Are we doing our best to address suicide?

I will simply say that we all need to reach out to our fellow veterans. All we can do is let them know we are here for them and we are willing to listen.

One of the reasons for the disconnect for those not getting the help are the restraints placed on the VA in terms of homelessness. Representatives will you they will help but ultimately the dollars are there with certain conditions. The first and probably the most problematic is the definition of 'homelessness'. It has changed from anyone living in a car or sleeping on the street to a person who is homeless for a certain period of time and the reason was political. By summarily reclassifying some homeless 'other' they create a subclass that cannot find a place to live. The bonus for administrators is claiming success in the decline of homelessness but not admitting that they are the ones who are doing nothing to stem homelessness.

Let's take food stamps. People connected with a felony drug charge are ineligible. People with violent felonies too. So, I guess those with a history of felonious drug abuse do not count. They are to be swept under the rug and to starve while they are at it. Then they steal to eat.

So how can we help? How about 'pro bono' legal help? How about driving a veterans with issues to whatever help he needs? It's about not setting up some for failure due to whatever issue, saying in effect, "you have no support'. Do people like this just drift away like autumn leaves or can they be resurrected in consideration for their service?

If we have a homeless person we can drive them to a soup kitchen. If they are homeless buy them a coat and some gloves and maybe a pillow. Maybe they have dentures but are poorly fitted, maybe buying some Fixodent.

Sure some veterans shoot themselves in the foot, but making veterans ineligible and giving up on them will not work. It is also spiritual and practical to help. No need to sew on a scarlet letter or putting people on lists but finding common sense ways of making a difference.

And beware of people claiming they can help you when they are only seeking grant money to put in their pockets. People who have legal issues we can help and there is not one person here on RP who cannot help these unfortunate souls in some kind of way.

“For too long the church has tried to convince people that their loved ones lost to suicide are condemned to hell. The truth is that those who die by suicide have done their time in hell struggling with their mental illness.” - Pastor Elaine Ellis Thomas

Truth of the matter, there are those that vehemently feel they are weak or selfish. They are/were strong and loving, but they are/were sick. Our approach to dealing with people who are suicidal, who've attempted suicide, has to change. The conversation must change, we should not fear it.

Talking about suicide is hard, talking about it with someone who may be considering it is even harder. How you ask the question is less important than that you ask it. There’s no harm in asking is there? The worst that can happen is that you show you care, and that’s not a bad thing.
Suicide is not an action; it is a reaction to an illness, a situation or a society that has removed all hope or purpose from an individual’s world. What we need to do is ensure that, when someone evaluates the consequences of suicide, they know they have reasons to stay in this world. Until the priority is giving people reasons to live, on an individual level, the suicide rate will continue to grow.

So I leave you with this. Cancer ravages a body, draining it all of its strength and vitality from a person. When they’re terminal, everyone is so nice. How come were not so nice when someone dies from suicide or attempts suicide?
Cancer attacks the physical self. Mental illness attacks the mind & soul of a person. What the gut wrenching part is the way people look at those with an ‘invisible illness’ is in direct contrast of someone having a very visible and apparent illness.
We’re nice to those terminally ill because it is inevitable they will die. Many of us face an illness that can stretch for decades and we never know if we’re winning or losing. None of us know what’s going on in the lives of strangers. Nobody can comprehend the depth of the torment someone else is struggling with.

Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. Your smile might already saved someone’s life; a positive attitude that had a calming effect on someone fighting a war you didn’t even know existed.