with depression shortly after retirement so I was aware of some of the signs. I had never experienced a high state of anxiety before and did not even know what PTSD was.

Some of you will have the same symptoms, most will not. Since my diagnosis I have been talking to more of my veteran friends about PTSD and finding out that most, if not all , of them have it to some degree and many of them have been under counseling for some time but had not spoken to me, or anyone else, about it because they thought their friends would think they were feigning illness.

SITREP- WWII Era (1939): The cyclotron of John Ray Dunning splits an atom for the first time in America; The first commercial transatlantic passenger air service begins; New York’s La Guardia Airport opens; The first American made helicopter is flown; Hewlett-Packard is founded; FM radio receivers go on sale for the first time; ""Batman"" is launched by DC Comics; the books The Grapes of Wrath and How Green Was My Valley are released; the movies ""Gone With The Wind"" and ""Drums Along the Mohawk"" are released; the songs ""I’ll Never Smile Again"" and ""South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)"" are released; the New York Yankees win the World Series by defeating the Cincinnati Reds 4 games to 0.

SITREP - WW II Era (1940): Winston Churchill succeeds Neville Chamberlain as Britain’s prime minister; the first peacetime military draft in U. S. history begins October 29; President Roosevelt wins reelection to third term with 54 percent of popular vote; the first Social Security checks go out January 30; the new Chevrolet coupe sells for $659; the book For Whom the Bell Tolls, is written by Ernest Hemingway; the Broadway play Pal Joey opens at the Barrymore theater; the songs ""The Last Time I saw Paris"" and ""You Are My Sunshine"" were released; the Cincinnati Reds win the World Series by defeating the Detroit Tigers 4 games to 3. This page last updated on 06-01© Msg. I. S. Parrish, USA Retired Ordering Information Return to Main Page "

ht. Understanding Drug Abuse in the Military The problem of drug abuse in the military is fairly easy to understand. In short: war is a horrifying, traumatizing and deeply stressful experience for everyone involved, and many veterans turn to drugs as a method of coping.

Veterans and Addiction â A Forgotten Consequence of War

Veterans and Addiction – A Forgotten Consequence of War November 11, 2014 Drug Addiction As Veterans Day rolls around, we all take a moment to pay our respects to those who’ve fought for our freedom in both historical and current conflicts, but it’s easy to forget that veterans can’t leave the horrors of war on the battlefield.

Drugs have been a part of war for centuries, and although in recent years prescription medicines have become a bigger issue than illicit ones, the problem of addiction among returning veterans is still a very real one. Finding out more about the problem, its history and the issues faced by soldiers fighting in present conflicts helps you understand the importance of getting more of our veterans into treatment.

History of Drugs and War A surprisingly large number of wars have been associated with the use of addictive substances. From the Civil War and the excessive use of morphine to the extensive cigarette rations of World War I and the amphetamine and alcohol abuse of World War II, drugs and war go hand in hand.

Vietnam saw the trend continuing, with marijuana and heroin being the most widely abused substances. However, in modern wars, prescription medicines have been in the spotlig

As you may expect, those deployed multiple times are at the greatest risk for ending up addicted to something. Like with non-deployed individuals, substance use is a poor coping mechanism for stress. In the past, the use of substances in this way was almost purposeful, with cigarettes being issued to soldiers in World War I for example.

In the modern age, zero-tolerance policies and stigma surrounding drug abuse make it harder to identify those who are developing issues.

There are also additional stressors for women in the military. Specifically (and in addition to the factors affecting any soldier), the risk of sexual assault or rape in the mainly male environment may make female veterans particularly likely to struggle with drug abuse. The PTSD Problem Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in veterans, affecting around one in six soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

This is typified by extreme anxiety and stress persisting long after the event that caused it (with flashbacks, nightmares and frightening thoughts being common) and is particularly associated with substance abuse. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), only 50 percent of returning service members who need treatment for a psychological condition seek it out, and only about half of those receive suitable support.

Other issues common in veterans are also associated with drug abuse, such as traumatic brain injury (experienced by just under one in five service members from Iraq or Afghanistan).

Overall, one in four modern veterans reports symptoms of a mental or cognitive disorder. Modern Veterans and Prescription Drug Abuse On the face of it, it seems like drug abuse isn’t a particularly big problem with modern military personnel. For example, a 2008 survey found that just 2.3 percent of military personnel were illicit drug users, compared with 12 percent of civilians, and this is likely due to the zero-tolerance policy (accompanied by random testing) instituted in 1982.

However, illegal drugs aren’t the big issue in the present day. Much like at home, the big problem for military personnel is prescription drug abuse, ordinarily in the form of opioid painkillers. In 2002, just 2 percent of troops reported abusing prescription medicines, but this had doubled to 4 percent by 2005 and then almost tripled to 11 percent by 2008, far exceeding the number of civilians reporting opioid abuse in those years.

In 2009, almost 3.8 million prescriptions for pain relievers were written by military physicians, having quadrupled since 2001.

Alcohol abuse is also more common in the military than in the general population, with one in five veterans reporting binge drinking every week in 2008. Particularly notable is the fact that those with high combat exposure had a considerably higher rate of 27 percent.

Smoking rates were also tied to levels of combat exposure. What Can Be Done? There have been many suggestions as to how we can help veterans and active military personnel avoid problems with substance abuse, and some steps have already been taken.

For example, the Army now has a rule that opioid pain relievers can be prescribed for a maximum of six months. However, a bigger issue is improving access to evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions.

A 2012 report to the Department of Defense suggested expanding insurance coverage to include outpatient treatment and helping healthcare providers identify and screen for addictions. Other strategies included limiting access to alcohol on bases. Finally, the stigma that surrounds drug abuse in the military is a core part of the problem, discouraging those in need from seeking help.

So while we pay our respects to those who’ve fought for our freedom, we should remember that they can’t just leave their problems on the battlefield. In fact, many veterans come home with mental health issues and addictions to grapple with, and we shouldn’t let them struggle in silence. They put themselves on the front lines to help us, and now we need to help them. Facebook Twitter Google+

People suffering from this disorder often use alcohol or drugs to try to ease their anxiety, but substance abuse can exacerbate PTSD symptoms. Many mental health professionals treat PTSD and substance abuse together because symptoms of PTSD (intrusive thoughts and sleep disturbance) can cause a substance abuse relapse.

Substance Use Disorders

Moderate alcohol consumption—a glass of wine with dinner or a few drinks at a party—is no cause for concern for many people.

However those with anxiety disorders may find that alcohol or other substances can make their anxiety symptoms worse. And they are two to three times more likely to have an alcohol or other substance abuse disorder at some point in their lives than the general population.

About 20 percent of Americans with an anxiety or mood disorder such as depression have an alcohol or other substance use disorder, and about 20 percent of those with an alcohol or substance use disorder also have an anxiety or mood disorder.

Anxiety or Substance Use Disorder: Which Comes First? Most people with alcohol or substance use and anxiety disorders experience them independently, but having both can be a vicious cycle. The symptoms of one disorder can make the symptoms another worse; an anxiety disorder may lead to using alcohol or other substances to self-medicate or alleviate anxiety symptoms. Social Anxiety Disorder The co-occurrence of substance abuse, particularly alcohol abuse, is common among people who have social anxiety disorder. People with this disorder report that alcohol helps lessen their social anxiety, although it often makes it worse. Alcohol abuse usually develops after the onset of this disorder. Read more about social anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)PTSD and substance abuse commonly occur together.

Panic Disorder Alcohol or drugs often cause panic attacks, and having panic disorder is a risk factor for a relapse among people with a substance abuse disorder. Alcohol abuse commonly begins before or at the same time as panic disorder symptoms. Comorbidity Learn more about comorbidity, or when two or more disorders or illnesses occur in the same person, either at the same time or one after the other.

Treatment Treating substance abuse will not eliminate an anxiety disorder, so it’s usually necessary to treat both together, particularly to lessen the chance of relapse.

People with anxiety and substance abuse disorders are at an increased risk for abuse as well as potentially dangerous interactions when they use prescription medication. Doctors prescribe medications with low abuse potential that are considered safe should a relapse occur.

The choice of medication always depends on a person’s individual circumstances. Many therapists will use therapy for people with both anxiety and substance abuse disorders. A well-established, highly effective, and lasting treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, which focuses on identifying, understanding, and changing thinking and behavior patterns.

Benefits are usually seen in 12 to 16 weeks, depending on the individual. Joining a support group may be a good additional treatment option. Research Mental Disorders, Substance Abuse Linked to Increase in ER Visits A report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) finds that almost one in eight of the 95 million visits to hospital emergency departments made by adults in the United States in 2007 were due to a mental health and/or substance abuse problem.

The most common reason for these visits was a mood disorder (42.7%), followed by anxiety disorders (26.1%), alcohol-related problems (22.9%), and drug disorders (17.6%). ( AHRQ-HCUP Statistical Brief 92. Mental Health and Substance Abuse-Related Emergency Department Visits Among Adults, 2007.

Released July 2010) Read more. Getting Help ADAA Find a Therapist All Treatment.com American Society of Addiction Medicine Facing Addiction Treatment4Addiction Find an Addiction Professional Narcotics Anonymous Steps2Rehab (in United Kingdom) Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (SAMHSA)Other Resources Learn more about the different types of abuse and how to manage them.

on Long-Term Effects of PTSDIf left untreated suffers of PTSD are likely to experience severe consequences including the following: Substance abuse: Many turn to drugs or alcohol in an attempt to calm their anxiety. This only exacerbates the problem.

What Happens If Trauma Is Left Untreated?

What Happens If Trauma Is Left Untreated? View Full Infographic Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychological disease suffered by millions of people who have been exposed to extreme stress, violence or loss. While cases of PTSD can now be recognized in centuries-old reports of mental health symptoms exhibited by soldiers returning from war, the full ramifications of this disease have only been understood in recent decades.

New approaches to treating PTSD are now available. The Basics of PTSDThe human brain has several defense mechanisms that it uses to cope with overwhelming stress.

The intricate and fragile chemical system that manages everything from emotions, laughter, panic, anxiety, optimism, confidence and affection to sleep, pain management and impulse control is rocked by intense experiences such as exposure to or fear of death. Soldiers, first responders and victims of violent crime may experience flashbacks, nightmares, intense anxiety or panic attacks long after the moment of trauma has passed. This is because neural pathways in the brain have been damaged and reformed by that experience. Some of the many symptoms of PTSD include the following: Sleeplessness Panic attacks Intense fear Nightmares Self-destructive thoughts or actions Depressi

Anger management issues: For some the moments of recurring stress and anxiety result in outbursts of anger or rage.

This may result in child or spousal abuse or public violence. Loneliness: Because PTSD can make a person very difficult to be around and is often undiagnosed, individuals with the disease may end up isolated and alone. Severe depression: Serious depression is always a risk with PTSD. Many sufferers may demonstrate suicidal thoughts or actions while in the midst of a PTSD episode.

Where to Find Help for PTSDIf you are struggling with panic, anxiety, depression, rage or other life-controlling issues following a traumatic incident, you may be dealing with PTSD.

If someone you love is being haunted by this crippling disease, you can play a role in their recovery. Call our toll-free helpline any time of day or night and speak to one of our counselors. Call our helpline today to see what treatment is available for your unique situation.

There is no shame in seeking help for a serious disease like PTSD, and nothing good happens if PTSD is left untreated. Share this: More

? Post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by significant trauma in a person’s life that is left unresolved. While PTSD is commonly associated with members of the military, anyone who has experienced trauma in life can develop PTSD at any age.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Program Options

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Program Options Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that affects millions of Americans every year. Government statistics indicate that 3.5 percent of the general population suffers from PTSD. The disorder is strongly associated with soldiers due to the many instances of traumatic events they endure while at war, but the label can be applied to anyone who experiences the effects of a trauma.

The individual may have experienced the trauma personally or may have the condition as a result of a traumatic event that happened to a loved one.

