THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT VETERAN SUICIDE, THE MORE WE CAN HELp

Suicide rates among military servicemembers and veterans have reached alarming rates in the past few years. Servicemembers give so much to the country, but their sacrifice often comes at a price. Invisible wounds, moral injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other consequences of service can impact their quality of life. It can erode a person’s sense of hope, leading them to disconnect from friends and family and causing some to see suicide as the only way to relieve pain and isolation. 

• According to the most recent data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 6,146 veterans died by suicide in 2020. The unadjusted rate of suicide among U.S. veterans was 31.7 suicide deaths per 100,000, compared to 16.1 per 100,000 for civilians. After adjusting for sex and age, the rate of veteran suicide was 57% higher for veterans than for non-veteran adults.
• The statistics are particularly troubling among post-Sept. 11 veterans and servicemembers and are between 18-years-old and 34-years-old. Their suicide rate is 2.5 times that of all civilians.
• Some hypothesize that the rapid unraveling of Afghanistan has spurred anguish and frustration among those who served there.

• Up to two-thirds of veterans who take their own lives have had no contact with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
• According to the VA, researchers have identified social isolation as "arguably the strongest and most reliable predictor of suicidal ideation, [suicide] attempts and lethal suicidal behavior." 
• The COVID pandemic only served to increase isolation and disconnection.
• Invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain injury can mirror many mental health conditions, such as depression and hopelessness.
• The VA may be drastically underestimating suicide deaths. Many other deaths, may not be reported or classified as suicide because the evidence doesn’t support a death determination. This is a statistical “gray zone,” especially as our society wrestles with alcohol and opioid addiction.