Another Veteran will die by suicide in 14 minutes 6 seconds
#STOPTHECLOCK
Over 180,742 Veterans have died by suicide since 2001.
11731 Veterans have died by suicide this year so far.
Another Veteran will die by suicide every 48 Minutes.
Every 48 minutes another veteran dies from suicide, of these suicides, 75-85% are Vietnam-Era Veterans. In the original VA study, back in 2011/12 only 21 states reported. CA, TX and FL did not report their suicides. That is why Team Veteran Foundation uses a more realistic 48 minutes which means 30 Veterans per day are dying by suicide. In 2019 we lost 10,950 Veterans to suicide. With 22-30 Veterans dying daily from suicide, time is of the essence. The vast majority of these suicides are the result of long-term injuries and/or gross over-medication or serious misdiagnoses of PTS when the actual diagnoses should have been traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The Red Flags to look for with someone contemplating suicide are:
- Talking or discussions about wanting to die
- Researching ways to kill oneself
- References to hopelessness or feeling as if life has no purpose
- Feelings of being trapped or in unbearable pain
- Feelings of being a burden to others
- Increased alcohol or drug use
- Sleep changes; either excessive sleep or insomnia
- Isolation and withdrawal
- Expressions of rage or a desire to seek revenge
- Anxiety, agitation or recklessness
- Extreme mood swings
- Giving away important personal items or pets