It is not uncommon for people to develop PTSD after the death of a family member. What Causes PTSD

PTSD is classified as an anxiety disorder in which a person’s normal response to danger becomes distorted. After going through a traumatic event, the affected individual may be triggered and have a fight-or-flight response long after the event has passed. Fight-or-flight responses are natural, but when they are triggered by daily events, the results can be debilitating and even dangerous.

It is crucial to get help for PTSD symptoms that last longer than six to eight weeks. After eight weeks, the symptoms are likely permanent and will only worsen with time if they are allowed to continue without medical intervention.

Like other mental disorders, PTSD responds well to treatment, and affected individuals can look forward to positive results once treatment begins. Thinking About Getting Rehab? Call 1-888-997-3147Contact a Treatment Advisor Now Premium Sponsor Ad Las Vegas, NVDesert Hope★ ★ ★ ★ ★☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Excellent - 10 Reviews Desert Hope believes that alcohol and drug abuse is a symptom of a deeper underlying issue.

In order to stop the endless cycle of chemical dependency and build a new life, addicts must learn to address these core issues and confront unresolved traumas. Desert Hope offers its ... View Facility Details Is There a Cure for PTSD? As with most mental illnesses, no cure exists for PTSD, but the symptoms can be effectively managed to restore the affected individual to normal functioning.

The best hope for treating PTSD is a combination of medication and therapy. By working with a healthcare professional, individuals with PTSD can resolve their triggering factors and learn new and effective ways of coping with the stress of the past trauma. Therapies for PTSDNumerous therapies are available for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of the most common therapies used to treat PTSD include group therapy, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy.

In some cases, doctors will recommend a combination of one or more therapeutic approaches in order to meet the needs of the individual patient. In general, no right or wrong approach exists when it comes to the treatment of PTSD. Some individuals respond better to a certain treatments than others.

The effectiveness of a given treatment depends on numerous factors, including the individual’s personality, the nature of the trauma, the severity of the symptoms, and the presence of a support network. While multiple forms of effective treatment exist for PTSD, some treatments have been found to be more effective for the overall population than others. PTSD therapies are aimed at managing the symptoms of the disorder and helping the affected individual to better understand the causes.

Some common symptoms that affect the lives of people living with PTSD include: Night terrors Flashbacks Avoidance Emotional numbness Indifference These symptoms can cause extreme disruption in an individual’s life, yet the government estimates that a massive 50 percent of those who have PTSD do not seek treatment. Individuals with PTSD do not seek treatment for various reasons, ranging from fear of judgment to an inability to cover the costs.

If you or a loved one is suffering with the symptoms of PTSD, do not wait any longer; our hotline is open 24/7, and we can speak with you about all the available options you can choose from when it comes to getting help for your PTSD.

Call us any time at 1-888-997-3147 for more information or simply to talk with someone who understands what you are going through. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatments Cognitive behavioral therapy is an increasingly popular form of therapy that initially became well known in the 1980s.

It blends the principles behind cognitive psychology and behavioral therapy to create a comprehensive treatment approach. The cognitive element focuses on the ways the human ability to problem-solve and think rationally can aid recovery. The behavioral element focuses on the ways in which the health of the mind manifests through human behavior.

Most cognitive behavioral therapists will work on helping the PTSD sufferer come to terms with the traumatic event and then find ways to modify behavior to cope more efficiently. Other Therapeutic Methods Group therapy is another major treatment method for patients with PTSD. The major benefit of group therapy is it allows victims of trauma to connect with others who truly understand what they have been through.

That understanding is also important for victims of violent crimes who may be alienated from their peers due to the uncommon nature of their experiences.

Group therapy offers a safe place to discuss the traumatic events as well as any resulting feelings and behaviors without fear of judgment from others who have not been through a similar experience. Another common therapeutic approach is hypnotherapy, although this form of treatment is typically used in conjunction with traditional therapies.

Hypnosis is often used to help the patient deal with the trauma by regressing back to a state before its occurrence and to use the power of the mind to overcome any resulting behavioral issues. Residential Inpatient PTSD Treatment Centers If you or a loved one is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and wants to seek treatment, residential or inpatient PTSD treatment centers are a solid option.

These centers are staffed by trained specialists who can assess your condition and formulate the best treatment plan for you in an atmosphere that is as stress-free as possible. The Benefits of Residential PTSD Treatment One of the most difficult aspects of living with PTSD is the fact that the individual can easily be triggered by ordinary events.

Gunfire, fireworks, bright lights and other common occurrences that are jarring to the senses can transport someone with PTSD back to the state they were in when the trauma occurred. These flashbacks often occur at night while the person is sleeping, but they can occur at any time, severely disrupting the flow of normal life.

A residential treatment center gives patients the opportunity to recover in an environment that is free from the stresses of everyday life and surrounded by professionals who understand the nature of what they are going through. If you would like more information on PTSD recovery facilities, call our toll-free hotline at 1-888-997-3147 for more information today. Luxury PTSD Facilities When most people picture a PTSD treatment facility, they don’t imagine a luxurious and peaceful environment. Many luxury PTSD facilities offer this type of atmosphere, where patients can relax in surroundings that mirror those of the finest luxury resorts.

Executive PTSD Programs Like luxury PTSD facilities, executive PTSD programs offer a high-class treatment experience. For the busy executive who wants to put the effort into recovery but just doesn’t have the time to be completely disconnected from the office, luxury treatment centers offer a great compromise.

You can receive treatment in a luxurious facility while having access to the technology you need to stay connected to your work. Outpatient PTSD Rehab and Treatment Programs For those whose schedules will not allow for an inpatient treatment program, outpatient PTSD rehab and treatment programs are a great option. These facilities are staffed by knowledgeable healthcare professionals who can help you take the lessons you learn in treatment and transfer them to life at home and work.

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications Prescription medications are commonly prescribed to treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and make living with the disorder more manageable.

Self-medication with over-the-counter medication can be dangerous, and you should consult your doctor before taking any medication for the treatment of your PTSD symptoms. Over-the-counter medication may be readily available, but taking the wrong medication at the wrong dosage can make your PTSD symptoms worse, and the practice is also dangerous.

PTSD and substance abuse unfortunately have a high rate of comorbidity. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 20 percent of those who suffer from PTSD also suffer from a substance abuse problem. Many victims of trauma turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with the symptoms of PTSD and to avoid the perceived stigma of seeking treatment.

Substance abuse may seem to be a way out in the beginning, but the improper use of drugs and alcohol to treat PTSD can only mask the symptoms for a little while. To experience true recovery, it is necessary to seek professional treatment from a licensed mental health professional.

Attempts at self-medication with either prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications will only lead to more problems and deeper depression. Treatment centers are prepared to deal with patients who suffer from PTSD and substance abuse. They use a variety of treatment options such as cognitive behavioral treatments, cognitive processing therapy and prescription medications to help deal with PTSD or substance abuse symptoms.

How to Find the Best PTSD Treatment Facility When it comes to finding a PTSD treatment facility for yourself or a loved one, you understandably want the best. Many great treatment facilities are filled with knowledgeable mental health professionals who are waiting to help you meet your treatment goals.

It is possible to live a normal life with PTSD by managing the symptoms and finding a strong network of support. Some programs are better than others though, and the sheer variety of information on the Internet can be overwhelming at times.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a challenging condition, and recovery is a long-term goal rather than something that can be achieved immediately. Fortunately, support is one of the most effective tools available when it comes to treating the causes and symptoms of PTSD.

A strong network of family and friends is crucial to the recovery process, but it is also necessary to work closely with a mental health professional who can monitor your progress and well-being.

It’s important to find help on treating Post-traumatic stress disorder for you or your loved one. Call us today for more information. We would be happy to connect you to the right facilities and professionals in your area so you can begin the recovery process. Call our toll-free hotline at 1-888-997-3147, and let us help you find the right program for your needs. We’re available 24/7, and our friendly representatives would love to help you take your first step to a life of mental health and wellness.

Use Suicide rates in the military were traditionally lower than among civilians in the same age range, but in 2004 the suicide rate in the U. S. Army began to climb, surpassing the civilian rate in 2008. Substance use is involved in many of these suicides. The 2010 report of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force found that 29 percent of active duty Army suicides from fiscal year (FY) 2005 to FY 2009 involved alcohol or drug use; and in 2009, prescription drugs were involved in almost one third of them.

Substance Abuse in the Military

Members of the armed forces are not immune to the substance use problems that affect the rest of society. Although illicit drug use is lower among U. S. military personnel than among civilians, heavy alcohol and tobacco use, and especially prescription drug abuse, are much more prevalent and are on the rise.

The stresses of deployment during wartime and the unique culture of the military account for some of these differences. Zero-tolerance policies and stigma pose difficulties in identifying and treating substance use problems in military personnel, as does lack of confidentiality that deters many who need treatment from seeking it. Those with multiple deployments and combat exposure are at greatest risk of developing substance use problems. They are more apt to engage in new-onset heavy weekly drinking and binge drinking, to suffer alcohol- and other drug-related problems, and to have greater prescribed use of behavioral health medications.

They are also more likely to start smoking or relapse to smoking. Illicit and Prescription Drugs According to the 2008 Department of Defense (Do D) Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, just 2.3 percent of military personnel were past-month users of an illicit drug, compared with 12 percent of civilians. Among those age 18–25 (who are most likely to use drugs), the rate among military personnel was 3.9 percent, compared with 17.2 percent among civilians.

A policy of zero tolerance for drug use among Do D personnel is likely one reason why illicit drug use has remained at a low level in the military for 2 decades.

The policy was instituted in 1982 and is currently enforced by frequent random drug testing; service members face dishonorable discharge and even criminal prosecution for a positive drug test.

However, in spite of the low level of illicit drug use, abuse of prescription drugs is higher among service members than among civilians and is on the increase. In 2008, 11 percent of service members reported misusing prescription drugs, up from 2 percent in 2002 and 4 percent in 2005.

Most of the prescription drugs misused by service members are opioid pain medications. Mental Health Problems in Returning Veterans Service members may carry the psychological and physical wounds of their military experience with them into subsequent civilian life.

In one study, one in four veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan reported symptoms of a mental or cognitive disorder; one in six reported symp-toms of post-traumatic stress disor-der (PTSD). These disorders are strongly associated with substance abuse and dependence, as are other problems experienced by returning military personnel, including sleep disturbances, traumatic brain injury, and violence in relationships.

Young adult veterans are particularly likely to have substance use or other mental health problems. According to a report of veterans in 2004-2006, a quarter of 18- to 25-year-old veterans met criteria for a past-year substance use disorder, which is more than double the rate of veterans aged 26-54 and five times the rate of veterans 55 or older.

The greater availability of these medications and increases in prescriptions for them may contribute to their growing misuse by service members.

Pain reliever prescriptions written by military physicians quadrupled between 2001 and 2009—to almost 3.8 million. Combat-related injuries and the strains from carrying heavy equipment during multiple deployments likely play a role in this trend. Drinking and Smoking Alcohol use is also higher among men and women in military service than among civilians. Almost half of active duty service members (47 percent) reported binge drinking in 2008—up from 35 percent in 1998. In 2008, 20 percent of military personnel reported binge drinking every week in the past month; the rate was considerably higher—27 percent—among those with high combat exposure. In 2008, 30 percent of all service members were current cigarette smokers—comparable to the rate for civilians (29 percent). However, as with alcohol use, smoking rates are significantly higher among personnel who have been exposed to combat. Suicides and Substance

Addressing the Problem A 2012 report prepared for the Do D by the Institute of Medicine (IOM Report) recommended ways of addressing the problem of substance use in the military, including increasing the use of evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions and expanding access to care. The report recommends broadening insurance coverage to include effective outpatient treatments and better equipping healthcare providers to recognize and screen for substance use problems so they can refer patients to appropriate, evidence-based treatment when needed.

