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Civilian suicides are up, so are veterans and current military. This is over a decade after all the talk about them happening. Did anyone really think it would stop anyone from thinking about it? Anyone really think that all the stunts, like push-ups, would make a veteran, or anyone else, put down their gun? Awareness robs them of hope. How about we begin at the beginning and start educating what PTSD is and what they can do to change tomorrow? Then maybe we can change the outcome. #breakthesilence and #takebackyourlife
PTSD
Suicide
Health
Posted 5 y ago
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There is no single answer to why veterans commit suicide. I lived with my demons suppressed for many, many years. I did it by avoiding everything related to Vietnam. I quit all involvement with organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. I stopped attending unit reunions, anything and everything involving the military. I did what the military trained me to do, and I put my head down and pushed through bad times. It wasn't until about 10 years ago, I finally decided to face the issues and seek help. But honestly, help hurts as well. It's learning how to effectively cope with your demons that need to be addressed. They don't ever leave, and the times like memorial day and veterans day for me that get those emotions running wild, and that's when you need your support team close. My family has been my greatest source of strength and support.
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Kathie Costos
Thank you for sharing that. I am glad you got help, but it is never easy for a person who "does for others" to ask for help for themselves. I had to learn that the hard way too. The thing is, for veterans, when you were in combat, you had no problem asking for help against the enemy. From what I heard, you guys asked for all the help you could get. Same thing now. You would be there for someone else, so let them be for you when you need it too!
A Vietnam veteran buddy of mine said "you already helped me enough" when he needed more. I asked him if he would limit how much he would help me and he got the point. Getting help took the power away from his demons and turned them into pests that no longer control the road ahead.
A Vietnam veteran buddy of mine said "you already helped me enough" when he needed more. I asked him if he would limit how much he would help me and he got the point. Getting help took the power away from his demons and turned them into pests that no longer control the road ahead.
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When I was a Drill Sergeant, I was walking down the hallway 2nd floor. I saw the fire escape door open at the end of the bay, I started walking toward it and I saw this young Soldier standing there. He was holdong a buffer and had the cord tied around his neck. He looked like he was in a daze. I said, in a low tone, "Private, what are you doing?" He took one look at me and threw the buffer over the rail. I ran toward him. I heard the buffer hit the ground but he was still standing there. The cord was too long. I was so scared and pissed at the same time. I yelled at him "Get that cord from around your neck and get your goat smelling ass down there and get my buffer, and it better not be broken!" I quickly went to my office and called for an ambulance. When he brought the buffer back, I had him remove his belt, boot strings and such. Sat him down and just stayed with him until the ambulance got there. I guess he got chaptered out, he never came back to us.
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I'm still feeling the pain of my Nephew taking his life. I love and miss him so much a but at the same time I'm so pissed at him for doing it. I wanted to follow him and ask him why he did it. We were just talking about going to Austin to see REO Speed Wagon on Saturday. Talking on Monday, dead on Tuesday. No, call to me, to talk. Nothing but a body twisting in the wind that I have to remember for the rest of my life. The people at the suicide hitline do know what they are doing. I'm still here.
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Kathie Costos
Thank you so much for sharing that and it breaks my heart that you had to go through all that. We lost my husband's nephew in 2000. He was also a Vietnam Veteran. What still gets me is, I knew everything I needed to know back then, but I did not know how to get him to listen. To this day, every time I read about another suicide, it is like a dagger to my heart and the what ifs come crashing in. I know there was nothing more I could have done, but I have to get back to that point over and over again after emotionally beating myself up.
What you have just done, is helpful to others...including me. So thank you very much!
What you have just done, is helpful to others...including me. So thank you very much!
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