It also recommends measures like limiting access to alcohol on bases. The IOM Report also notes that addressing substance use in the military will require increasing confidentiality and shifting a cultural climate in which drug problems are stigmatized and evoke fear in people suffering from them.

Branches of the military have already taken steps to curb prescription drug abuse. The Army, for example, has implemented changes that include limiting the duration of prescriptions for opioid pain relievers to 6 months and having a pharmacist monitor a soldier’s medications when multiple prescriptions are being used.

NIDA and other government agencies are currently funding research to better understand the causes of drug abuse and other mental health problems among military personnel, veterans, and their families and how best to prevent and treat them. Learn More For additional information on drug abuse in the military, see www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/substance-abuse-in-military-life This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from the NIDA.

Citation of the source is appreciated, using the following language: Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.

PTSD and Sleep Disorders: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among veterans. If you are a veteran who experiences sleep problems and has PTSD, you may be eligible for PTSD VA Disability Benefits. Sleep disorders can be caused by PTSD.

Sleep Disorder VA Disability Benefits

Sleep Disorder VA Disability Benefits Sleep disorder VA Disability Benefits are available to veterans. Not sure if you are eligible? We can help! Woods & Woods VA Disability Benefits lawyers offer free VA claim evaluations to veterans and their families.

For help, please fill out the online contact form or call toll-free (866) 232-5777. How To Get Sleep Disorder VA Disability Benefits First, you should be treating with a medical professional for your sleep disorders. If you wish to obtain VA Disability Benefits for sleep disorders, you are going to have to prove to the Veterans Administration that you do in fact have sleep disorders.

Medical documentation is key to winning any VA Disability Benefits claim. Second, there are lots of VA forms, paperwork, and deadlines you are going to have to meet. Make sure you fill out all your VA forms correctly. All of your paperwork must be filed in the correct places as well.

Deadlines are important because if you miss one, your claim could be over. Third, if you do not hire representation, do all the legal research you can. VA Disability Benefits law is complicated. You are going to have to consider the thousands of regulations that could affect your claim. Looking up case law and citing that case law can help you win your claim. Remember, legal research is complicated and many veterans don’t even know where to begin.

Last, get qualified help if you want to obtain VA Disability Benefits for sleep disorders. The easiest way to get VA Disability Benefits is to file your claim or appeal correctly the first time.

Too many veterans get free help from unqualified sources who do not know VA law well enough and they end up losing their claim. The Link Between Sleep Disorders and Other Medical Conditions

The link between PTSD and sleep disorders has been studied and there is clearly a connection. Nightmares, anxiety, stress, anger, etc. are can be caused by PTSD which may give veterans a sleep disorder. Depression and Sleep Disorders: Depression affects lots of veterans after they leave the military.

Depression can affect people in many different ways; one of those ways is by developing sleep disorders. It is sort of a chicken or the egg situation. Depression can cause sleep disorders and sleep disorders can cause depression. If a veterans is receiving Veterans Benefits for Depression they may also be able to service-connect their sleep disorders.

Pain and Sleep Disorders: Pain is the reason lots of veterans have sleep disorders. Many veterans have trouble sleeping because their pain is too much. One of the most common problems veterans have is back pain. Other veterans have sleep disorders because of the pain medication they must take.

If your pain is related to your time in the military, your sleep disorder may be considered service-connected. Medicines and Sleep Disorders: Various medicines cause serious sleeping problems. Every medicine will affect different people in different ways. Some people develop sleeping problems that are directly related to the medicines they are prescribed. If you are taking a medicine for a service-connected impairment and develop sleeping problems, you may be eligible for VA Disability Benefits for sleep problems.

Anxiety and Sleep Disorders: Anxiety is all too common in veterans that served our country. Anxiety is a complex disorder that has many side effects.

One of the common side effects that can develop in veterans with anxiety is sleep disorders. Veterans with sleeping problems and anxiety may be eligible for VA Disability Benefits for sleep disorders. Physical Conditions and Sleep Disorders: Veterans with physical conditions sometimes have sleep disorders. Service-connected physical conditions can cause a host of medical issues; including sleep disorders.

Veterans that can show their sleep disorders are linked to their service-connected physical conditions, may be able to obtain VA Disability Benefits for sleep disorders. Mental Conditions and Sleep Disorders: If you are a veteran with service-connected mental conditions and a related sleep disorder, you may be eligible for VA Disability Benefits.

Mental conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression can cause sleep disorders in veterans. Sleep Apnea and VA Disability Benefits Sleep apnea can cause veterans to use c-pap machines and other medical devices.

The invasive c-pap machine can cause many veterans serious sleeping problems. When a veteran develops sleep apnea, they often have trouble getting to sleep. Many veterans with sleep apnea can no longer sleep in their own bed or have to be propped-up to sleep every night. This can seriously disrupt the way that you sleep. Sleep apnea can be connected to your time in the military.

Not sure how to link your sleep apnea to your time in the service? Call our veterans disability lawyers. We can help you better understand the link between sleep apnea and military service. Insomnia and VA Disability Benefits Insomnia affects untold numbers of veterans. Insomnia can be service-connected if it is caused by your mental and physical service-connected conditions.

For example, if back pain or PTSD cause your insomnia, the latter may now also be considered service-connected. Insomnia is a serious sleep disorder that can disrupt a veteran’s life. Many times veterans with insomnia are unable to work because they can’t keep regular hours.

If you are being accommodated at your job for insomnia, you may be eligible. Narcolepsy and VA Disability Benefits Narcolepsy is a very serious sleep disorder. Narcolepsy prevents many veterans from working, being able to drive, or activities that they once enjoyed. Narcolepsy can cause serious depression because of the drastic changes in a veteran’s life. If your narcolepsy is caused by a service-connected condition, then you may also be eligible for narcolepsy benefits from the Veterans Administration.

Get Help Obtaining Sleep Disorder VA Disability Benefits For free, Woods & Woods will answer all your questions about obtaining VA Disability Benefits for sleep disorders. There is never a charge to find out about your eligibility. We have helped thousands of veterans figure out what VA Disability Benefits they are entitled to after service. Share this: Facebook Twitter Print

Even with all we know about its effects and ways to treat it, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among police officers and continues to take its toll on their lives and those of their families. Most of what people think of as PTSD relates to trauma suffered by soldiers and those in the military.

Police Officers Face Cumulative PTSD

Police Officers Face Cumulative PTSDPosted by Law Officer | Feb 11, 2017 | suicide | 15Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on American Military University’s blog, In Public Safety. We are grateful that they have permitted us to share it with our audience.

However, police officers’ PTSD is different. Soldiers often get PTSD from a single or brief exposure to stress. However, for police officers PTSD tends to manifest over time, resulting from multiple stress-related experiences. This is better known as cumulative PTSD. Understanding Cumulative PTSDCumulative PTSD can be even more dangerous than PTSD caused from a single traumatic event, largely because cumulative PTSD is more likely to go unnoticed and untreated.

When a catastrophic event occurs, such as an officer-involved shooting, most departments have policies and professionals to help an officer address and deal with the aftermath of an event.

However, the build-up of events that arise throughout an officer’s career generally do not warrant such specialized attention. As a result, an officer with cumulative PTSD is less likely to receive treatment. Unlike a physical injury, a mental traumatic injury can happen almost daily. When the demon of PTSD surfaces it often goes ignored. If untreated, officers can become a risk to themselves and others. Causes of PTSDNumerous events can cause PTSD in police officers, such as hostage situations, dangerous drug busts, responding to fatal accidents, and working other cases that include serious injury or death.

But there are many less traumatic situations that can still be extremely stressful for an officer. Other stressful situations include, but are not limited to: long hours; handling people’s attitudes; waiting for the next call and not knowing what the situation will be; and even politics within the department.

Then, on top of it all, officers are frequently criticized, scrutinized, and investigated for decisions they make. [Related: The Impact of Stress and Fatigue on Police and Steps to Control It]Signs of PTSDIf recognized early and treated properly, officers and their families can overcome the debilitating effects of cumulative PTSD.

The key to early intervention and treatment is recognizing the signs of PTSD and seeking help sooner rather than later.

Some of the physical signs officers should look for in themselves include: Fatigue Vomiting or nausea Chest pain Twitches Thirst Insomnia or nightmares Breathing difficulty Grinding of teeth Profuse sweating Pounding heart Diarrhea or intestinal upsets Headaches [Related: How Police Can Reduce and Manage Stress]Behavioral signs family members of officers and officers should look for in themselves and in others include: Withdrawal from family and friends Pacing and restlessness Emotional outbursts Anti-social acts Suspicion and paranoia Increased alcohol consumption and other substance abuse Emotional signs include: Anxiety or panic Guilt Fear Denial Irritability Depression Intense anger Agitation Apprehension The situational training new recruits receive is simply not enough to prepare them for the reality of the experiences they will face throughout their careers.

Most young officers do not understand the stressful events they are likely to experience during their years on the job. Many officers are also not adequately equipped with the emotional tools necessary to deal with the emotions they will feel when things happen.

However, awareness continues to grow about the stress and trauma that officers’ experience. Organizations like the Station House Retreat offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment trauma therapy and peer-support services for police officers as well as all first responders. They also offer addiction treatment for first responders, and support for their family members. About the Author: Michelle L. Beshears earned her baccalaureate degrees in social psychology and criminal justice and graduate degrees in human resource development and criminology from Indiana State University.

She most recently completed her Ph. D. in Business Administration with a specialization in Criminal Justice.

Michelle served in the U. S. Army for 11 years. She obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant prior to attending Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia where she earned her commission. As a commissioned officer she led numerous criminal investigations and worked with several external agencies as well. As a civilian, she has worked with the local sheriff’s department, state drug task force and FBI. Michelle is currently an assistant professor of criminal justice at American Military Universityand is full-time faculty in the School of Security and Global Studies. You can contact her at Michelle. Beshears (at)mycampus.apus.edu. Share:

New post-traumatic stress disorder treatments for veterans focus on technology Between 11 percent and 20 percent of veterans suffer from PTSD. PTSD is much higher among Vietnam War vets. New technology is encouraging veterans to talk about PTSD and is allowing their PTSD triggers and treatment progress to be monitored in real time.

New post-traumatic stress disorder treatments for veterans focus on technology

"Modern Medicine

Trey Strange, special to CNBC.com Published 8:59 AM ET Sat, 11 Nov 2017CNBC.com It turns out that military veterans are willing to talk about stress. They just haven't been getting access to the right confidantes and a comfortable setting. Ellie is an example. Her ability to press veteran interview subjects to reveal information about their feelings and mental state worked better than the primary method used by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Her secret? Ellie isn't a bland questionnaire. She isn't a human, either. Developed by the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a virtual PTSD screening and diagnostic tool that provides patients with an anonymous, unrecorded interview session.

A recent study of Ellie's interactions with veterans showed that they are more willing to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder to the program than using a traditional assessment method. USC Institute for Creative Technologies Developed by the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a virtual PTSD diagnosis tool that veterans have been more willing to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder to than using traditional assessment methods.

Ellie isn't alone. She is one of a few emerging technologies that are proving pivotal in supporting PTSD treatment. These therapy innovations are still in experimental stages, but for Gale Lucas, a senior researcher at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, Ellie is a breakthrough in the most critical step of therapy — getting veterans to talk.

""If veterans or service members don't admit that they have a problem, even to themselves, then they won't be seeking treatment,"" Lucas said.

More than 10 percent of veterans have PTSDThe National Center for PTSD estimates that between 11 percent and 20 percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD. Among Vietnam War veterans, they estimate that 30 percent have had PTSD in their lifetime. When veterans return from deployment, they are required to complete a Post-Deployment Health Assessment, or PDHA, which contains 25 questions, including a checklist of symptoms.

Veterans must self-disclose their symptoms to the document, and the information goes on their record. Lucas said veterans and service members filling out the survey might feel pressure not to disclose all of their symptoms.

The checklist is impersonal and, because the information from the PDHA is recorded, it might affect future deployment opportunities for still-serving members and job opportunities for veterans. ""The culture of the military is to say, 'No, I'm fine,'"" Lucas said. Ellie offers anonymity to patients — the interview is not recorded.

Instead, she reads expressions by tracking 66 points on a patient's face, and she also registers speech patterns. Analyzing this data in real time, she responds to patients with active affirmations, like nodding or even saying ""mhmm"" when patients appear to need it. More from Modern Medicine: America's veterans: Overlooked in the endless Obamacare battle A primer on how to handle stress after a traumatic event A popular party drug is looking like an effective treatment for depression The new study, published in Frontiers, shows that by building rapport with patients and keeping the interview anonymous, Ellie outperformed the PDHA in getting veterans to disclose symptoms.

Ellie even topped an anonymous PDHA to show that a conversation, even with a virtual therapist, is effective in assessing PTSD.

""It's a humanlike interaction,"" Lucas said. ""It makes people feel more comfortable sharing personal things, like symptoms of PTSD. ""In the future, Lucas hopes that Ellie will be able to report the likelihood of a veteran having PTSD immediately following the interview. That will allow the veterans to make a more informed decision about seeking treatment through therapy.

Technology can monitor PTSD in real time About an hour north of Orlando, Florida, at 5PALMS Ormond Beach, a 24-bed residential facility that specializes in treating PTSD for women survivors of substance and sexual abuse in the military, chief clinical officer Laurie Deckard has overseen the implementation of Neuro Flow, which measures neurological movements in the brain and heart-rate levels to monitor PTSD symptoms in real-time.

""The patient is able to see how they're reacting to the material that's being told to them,"" Deckard said.

""In therapy, you don't always know that you're making progress, but this way you can visibly see that you're making progress. ""Neuro Flow operates by using the measurements from the brain and heart rate to generate readings of a patient's stress, relaxation and engagement levels.

Because a patient might be unaware of what triggers their PTSD, a therapist can monitor these while the patient talks, taking note of what causes the patient to become uncomfortable. ""It's been a short time, but I do project that it's going to be something that our patients really love.

""-Laurie Deckard, chief clinical officer at PTSD center 5PALMS Ormond Beach Because it often takes weeks for patients to notice a significant difference in their mental health during therapy, Neuro Flow can also prove if patients are learning to cope with the disorder by showing incremental improvements in their levels.

The system was created by Adam Pardes and Chris Molaro, a former veteran, when Molaro saw alarming rates of veteran suicide. In 2014, 20 veterans died by suicide every day. ""How do you survive a year in combat and you come home, and the health care back home is inefficient to the point that you lose a battle like that?"" Molaro said. Molaro has implemented Neuro Flow in several clinics around the country — 5PALMS Ormond Beach has been using the software for about one month.

Already, Deckard has noticed a change. Because the software is designed to be read by anyone — not just neurologists or psychologists — patients have been able to track their progress. ""It's been a short time, but I do project that it's going to be something that our patients really love,"" Deckard said.

The VA is moving more PTSD options online While researchers focus on the cutting-edge of new PTSD technology, the VA has been working on the technological blocking and tackling of PTSD treatment, moving as much information and public access as possible to the internet and onto mobile apps. The National Center for PTSD's website hosts informational videos and guides that anyone can access from a computer.

Josef Ruzek, director of the Center's Dissemination and Training Division in Palo Alto, California, said that 14 phone apps have been created across platforms for veterans to use. ""Phone apps are wonderful because they're with a person 24/7,"" Ruzek said. Bonnie Jo Mount | The Washington Post via Getty Images Technology is not the only novel 24/7 PTSD treatment option.

Sergeant 1st Class Matthew Bessler, right, of Powell, Wyoming, is a medically retired Special Operations Army Ranger who struggles with PTSD and TBI. He was given a service dog to help in treatment. The dog, 'Major Mike' was shot and killed by a cyclist who said the dog attacked him in 2015. Earlier this year, a charity effort raised $142,000 to build a memorial for war and service dogs at the State of Wyoming Veterans Memorial Park in Cody, modelled on Bessler and 'Major Mike.

'The idea behind all of this technology is not to replace human therapists. In one app, Prolonged Exposure Coach, or PE Coach, a patient can remotely submit assignments for their therapist to look over.

Anyone can download the app, but Ruzek said that the app is most effective with patients in therapy because they need human support. David Cooper, the lead psychologist in the mobile applications department of the Center for Telehealth & Technology — which created PE Coach and a number of other phone apps — said placing treatment on phones is important because it can give veterans a lower stress way to deal with their larger stress issues.

For example, a veteran with PTSD symptoms might be in public and feeling anxious or overwhelmed. They can learn about how to deal with these issues just by looking on their mobile device.

In addition, not everyone has time or can afford to go to a clinic, Cooper said. There are gaps in access to VA centers based on distance, and also based on lack of access to health coverage for many veterans.

Having the information public and easily accessible helps veterans and others with PTSD make treatment decisions. ""Just like we use tech right now to make our work lives better, it can be used to make our personal lives better,"" Cooper said.— By Trey Strange, special to CNBC.com Modern Medicine Incyte trial fails, but cancer researchers still hold hope for immunotherapy Cancer researchers believe immunotherapy still holds potential for patients.

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It is very common for other conditions to occur along with PTSD, such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. More than half of men with PTSD also have problems with alcohol. The next most common co-occurring problems in men are depression, followed by conduct disorder, and then problems with drugs.

"What is PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)? PTSD, or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood.

Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time.

These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.

People with PTSD experience three different kinds of symptoms. The first set of symptoms involves reliving the trauma in some way such as becoming upset when confronted with a traumatic reminder or thinking about the trauma when you are trying to do something else. The second set of symptoms involves either staying away from places or people that remind you of the trauma, isolating from other people, or feeling numb. The third set of symptoms includes things such as feeling on guard, irritable, or startling easily.

PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that people with PTSD often may develop additional disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health.

The disorder is also associated with impairment of the person’s ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord, and difficulties in parenting.

PTSD can be treated with psychotherapy (‘talk’ therapy) and medicines such as antidepressants. Early treatment is important and may help reduce long-term symptoms. Unfortunately, many people do not know that they have PTSD or do not seek treatment. This fact sheet will help you to better understand PTSD and the how it can be treated. What are the symptoms of PTSD? Although PTSD symptoms can begin right after a traumatic event, PTSD is not diagnosed unless the symptoms last for at least one month, and either cause significant distress or interfere with work or home life.

In order to be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have three different types of symptoms: re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance and numbing symptoms, and arousal symptoms. Re-experiencing Symptoms Re-experiencing symptoms are symptoms that involve reliving the traumatic event.

There are a number of ways in which people may relive a trauma. They may have upsetting memories of the traumatic event. These memories can come back when they are not expecting them. At other times the memories may be triggered by a traumatic reminder such as when a combat veteran hears a car backfire, a motor vehicle accident victim drives by a car accident or a rape victim sees a news report of a recent sexual assault.

These memories can cause both emotional and physical reactions. Sometimes these memories can feel so real it is as if the event is actually happening again. This is called a ""flashback."" Reliving the event may cause intense feelings of fear, helplessness, and horror similar to the feelings they had when the event took place.

Avoidance and Numbing Symptoms Avoidance symptoms are efforts people make to avoid the traumatic event. Individuals with PTSD may try to avoid situations that trigger memories of the traumatic event. They may avoid going near places where the trauma occurred or seeing TV programs or news reports about similar events.

They may avoid other sights, sounds, smells, or people that are reminders of the traumatic event. Some people find that they try to distract themselves as one way to avoid thinking about the traumatic event.

Numbing symptoms are another way to avoid the traumatic event. Individuals with PTSD may find it difficult to be in touch with their feelings or express emotions toward other people.

For example, they may feel emotionally ""numb"" and may isolate from others. They may be less interested in activities you once enjoyed. Some people forget, or are unable to talk about, important parts of the event. Some think that they will have a shortened life span or will not reach personal goals such as having a career or family. Arousal Sympto

ms People with PTSD may feel constantly alert after the traumatic event. This is known as increased emotional arousal, and it can cause difficulty sleeping, outbursts of anger or irritability, and difficulty concentrating. They may find that they are constantly ‘on guard’ and on the lookout for signs of danger.

They may also find that they get startled. What other problems do people with PTSD experience?

It is very common for other conditions to occur along with PTSD, such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. More than half of men with PTSD also have problems with alcohol. The next most common co-occurring problems in men are depression, followed by conduct disorder, and then problems with drugs.

Co-occurring disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use, is prevalent among veterans and the military community. According to the Veterans Affairs Department (VA), approximately one-third of veterans seeking treatment for substance use disorders also met the criteria for PTSD.

Co-occurring Disorders

Co-occurring Disorders The coexistence of both a mental health and a substance use disorder is referred to as co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders were previously referred to as dual diagnoses. According to SAMHSA’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (PDF | 3.4 MB), approximately 7.9 million adults in the United States had co-occurring disorders in 2014. People with mental health disorders are more likely than people without mental health disorders to experience an alcohol or substance use disorder.

Co-occurring disorders can be difficult to diagnose due to the complexity of symptoms, as both may vary in severity. In many cases, people receive treatment for one disorder while the other disorder remains untreated. This may occur because both mental and substance use disorders can have biological, psychological, and social components.

Other reasons may be inadequate provider training or screening, an overlap of symptoms, or that other health issues need to be addressed first. In any case, the consequences of undiagnosed, untreated, or undertreated co-occurring disorders can lead to a higher likelihood of experiencing homelessness, incarceration, medical illnesses, suicide, or even early death.

People with co-occurring disorders are best served through integrated treatment. With integrated treatment, practitioners can address mental and substance use disorders at the same time, often lowering costs and creating better outcomes. Increasing awareness and building capacity in service systems are important in helping identify and treat co-occurring disorders. Early detection and treatment can improve treatment outcomes and the quality of life for those who need these services.

Learn more about treatment for co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Addressing Co-occurring Disorders in Different Settings SAMHSA offers guidance aimed at helping practitioners improve services to people with co-occurring disorders in the following social service settings: Co-occurring Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Co-occurring Disorders and Homelessness Co-occurring Disorders and Primary Care Co-occurring Disorders Among Veterans and the Military Community Co-occurring Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Many people in the criminal justice system have co-occurring disorders.

Providing integrated treatment to address mental and substance use disorders can lead to positive outcomes such as reduced substance use and arrests. Failure to effectively screen and assess inmates with co-occurring disorders is a major concern in the criminal justice system.

As part of the full protocol, an effective screening process should include the following: Routine screening at entry points to criminal justice settings Use of standardized instruments that include cut-off points to determine whether a person should be referred for a follow-up assessment Trained staff to administer the screening instruments and refer people for assessment A response for incarcerated people experiencing a behavioral health crisis, such as intoxication or drug use that requires medical attention, or if an individual is experiencing suicidal thoughts Health care records being maintained by the agency conducting the screening Review Screening and Assessment of Co-occurring Disorders in the Justice System at the CSG Justice Center – 2008 (PDF | 3 MB).

Learn about SAMHSA’s efforts to address criminal and juvenile justice and trauma and violence. Co-occurring Disorders and Homelessness Co-occurring disorders are common among people experiencing homelessness.

This population often has a variety of issues that require services beyond behavioral health treatment, such as life skills development, employment assistance, and housing. While treating people experiencing homeless who are suffering from co-occurring disorders through integrated care is important to recovery, few have access to it.

People experiencing homelessness may be isolated or have little to no access to health and behavioral health services, and therefore their health issues may go undiagnosed or untreated. This can lead to chronic homelessness and further deterioration in physical and behavioral health, as well as social and economic functioning.

One way to improve access to integrated care for people experiencing homelessness is to implement integrated screening and assessment throughout the homeless system of care. Integrated screening determines the likelihood that people experiencing homelessness may or may not have co-occurring disorders or whether co-occurring disorders are influencing their presenting signs, symptoms, or behaviors.

Assessment is an ongoing process of collecting and organizing clinical information, and interpreting the information on the basis of diagnostic criteria and professional judgment. Learn about SAMHSA’s efforts to address homelessness and housing for people with mental and/or substance use disorders.

Co-occurring Disorders and Primary Care People who receive primary care often may have multiple health issues, including co-occurring disorders. Integrating behavioral and primary care is especially important to meeting their needs. People with co-occurring disorders may seek primary care services first before seeking behavioral health services. As a result, primary care practitioners have unique opportunities to identify people with co-occurring disorders through screening.

Screening for co-occurring disorders in primary care settings can assist practitioners in recognizing and addressing conditions early. Screening also can serve as a baseline to measure clinical progress. A variety of screening and assessment tools are available for primary care practitioners.

These screening and assessment tools can help determine if the need for further assessment is necessary, provide background on a client’s substance use and mental health disorders and the severity, and estimate how effective they respond to interventions. Learn about SAMHSA’s efforts to promote health care and health systems integration. Co-occurring Disorders Among Veterans and the Military Community

Veterans and service members benefit from integrated care for mental and substance use disorders. However, some veterans may not seek medical treatment for one of many reasons, including a fear of being treated differently.

To promote wellness among veterans, service members, and their families, practitioners are encouraged to collaborate with other organizations to develop a training plan in effective integrated care techniques. The following organizations provide guidance on treating PTSD and substance use disorders: PTSD: National Center for PTSD offers a continuing education course for practitioners on Managing PTSD and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders. The VA provides VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of PTSD and Acute Stress Reaction, which offers guidance on screening, assessment, and treatment of PTSD and substance use disorders.

The Alcohol Research & Health Journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provides recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for implementing quality care for individuals with co-occurring disorders.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) provides some guidance on how comorbid conditions should be treated. Learn about SAMHSA’s efforts to address the behavioral health needs of veterans and military families. Practitioner Competencies for Treating Co-occurring Disorders States working to improve treatment for people with co-occurring disorders have established practitioner competencies that define roles and create a common framework for working collaboratively across social service systems.

These competencies have been developed as guidelines or checklists for clinical supervisors to use when assessing practitioner performance in providing integrated services. The competencies can be incorporated into existing job descriptions, training plans, supervision meetings, personal evaluation, and credentialing and licensure.

Learn more about Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) Kit – 2010 as well as SAMHSA’s efforts to grow the nation’s behavioral health workforce. Last Updated: 03/08/2016

People are most driven to suicide when they view their current situation as being completely hopeless and feel as if they have no way to change things for the better. Common causes of suicide include: depression, drug abuse, financial problems, as well as difficulties with relationships. Although there are crisis hotlines that have been developed to help people feeling suicidal, the jury is out as to whether they even help.

15 Common Causes Of Suicide: Why Do People Kill Themselves?

15 Common Causes Of Suicide: Why Do People Kill Themselves? Share Pin Reddit Stumble Email1.9KSuicide is defined as the act of intentionally causing one’s own death.

There are many factors that play a role in influencing whether someone decides to commit suicide. Nearly everyone experiences suicidal thoughts at one point or another throughout their existence.

Everyone deals with tough times, but some people have been dealt a tougher hand when it comes to life circumstances, past trauma, mental and/or physical illness, social standing, and ability to cope with depressive emotions.

Some ideas for preventing suicide include things like: banning firearms, developing better treatment for mental illness, and economic improvement. Most people that commit suicide do so because they are in some sort of pain and cannot seem to find a way out.

Much work still needs to be done on coming up with more effective ways to help individuals that struggle with suicidal thinking as up to 1,000,000 people die every year from suicide. Listed below are some of the most common causes of suicide throughout the world.15 Common Causes of Suicide: A List of Possibilities Listed below are some common causes of suicide and a brief explanation regarding why it may lead a person to become suicidal.

The most common cause of suicide is untreated depression, as 90% of individuals who commit suicide are depressed. However, there are other causes beyond the realm of mental illness that should be discussed including: trauma, drug addiction, existential crises, chronic pain, and terminal illnesses.1. Mental illness Among the most common causes of suicide is that of mental illness. Although there are a variety of treatment options for people with mental illnesses, they are far from perfect.

Most people end up trying a variety of psychiatric drugs and/or talk therapies. After years of trying various medications (and cocktails), going through medication withdrawals, and experimenting with therapies, some people are stuck in a constant state of mental pain and despair.

Anxiety: Having generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic attacks, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can drive a person crazy.

Some forms of anxiety make it extremely difficult to maintain friendships, finish school, or hold down a steady job. The combination of loneliness and fear can lead a person to contemplate suicide. Bipolar disorder: There are a couple of subtypes of Bipolar disorder, but essentially it involves fluctuations in mood from states of severe depression to elevations in mood such as mania and hypomania. These mood fluctuations can make it difficult for people with this disorder to maintain relationships and a balanced life.

Additionally the depression can lead a person to feel suicidal. Depression: Major depression is a leading cause of suicide throughout the world. People that do not treat their depressive symptoms have a greater risk for following through with suicide.

Individuals with major depression are typically genetically wired in a way that makes it difficult to feel pleasure and happiness in life. 90% of people who commit suicide suffer from untreated depression. Schizophrenia: This is a highly severe mental illness with an array of symptoms including severe depression, hallucinations, and cognitive impairment.

Having this illness makes it difficult to function in life and can serve as a major challenge due to the fact that most medications to treat this illness carry severe side effects. Anywhere from 20% to 40% of people with this illness attempt suicide.2. Traumatic Experience Any type of traumatic experience can lead a person to feeling helpless, guilty, and/or ashamed.

If you were victim of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or dealt with trauma in war, you are much more likely to end up with post-traumatic stress disorder. This disorder and the feelings associated with traumatic experiences can lead a person to become suicidal. PTSD: Many people with PTSD or “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” develops after a person is faced with a traumatic experience such as warfare, being seriously injured, or assaulted.

The illness is characterized by flashbacks and numbing or blockage of memories surrounding the traumatic experience. People with this illness often live in a state of intense, and sometimes debilitating anxiety and/or fear that can interfere with leading a normal life.

When people feel helpless about their situation and permanently traumatized, they may turn to suicide. Physical abuse: People who are victim to physical abuse either growing up or in a relationship can be traumatized.

They may harbor feelings of guilt and shame that stay trapped inside for years. When someone is abused it may go unrecognized and unreported for an extended period of time.

A person who is being physically abused may view suicide as the only way in which they can escape their situation. Sexual abuse: Any form of sexual abuse can lead a person to feeling depressed and suicidal. In cases of molestation and rape, a person is forced to perform sexual acts against their will.

This can result in significant psychological trauma caused to the victim. When unreported or not addressed, this trauma can make a person feel highly suicidal. War: Being involved in a war can lead a person to see death, horrendous injuries, and feel fearful for their own life.

This intense anxiety and paranoia over whether the soldier will stay alive coupled with seeing others die and injured can lead to trauma. People see things in war that make them physically sick and in many cases, they have a tough time mentally healing.

The lack of support for veterans and not understanding their psychological diagnosis can sometimes result in suicide.3. Bullying Most people experience bullying to some degree while growing up and going through school – it’s an inevitable part of life. Bullying can have a profound effect on the way people think and how they feel. Most people that are bullied end up feeling extremely depressed, worthless, and hopeless to change their situation.

Unfortunately in many cases, bullying goes completely unrecognized until the victim can’t take it anymore and sees suicide as the only way to escape the pain that they are experiencing. Some kids view bullying others as a way to fit in and/or prove themselves in regards to social hierarchy. Kids that get bullied are often viewed as being either physically weak and/or socially weak to not come up with witty responses.

Additionally, now there is a phenomenon called “cyber bullying” in which people fall victim to being bullied online. This happens on social media sites, comments sections of websites, and various blogs that aim to ruin people’s reputations and make people feel ashamed. When a person is bullied online and/or has privacy exposed online, they may view a ruined reputation as the end of the world and feel helpless to change their situation – which could lead to suicide.4.

Personality Disorders Personality disorders can be closely related to mental illness, but are considered a set of traits that make it difficult to function within society.

People with a personality disorder may have trouble maintaining relationships, holding down a steady job, and/or coping with life. For example, someone with dependent personality disorder may be too afraid to leave an abusive relationship.

This “dependency” may lead the person with this disorder to consider suicide as an escape from their circumstances. On the same token, avoidant personality disorder can lead individuals to avoid social contact because they are afraid they will be rejected or won’t fit in.

This can result in feelings of isolation and a person thinking that they will never have any friends. An individual with a personality disorder may feel as if there is no hope for escaping the problems caused by their personality and may consider suicide.

The bottom line is that if you have a personality disorder, you are at increased risk of suicide. The personality disorder that is most associated with increased suicide risk is that of borderline personality disorder (BPD).

This disorder is characterized by impulsive behavior, difficulty regulating emotions, and instability in relationships.5. Drug Addiction / Substance Abuse People that are addicted to drugs and/or abuse drugs or alcohol on a consistent basis are more likely to become depressed. Many people use drugs to escape painful feelings of depression and hopelessness of their current life situation.

Being addicted to drugs or alcohol may provide some short-term relief from the pain that they feel, but over the long term, drug use tends to alter brain functioning and neurotransmitters. Eventually a person will build up such a high tolerance to whatever drug they are addicted to, that they won’t experience anymore lift in mood that they got when they first started using.

In many cases, substance abuse can temporarily change the way we think by altering neurotransmitter levels and overall brain function.

If you have an addiction, it could escalate to feelings of deep depression. You may feel helpless to overcome whatever addiction you face and some people see suicide as an only way out of the addiction trap.6. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are defined as a series of dysfunctional eating patterns that satisfy the person in ways other than nutrition. Many eating disorders are thought to be caused by body image problems, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues. It is thought that eating disorders are a way a person attempts to cope with unrelated issues such as: abuse, troublesome emotions, communication problems, or an identity crisis.

By eating in a certain way it allows the person to feel a sense of control over their life and situation. A common disorder is that of anorexia, which is the refusal to eat enough food to maintain a healthy body weight.

Others include: bulimia, compulsive overeating, and purging disorder. All of these disorders tend to affect both physical and mental health negatively. A person dealing with an eating disorder may constantly feel suicidal as a result of a nutrient-deficient diet. Poor diets can lead a person to feel depression and constant negative emotions. Only when the diet is corrected can a person experience improvements in mental health and pain associated with their situation.

Additionally in cases of eating disorders, other underlying issues usually need to be addressed in therapy before progress can be made.7.

Unemployment Being unemployed can lead to feelings of isolation and make your life feel as if it is void of purpose. With a poor economy, many people lose their jobs and look for new work, but since the competition is fierce, landing a new job can be difficult.

In many cases being unemployed not only makes people feel as if they have no purpose in life, it can lead to depression over lack of an income as well. Individuals who are unemployed aren’t earning any money and may get especially stressed out when it comes time to pay bills. Being unable to earn money and provide for yourself and/or a family can result in significant depression and anxiety.

In addition to unemployment, hating your current job can also lead to suicidal thoughts and possibly actions if you feel as if there is no alternative option. Employment provides most people with a sense of purpose and belonging to a specific group or company. If you are unemployed you may find yourself socially isolated and lacking purpose and structure in your day.

Being employed helps individuals stay busy and can actually take their mind off of8. Social Isolation / Loneliness Being socially isolated from society can take a toll on mental health and lead a person to become depressed and consider suicide.

Socializing and interacting with other people is a basic human need. If social needs are not met, a person can start to feel lonely which leads to depression and possibly suicidal thoughts. Loneliness is defined as a general feeling of sadness as a result of being alone or feeling disconnected from others. Isolation is being separated from others in your environment. Someone can become isolated based on circumstances (i.e.

employment) or as a result of personal decisions. Various reasons that a person could feel lonely or isolated include: living alone, death of a close friend or family member, poor physical health, mental illness, being introverted, fear of rejection, and/or retirement. Living isolated from others can lead to an array of problems including mental health conditions, low energy, substance abuse, negative feelings, and/or sleep problems.

If the loneliness and/or social isolation is not addressed, it may lead someone to consider suicide as an escape from their situation.9. Relationship problems Many people struggle with relationships including: being in abusive relationships, not feeling appreciated, and/or going through break-ups.

There are many different types of relationships that a person could struggle with. Some people may have difficulties making friends and maintaining a close group for socialization. Others may struggle with staying in abusive relationships just so that they can avoid feeling isolated and lonely.

The need for human belonging is so strong that some people are willing to join gangs and/or humiliate themselves just to be in a relationship with another person. As far as romantic relationships are concerned, the act of a break-up can trigger intense feelings of depression, anxiety, guilt and panic – leading a person to deal with a lot of emotional pain.

Often times in the news we read about people committing suicide as the result of a break-up with a significant other. Among individuals that are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered, the leading cause of suicide isn’t family rejection, it’s relationship troubles.

Most research suggests that these individuals deal with significantly more relationship stress than those who are heterosexual.10. Genetics / Family History A lot of suicide risk has to do with genetics and family history. Those who are from a family in which suicide is common are more likely to commit suicide themselves. Additionally if a mental illness is inherited such as major depression, this can further increase risk of suicide.

Family, twin, and adoption studies have all established genetic links to suicidal behavior. Various traits including: aggression, borderline personality disorder, cognitive inflexibility, and stress sensitivity are all linked to influencing suicidal behavior.

If you inherit any of these traits, they could put you at an increased risk of suicide. Although there is a genetic link, it is not certain as to what degree this affects someone’s decision to follow through with the act of suicide.

Additionally epigenetics or the activation or deactivation of genes based on environmental factors is thought to play a role. In other words, your circumstances, the people you hang out with, where you live, etc. could all influence your genetic expression and thus be partially influential in determining whether a person becomes suicidal.11.

Philosophical Desire / Existential Crisis When life seems void of meaning, people tend to question why they are even living and/or the entire purpose of their existence. This is often referred to as an “existential crisis” and can be difficult to overcome because people dealing with this issue often think themselves in circles of logic as to why there is no point to life.

In many cases, people facing an existential crisis consider suicide because they feel as if their entire existence is void of purpose. This crisis can result from major depression, trauma, loneliness, seeking meaning and/or general dissatisfaction with life.

Some reports suggest that this crisis may affect individuals with above-average levels of intelligence. Facing an existential crisis can be difficult and can take awhile to get over. Usually the individual needs to make some sort of changes in life for their existential outlook to change. I personally have faced this crisis and would spend entire days dwelling on the fact that life is pointless and that eventually I’m going to face either: an afterlife or nothingness when I die.

This crisis can last years and result in highly suicidal feelings if not addressed in some way.12. Terminal Illness Many people with terminal illnesses that have no hope of improving their situation based on current science and medicine may become depressed.

This depression is usually a result of feeling powerless to one’s condition. People with terminal illnesses aren’t able to treat or make any sort of improvement towards getting better. In many cases they are simply living and being controlled by the impairments that their illness causes. Terminal illnesses such as various types of cancer usually leave a person frustrated, shocked and feeling hopeless. Other terminal illnesses end up causing physical or other handicaps and take a serious toll on a person’s energy levels, willpower, and ability to partake in daily functions.

Many elderly individuals who are terminally ill have fought for euthanasia rights and/or traveled to other countries where it has been legalized.13. Chronic Pain If you have chronic pain, it means that you have had daily pain that has persisted for between three and six months.

This pain often impairs your ability to function throughout the day and can affect mobility, the ability to perform certain tasks, and even a person’s mental health. Although pain levels differ among chronic pain sufferers, one thing that they all have in common is an inability to escape the daily discomfort associated with their pain.

They may take painkillers just to make it through the day, but these painkillers are not considered a “cure,” and many people find them relatively ineffective once they build up a tolerance.

There aren’t many promising treatment options for people that have chronic pain other than various forms of therapy and medication. Dealing with pain on a daily basis can drive some people into depression, and in some cases, suicide.14. Financial Problems People who are struggling financially sometimes see no end in sight to their debt and bills.

The financial stress can take a major toll on a person’s mental health. There have been cases of even millionaires committing suicide because they spent all of their money or had to file for bankruptcy. In a difficult economy, unemployment is linked to increased financial stress, but even if you are employed, you may still have financial problems. Those who have accumulated a serious amount of debt as a result of an unforeseen emergency, excessive shopping, and/or medical bills may panic and feel suicidal when they can’t pay their bills.

The stress of having a poor credit score and constant phone calls from bill collectors may make some people feel ashamed and hopeless to change their financial situation. Although most people in financial troubles eventually end up working their way out of debt, some people are afraid to deal with this situation.

In the event that a person becomes embarrassed about their finances and feels depressed about their debt, they may consider suicide as a way to escape this situation.15. Prescription Drugs The side effects of various prescription drugs such as antidepressants can result in suicidal ideation. In other words, these drugs affect levels of neurotransmitters that can sometimes put a person at increased risk for suicide.

Some antidepressants actually end up making people significantly more depressed because they are targeting neurotransmitter levels, when the original cause of depression wasn’t a result of a chemical imbalance.

(Read the article, “ Can antidepressants cause suicidality ?” for more information). Although many people respond well to SSRI’s that prevent the reuptake of serotonin, thereby increasing serotonin levels in the brain, others have poor reactions. There are black box warnings on most antidepressants stating that they may cause an increase in suicidal thinking. In addition to feeling suicidal while on antidepressants, many people end up with a chemical imbalance upon withdrawal from these drugs.

It is also disputed as to whether dopamine vs. serotonin is more important or whether low norepinephrine causes depression. The chemical imbalance is usually caused by changes in neurotransmitter levels and functioning as a result of taking an antidepressant. In many cases serotonin levels are abnormally low when a person withdraws from an SSRI, leaving the person to feel even more depressed and suicidal than they originally were.

It takes the brain awhile to recover after withdrawal and reestablish normal serotonin levels. Further recommended reading: Do antidepressants cause a chemical imbalance? Other psychiatric drugs that can lead a person to feel suicidal include: antipsychotics and benzodiazepines. It is always important to monitor sudden changes in mood while taking a psychiatric drug so that suicide can be prevented.

Most people are lead to believe that psychiatric drugs will always work to prevent suicide, when in reality if someone has a bad reaction, they can actually trigger these thoughts. Why do some people kill themselves in these situations? Feeling trapped and unable to cope with a particular situation in life tends to lead people to consider suicide.

Whether a person has been dealing with a mental illness, faced trauma, or they have been bullied at school, it is the pain and continuous suffering from these experiences that becomes overwhelming.

When pain exceeds our abilities to cope, we feel hopeless to change and feel suicidal. It is important to recognize that pain is an inevitable part of life, everyone deals with pain to a certain extent. Escaping the everyday pain and suffering associated with life is impossible. So what can be done if you are suicidal? Either find a way to reduce the amount of pain you are experiencing and/or increase your coping resources.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, be sure to seek professional help. The article I wrote called “ I Want To Die ” may provide you with some useful suggestions as to where you can get help for yourself if you feel hopeless.

In many cases, the pain leading a person to feel suicidal can be overcome and reduced to the point where an individual is able to find pleasure and purpose in life again. Share Pin Reddit Stumble Email1.9KRelated Posts: Dangers of Meditation: List Of Possibilities Scientific Benefits Of Meditation (List)Distinguishing: Drug Withdrawal Symptoms vs. Mental Illness Returning Robin Williams Suicide Causes: Dementia or Antidepressants To Blame?16 Suicide Warning Signs & Behaviors To Recognize

But on the whole, suicide rates for veterans in their first few years out of the military were lower than in the general population, according to research. The elevated rate today could reflect differences in who served, the study's authors speculate.

Detailed study confirms high suicide rate among recent veterans

"The suicide rate among recent veterans was 50% higher than for nonmilitary civilians, a new detailed analysis has found. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)Recent veterans have committed suicide at a much higher rate than people who never served in the military, according to a new analysis that provides the most thorough accounting so far of the problem.

The rate was slightly higher among veterans who never deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, suggesting that the causes extend beyond the trauma of war. ""People's natural instinct is to explain military suicide by the war-is-hell theory of the world,"" said Michael Schoenbaum, an epidemiologist and military suicide expert at the National Institute of Mental Health who was not involved in the study.

""But it's more complicated. ""The study brings precision to a question that has never been definitively answered: the actual number of suicides since the start of the recent wars. Though past research has also found elevated suicide rates, those results were estimates based on smaller samples and less reliable methods to identify veteran deaths.

The government has not systematically tracked service members after they leave the military. The new analysis, which will be published in the February issue of the Annals of Epidemiology, included all 1,282,074 veterans who served in active-duty units between 2001 and 2007 and left the military during that period. The analysis matched military records with the National Death Index, which collects data on every U. S. death.

It tracked the veterans after service until the end of the 2009, finding a total of 1,868 suicides. That equates to an annual suicide rate of 29.5 per 100,000 veterans, or roughly 50% higher than the rate among other civilians with similar demographic characteristics.

The issue of veteran suicide has become a political cause for activists and legislators. One statistic has become a rallying cry: 22 veterans take their own lives each day. That figure is a national estimate based on a Department of Veterans Affairs analysis of death records from 21 states.

Though it is usually cited in the context of the recent wars, most of those suicides involved older veterans, who account for the vast majority of the nation's 22 million former service members. Among veterans in the current study, there was one suicide a day. The rates were highest during the first three years out of the military. Veterans who had been enlisted in the rank-and-file committed suicide at nearly twice the rate of former officers.

Keeping with patterns in the general population, being white, unmarried and male were also risk factors. Men accounted for 83% of the veterans in the study and all but 124 of the suicides. They were three times more likely than women to take their own lives. Female veterans, however, killed themselves at more than twice the rate of other women — a difference much bigger than the gap between male veterans and non-veterans.

A likely explanation is that women with military experience are much more likely than other women to attempt suicide with firearms, dramatically increasing the likelihood of death, said Mark Kaplan, an epidemiologist and suicide expert at UCLA. Overall, the suicide rates for recent veterans set them apart from veterans of past generations. In the Vietnam era, suicide rates were elevated for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress or those wounded in action.

In the days of the draft, troops represented a wider cross-section of society. The long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq may have attracted more volunteers prone to risk-taking and impulsive behaviors.

""We don't have the data to know,"" said Tim Bullman, a mortality expert and health statistician at the VA and coauthor of the paper. Another possibility, he said, is that a weak economy during the recent wars made the transition to civilian life more difficult. More puzzling is the suicide rate for veterans who never went to Afghanistan or Iraq. It was 16% higher than for those who did.

Bullman said one reason could be that service members with psychological problems were often held back from deployment. He added that that suicide prevention efforts had focused on service members and veterans who did go to war.

Experts have also suggested that the military may have become a less forgiving and nurturing place over the course of the wars.

""The stresses are not limited to the individuals who are sent to war,"" Schoenbaum said. A more detailed accounting of veteran mortality is on the horizon. A massive new data trove is being assembled by the Pentagon and the VA. Known as the Suicide Data Repository, it links national death records to military and healthcare data.

Among veterans who have served since 1974, the project has identified more than 2 million deaths of all types between 1979 and 2011, according to Robert Bossarte, a VA epidemiologist helping oversee the effort. For each death, researchers will be able to learn the veteran's deployment history, education and other information. Researchers plan to build on the current study — which does not include reservists or veterans who served after 2007 — and look at suicide rates for all 3.7 million veterans who served since 2001.alan.zarembo@latimes.com Twitter @Alan Zarembo Be the first to comment "

08. Of the deaths, 83 were suicides -- just less than 13%. Mental health in the military: Share your story Those who had committed suicide generally had been deployed for fewer days in a row than other study participants; being deployed for longer than a year was actually associated with a lower risk of suicide.

Study: Mental illness, not combat, causes soldier suicides

"Study: Mental illness, not combat, causes soldier suicides By Jen Christensen, CNNUpdated 8:52 PM ET, Tue August 6, 2013Almost 350 members of the U. S. military committed or may have committed suicide last year, the Pentagon says. Story highlights Authors found 83 suicides between 2001 and 2008A range of deployment- and combat-related risk factors were evaluated Authors blame problems like alcohol abuse, depression and manic depression The record number of military suicides seen in recent years may not be directly due to extended deployments or combat experience, according to a new study.

This data analysis, funded by the Department of Defense, suggests that the real reason behind the growing number of military suicides is underlying mental health issues in this population. Their findings will be published in the next edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What's causing soldiers to kill themselves at a record rate -- there were 325 confirmed or potential suicides last year among active and non-active military personnel -- are the same mental health problems that can be found in the general population, according to the study authors: depression, manic depression and alcohol abuse.

These are all problems that are fundamentally treatable at some level. But the military will have to change the way it handles soldiers with mental illness if we expect to see the number of suicides decline, according to the author of a related editorial published in the journal.

VA boss: 'No veteran should have to wait for claims'The researchers said they did this study because of the alarming increase in military suicides; in the past, some studies have shown that military personnel were less at risk for suicide than the general population. The study authors looked at data from the Millennium Cohort Study, the largest-ever long-term study on the military. The cohort study randomly selected samples of the military population in 2001 to look at their overall health.

It checked in with these study participants every three years, regardless of whether they were active-duty or out of the service, and recorded information about their mental, behavioral and functional health. The Millennium Cohort Study is also funded by the Department of Defense, which plans to follow the same people for the next 67 years, according to the cohort's principal investigator, Dr. Nancy Crum-Cianflone.

The researchers of the new journal article sliced that data and compared it to the mortality data collected by the National Death Index and the Department of Defense Medical Mortality Registry.

JUST WATCHEDCat returns home from war with soldier Replay More Videos ... Cat returns home from war with soldier 02:27JUST WATCHEDWounded vet's last resort: Starvation Replay More Videos ... Wounded vet's last resort: Starvation 03:26JUST WATCHEDFemale veterans coping with PTSDReplay More Videos ... Female veterans coping with PTSD 05:07The authors found 646 deaths in the more than 150,000 study participants between 2001 and 20

But military personnel who committed suicide were also more likely to be combat specialists and have pre-2001 deployment experience. ""The findings from this study are not consistent with the assumption that specific deployment-related characteristics, such as length of deployment, number of deployments or combat experiences are directly associated with increased suicide risk,"" the study authors wrote.

The data also showed that the majority of those who killed themselves either struggled with heavy drinking and depression or had been diagnosed with manic depression. The researchers characterized heavy drinkers as men who had more than 14 drinks per week, women who had more than seven drinks per week or binge drinkers (men who had five or more drinks or women who drank four or more in one day).

""Many people might be surprised by these results, but my colleagues and I really weren't surprised based on what we know about the people who have committed suicide,"" said Cynthia Leard Mann, the study's lead author and a senior biostatistician with the Deployment Health Research Department at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego.

""Most suicides happen among troops who have not seen combat. ""But what about post-traumatic stress disorder? The study authors looked at PTSD as a factor but found that only nine of the 83 people who committed suicide -- about 10% -- had been diagnosed with PTSD or reported experiencing symptoms of PTSD.

s When researchers asked 72 soldiers at Fort Carson, Colo., why they tried to kill themselves, out of the 33 reasons they had to choose from, all of the soldiers included one in particular — a desire to end intense emotional distress.

MSRC News Details

"MSRC News Details Study reveals top reason behind soldiers' suicide

""This really is the first study that provides scientific data saying that the top reason … these guys are trying to kill themselves is because they have this intense psychological suffering and pain,"" said Craig Bryan, co-author of the study by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah that will be published in the coming months.

Suicide within the military has soared since 2005 as the military has waged two wars at once, and this year may set a record with troops committing suicide at the rate of one per day, according to Pentagon figures.

But military scientists say that finally, after years of congressional funding and the launch of randomized studies of a subject rarely researched, a few validated results are beginning to surface.

The findings by the Pentagon-funded study offer perhaps some guidance on how to attack the problem, said Army Col. Carl Castro, who is coordinating $50 million in research into suicide prevention and treatment. ""The core of the issue is that it's not that people who attempt suicide … want to harm themselves as much as they want the pain they're currently in to stop, and they don't see any other way out,"" Castro said.

The study also found that the soldiers often listed many reasons — an average of 10 each — for suicide, illustrating the complexity of the problem, Bryan said.

Other common reasons included the urge to end chronic sadness, a means of escaping people or a way to express desperation. Meanwhile, a new Pentagon analysis released Tuesday shows that suicide rates in the military were highest among people divorced or separated — with a rate of 19 per 100,000 — 24% higher than troops who are single. In addition, mental health rates have risen 65% in the military since 2000, with 936,000 troops diagnosed with at least one mental health issue in that time, according to the new data.

The Fort Carson findings support the premise behind new therapies underway which break with traditional approaches toward dealing with suicide that treat underlying illnesses such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, Castro said. Instead, these new therapies first teach soldiers skills at quelling emotional pain or ""treating the suicide,"" Castro said. The new therapies are being tested in a small number of Defense Department studies. Preliminary results are showing a drop in suicide attempts, said David Rudd, who is leading the research and is co-founder of the National Center for Veterans' Studies. Original Article More MSRC News "

This data analysis, funded by the Department of Defense, suggests that the real reason behind the growing number of military suicides is underlying mental health issues in this population. Their findings will be published in the next edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What's causing soldiers to kill themselves at a record rate -- there were 325 confirmed or potential suicides last year among active and non-active military personnel -- are the same mental health problems that can be found in the general population, according to the study authors: depression, manic depression and alcohol abuse.

These are all problems that are fundamentally treatable at some level. But the military will have to change the way it handles soldiers with mental illness if we expect to see the number of suicides decline, according to the author of a related editorial published in the journal.

VA boss: 'No veteran should have to wait for claims'The researchers said they did this study because of the alarming increase in military suicides; in the past, some studies have shown that military personnel were less at risk for suicide than the general population. The study authors looked at data from the Millennium Cohort Study, the largest-ever long-term study on the military. The cohort study randomly selected samples of the military population in 2001 to look at their overall health.

It checked in with these study participants every three years, regardless of whether they were active-duty or out of the service, and recorded information about their mental, behavioral and functional health. The Millennium Cohort Study is also funded by the Department of Defense, which plans to follow the same people for the next 67 years, according to the cohort's principal investigator, Dr. Nancy Crum-Cianflone.

The researchers of the new journal article sliced that data and compared it to the mortality data collected by the National Death Index and the Department of Defense Medical Mortality Registry.

JUST WATCHEDCat returns home from war with soldier Replay More Videos ... Cat returns home from war with soldier 02:27JUST WATCHEDWounded vet's last resort: Starvation Replay More Videos ... Wounded vet's last resort: Starvation 03:26JUST WATCHEDFemale veterans coping with PTSDReplay More Videos ... Female veterans coping with PTSD 05:07The authors found 646 deaths in the more than 150,000 study participants between 2001 and 20

08. Of the deaths, 83 were suicides -- just less than 13%. Mental health in the military: Share your story Those who had committed suicide generally had been deployed for fewer days in a row than other study participants; being deployed for longer than a year was actually associated with a lower risk of suicide.

But military personnel who committed suicide were also more likely to be combat specialists and have pre-2001 deployment experience. ""The findings from this study are not consistent with the assumption that specific deployment-related characteristics, such as length of deployment, number of deployments or combat experiences are directly associated with increased suicide risk,"" the study authors wrote.

The data also showed that the majority of those who killed themselves either struggled with heavy drinking and depression or had been diagnosed with manic depression. The researchers characterized heavy drinkers as men who had more than 14 drinks per week, women who had more than seven drinks per week or binge drinkers (men who had five or more drinks or women who drank four or more in one day).

""Many people might be surprised by these results, but my colleagues and I really weren't surprised based on what we know about the people who have committed suicide,"" said Cynthia Leard Mann, the study's lead author and a senior biostatistician with the Deployment Health Research Department at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego.

""Most suicides happen among troops who have not seen combat. ""But what about post-traumatic stress disorder? The study authors looked at PTSD as a factor but found that only nine of the 83 people who committed suicide -- about 10% -- had been diagnosed with PTSD or reported experiencing symptoms of PTSD.

The number of suicide deaths in the U. S. military surged to a record 349 last year — more than the 295 Americans who died fighting in Afghanistan in 2012. The numbers were first reported by the AP; NPR has confirmed them. The new figures show that the number of military suicides rose from 2011, when 301 such deaths were reported.

U.S. Military's Suicide Rate Surpassed Combat Deaths In 2012

"America U. S. Military's Suicide Rate Surpassed Combat Deaths In 2012January 14, 2013 6:38 PM ETBill Chappell Twitter Enlarge this image U. S. military suicides rose in 2012. Here, the Army's ""Generating Health and Discipline in the Force"" report, right, is seen last January. The reports was a follow-up to its ""Health Promotion/Risk Reduction/Suicide Prevention"" report. Alex Wong/Getty Images

And people who work with veterans say the numbers could grow worse, as returning soldiers adjust to civilian life.

The AP says the numbers are considered to be ""tentative,"" pending review. On All Things Considered, NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman tells co-host Audie Cornish that the figures represent ""active duty and reserve ... the largest portion were the active duty Army; 182 took their own lives in 2012. ""Tom says the military's suicide problem is a complex one. ""Most of those committing suicide are young men, 18-24,"" he says, who are worried that asking for help will undermine their career.

While some of the deaths can be linked to the stresses of being deployed in a war zone, a third or more of those who killed themselves were never deployed, Tom says.

They seem to have been made desperate by financial or personal problems. The military has sought to improve mental health issues and especially to boost suicide prevention and awareness, particularly after it saw a spike in suicides in 2009.

The Military Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255) is one such effort. ""They now have resiliency training,"" Tom says, ""which is basically teaching people how to deal with stress, in boot camp. ""But while work has also been done to remove the stigma of asking for help, Tom says it can still be difficult for military personnel to find counseling.

Kim Ruocco, who directs a suicide prevention program for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, tells the AP that when they leave war zones, troops enter ""the danger zone, when they're transitioning back to their families, back to their communities and really finding a sense of purpose for themselves.

""As Tom notes, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has introduced legislation that seeks to lower the number of military suicides. Its provisions include peer counseling, which would pair returning service personnel with veterans who have made the transition to civilian life.

The bill was signed into law on Jan. 3. ""This is an epidemic that cannot be ignored,"" Murray said Monday, according to the AP.

""As our newest generation of service members and veterans face unprecedented challenges, today's news shows we must be doing more to ensure they are not slipping through the cracks. ""The military says that its suicide rate remains lower than that of America's civilian population. The AP cites the Pentagon as saying ""the civilian suicide rate for males aged 17-60 was 25 per 100,000 in 2010, the latest year for which such statistics are available.

That compares with the military's rate in 2012 of 17.5 per 100,000. ""suicides U. S. military Facebook Twitter Flipboard Email Read All About It: Breaking News From NPRWhen major news happens, stay on top of the latest developments, delivered to your inbox. By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy. "

. Over the course of a year, nearly 130,000 veterans experience homelessness. An estimated 11-20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Fortunately, there are over 27,000 organizations supporting soldiers, veterans, and military families across the country. You can support our troops and veterans by packing care packages, volunteering at a local VA hospital, or working with a local veteran or military nonprofit.

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Featured Review Schnauzer Ranch & Friends Inc5Reviewed by edsgm2012Are you a nonprofit? Get visibility and free tools for your nonprofit today!Learn More Get Our Latest News I am an individual I am an organization Submit Hot Topics Earth Day 201810 Ways to Give Your Great Nonprofits Profile Pizzazz Five Ways to Find Your Dream Volunteer10 Ways You Can Actually Help Syrian Refugees Top 10 Volunteer Opportunities in Chicago Top 10 Volunteer Opportunities in Atlanta Veteran Tickets Foundation - Vet Tix Daniel N. wrote: The Veterans Ticket Foundation (Vet Tix) is awesome!

I have been able to attend 3 events over the course of a year and a half.... more »Tempe, AZ2296 reviews Avg: Write a Review Donate Now Soldiers' Angelsmelc wrote: I volunteer for this organization and have many titles.

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It's 98.5%... more »West Mifflin, PA255 reviews Avg: Write a Review Donate Now Freedom Alliancekilo wrote: According to a 2006 tax filing Freedom Alliance spent 3% of income on programs and 97% of income on expenses. more »Dulles, VA248 reviews Avg: Write a Review Donate Now Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Childrenjas wrote: This is an outstanding charity doing good for our Armed Forces families.

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Although I found out about this non-profit by volunteering to take wounded... more »Woodbridge, VA226 reviews Avg: Write a Review Donate Now Veterans Airlift Commandtim5 wrote: I love what VAC does, and I love it when I'm able to fly a mission for a veteran and/or a Vet's family. My last mission was a... more »Saint Louis Park, MN212 reviews Avg: Write a Review Donate Now1 2 3 ... 50Background Since the formation of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps in 1775, honorable men and women have fought for the freedom, safety, and ideals of our country. Yet then and now, soldiers returning home have not always received the best treatment or opportunities despite their courageous military service

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a lack of support on the home front, and a growing drug and substance abuse problem among troops were major problems for American troops during the Vietnam War, leading many to suffer from mental illness and even commit suicide years later.

On Memorial Day, A Look At How The Causes Of War Casualties Have Changed Through American History

The Grapevine On Memorial Day, A Look At How The Causes Of War Casualties Have Changed Through American History May 29, 2016 08:54 PM By Lecia Bushak An ambulance drill is carried out at Headquarters Army of Potomac after the Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War. Wikimedia Share Tweet Share E-mail Americans have been involved in a lot of conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to recent military excursions in the Middle East.

Military technology has changed significantly in the past 200+ years of U. S. existence, and so have war medicine and the causes of conflict-related death and casualties. Until more recent decades, at least, disease and lack of proper medicine/sanitation played a huge role in American casualties. Here’s a brief history on causes of war death across some of the major wars in which the U. S. has played a part.

Revolutionary War: 1775-1783Physicians during the Revolutionary War still held onto medical notions first proposed by Hermann Boerhaave, who believed that illness was caused by an imbalance of humors in the body.

Most diseases were treated either by ingesting or draining fluid, like blood or sweat. Medical care for wounded soldiers during the war, then, was relatively primitive compared to modern standards, and most doctors were untrained or had only experienced book knowledge and never acted on real patients. During the Revolutionary War, amputation was considered the “ antibiotic of the day ,” a procedure that doctors believed was the only saving grace for body parts that had been wounded or diseased.

Wounds were caused by musket balls or bayonets, and it was common to save limbs with amputation — administered without anesthesia or sterilization. Soldiers had to stay awake during the procedures, only occasionally receiving rum and brandy or a wooden stick to bite down on to help them bear the pain.

But because of the gruesome manner in which amputations were carried out, most patients went into shock, and only about 35 percent survived them.

Infections and gangrene were common after-effects of amputations and often led to death. There aren’t too many statistics on who died from what during the Revolutionary War, but aside from battle and medical wounds, smallpox was a major killer.

The disease was so widespread, in fact, that George Washington ordered mandatory inoculation (the primitive version of vaccination) for all troops, hoping to prevent infantries being wiped out. And south of New England, malaria was especially destructive.“The most feared ailment north and south, however, was smallpox, which could be both disfiguring and fatal,” PBS writes.

“The roughened skin of facial smallpox scars were a common sight in Revolutionary America, although artists tended to render these blemishes as rosier-than-normal cheeks in portraiture of the time.”Civil War: 1861-1865This painting depicts a U. S. Civil War soldier lying in bed with an amputated arm after being wounded by a Minié ball; the remaining limb has developed gangrene.

Wikimedia The Civil War was the single most deadly conflict in American history, claiming the lives of around 625,000 people throughout the course of four years. That number accounted for 91.2 percent of total American war deaths in the first 100 years of U. S. existence.

Of the casualties that occurred during battles, 50.6 percent were committed by muskets, or light guns with long barrels fired from the shoulder. Around 5.7 percent of soldiers were wounded or killed by cannon fire, and others were taken down by pistols, sabers, and bayonets.

Still, some 42.1 percent of soldiers died due to unknown causes during battles, or likely a combination of all the others. But the greatest killer during the Civil War was disease. In fact, two-thirds of the 625,000 casualties — around 400,000 — died of disease, not injuries. Most soldiers died of dysentery, or infectious diarrhea, which caused intestinal inflammation and bloody diarrhea.

Other common diseases that wiped out large populations of infantry included typhoid fever, ague, yellow fever, malaria, scurvy, pneumonia, and smallpox. These diseases spread easily through camps primarily due to poor hygiene, reusing dirty pots to cook food, garbage in camps, overcrowding, and contaminated water. In addition, disease was widespread during the Civil War era because medicine still hadn’t caught up with warfare technology; germ theory hadn’t developed yet, and doctors were rare and untrained.

A common, misguided technique was to transfer pus from one person’s infection to another, thinking it was a sign of healing; or quick-and-dirty amputations.

This led to rampant infections that killed plenty of soldiers, as the notion of keeping things sanitized to avoid bacterial spread still hadn’t been fully accepted. As George Worthington Adams, author of Doctors in Blue: the Medical History of the Union Army in the Civil War , wrote: “The Civil War was fought in the very last years of the medical middle ages.”World War I: 1914-1918World War I was the turning point for wartime medical treatment.

Not only had war technology advanced from muskets to machine guns and artillery, but medicine had finally moved forward as well. In general, there were more doctors involved in the war, who were better trained and equipped than ever before.

Compared to past wars, when amputees or patients who had been shot would die from loss of blood, doctors during WWI had figured out a way to transfuse and store blood for emergency surgeries. In 1917, Captain Oswald Robertson, a U. S. Army doctor, started the first blood bank on the Western Front.

Being able to provide wounded soldiers with blood on the battlefield was a game changer. In addition, while the discovery of antibiotics didn’t occur until 1928, doctors were already experimenting with antiseptics during WWI, sanitizing wounds to prevent infection. As battle wounds were more efficiently tended, the spread of disease among soldiers was dropped significantly.

The typhoid vaccine, for example, reduced the number of typhoid cases from 20,000 during the Spanish-American War (1898) to only 1,500 in WWI.

But that doesn’t mean that soldiers in the trenches were protected from everything: Many suffered from trench foot, caused by standing in water for a long time and losing circulation, or having socks grow into their skin; trench fever, which was caused by lice; and shell shock, a mental disorder caused by the loud explosions and chaos of battle.

World War II: 1939-1945World War II sped up medical advancements even more: “If any good can be said to come of war, then the Second World War must go on record as assisting and accelerating one of the greatest blessings that the 20th Century has conferred on Man — the huge advances in medical knowledge and surgical techniques,” Brian J. Ford wrote.

“War, by producing so many and such appalling casualties, and by creating such widespread conditions in which disease can flourish, confronted the medical profession with an enormous challenge — and the doctors of the world rose to the challenge of the last war magnificently.”Battle deaths from gunshot wounds, bombs, gas, or injuries as well as accidents and diseases played a role in American war deaths in WWII.

But medical advancements, like the use of Penicillin and vaccination, drastically changed both the way soldiers were treated and survival rates. Still, WWII ended up being the deadliest war in world history, though it ranked second in American casualties next to the Civil War. Penicillin was one example of a medical advancement that didn’t fully take sail until triggered by the war.

An urgent need for mass production of the antibiotics spurred companies to start making them on an industrial scale. It saved countless lives from gangrene and infections, bolstered by the first skin grafts used in war. Tetanus immunization, which had already begun to take hold during WWII, was refined into even more effective vaccination.

Vietnam War: 1955-1975It was during the Korean War and Vietnam War that emergency field medicine made bounds forward. The use of helicopters increased a wounded soldier’s chance of getting medical help before it was too late. In 1969, nearly 200,000 casualties were transported to hospitals through helicopters, reducing the time of waiting to get treatment from 1-2 hours to under 40 minutes.

Vietnam also spurred the start of Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) units, which consisted of a fully functional hospital that would bring experienced surgeons closer to the front. This served as a highly successful alternative to field and general hospitals in WWII, with severely wounded soldiers cared for at a MASH unit having a 97 percent chance of survival. Whereas before soldiers were dying from untreated wounds, infection, or waiting too long before treatment, now soldiers were mostly dying from immediate impact bombs or gunshots.

Wounded soldiers had a decent chance at survival. Disease, however, still remained rampant in the jungle. According to the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 70.6 percent of hospital admissions were disease-related, with battle casualties only making up 15.6 percent. Environmental hazards like pesticide and herbicide spraying put troops at risk, and the tropical weather/humidity led to many cases of jungle rot, which consisted of skin lesions caused by dampness-related infections.

Other tropical diseases like malaria and diarrhea affected thousands of soldiers. Fortunately, “ the good survival rates seen were attributed to rapid evacuation, the ready availability of whole blood and well-established semi-permanent hospitals,” the VA states. The VA also notes that many of the causes of death for Vietnam War soldiers occurred years after the war. Due to Agent Orange and other herbicides used in Vietnam, there are eight VA-recognized cancer conditions that are considered to be related to military service during the war: soft tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, chloracne, porphyria cutanea tarda, respiratory cancers, prostate cancer, and others. But perhaps the greatest impact of the Vietnam War on American soldiers wasn’t physical, but mental and emotional.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a lack of support on the home front, and a growing drug and substance abuse problem among troops were major problems for American troops during the Vietnam War, leading many to suffer from mental illness and even commit suicide years later.

In fact, PTSD wasn’t even fully recognized until after the Vietnam War. It’s well-known that Vietnam War veterans have a much higher risk of suicide than the general population, with tens of thousands having committed suicide since returning from the war. It appears that the Vietnam War was one of the turning points in which wounded soldiers were surviving and living longer, but the main war-related killers didn’t show up until years later.

Afghanistan/Iraq: 2001-2012Like every past war, the most recent American wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have also led to advancements in combat medicine and trauma care. “There is no doubt” that it has, Dr. Vikhyat Bebarta, interim director of the U. S. Air Force Enroute Care Research Center, told Medscape in an interview.

“Mortality is the lowest in the history of war. Armor and vehicles have a lot to do with it, but it also has to do with the clinical care we are providing. We have changed the way combat medicine is delivered.”Some of that involves the use of tourniquets, the critical care air transport team, ultrasound and intraosseous needles, and improved treatment of blast injury.

In a 2004 study, researchers measured how much a difference medical care made in soldier survival rates. They found that as casualties and war technology increased over time, so did survival rates. “ Though firepower has increased, lethality has decreased,” the authors wrote.

They continued: “In World War II, 30 percent of the Americans injured in combat died. In Vietnam, the proportion dropped to 24 percent.

In the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, about 10 percent of those injured have died. At least as many U. S. soldiers have been injured in combat in this war as in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, or the first five years of the Vietnam conflict, from 1961 through 1965. This can no longer be described as a small or contained conflict. But a far larger proportion of soldiers are surviving their injuries.”However, the psychological and substance abuse that surfaced after the Vietnam War continues today.

The most lethal effects of combat now appear to be mental illness, opioid abuse, and suicide, another reason why Memorial Day should be about both giving American soldiers our thanks — and recognizing how much we owe them when it comes to proper care and treatment. Comment Share Tweet Share E-mail