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At VA, we care about your health and well-being. We want to hear about times when you’ve struggled with your mental health or experienced thoughts of suicide and how you managed or received support.
What has worked best for you?
What methods/steps have you taken to bring positive change in your life?
Which services provided the best / most desired outcomes for your needs?
We expect to learn from you and will try to help you where we can. We also believe Veterans, families, and caregivers sharing their struggles in forums like RallyPoint can make it easier for others to share and get help.
If you need help now, dial 988, option 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
If you are not yet receiving benefits or care for VA and want to see if you qualify:
Visit https://rly.pt/VAHealthCareEligibility or call [login to see] (TTY: 711).
What has worked best for you?
What methods/steps have you taken to bring positive change in your life?
Which services provided the best / most desired outcomes for your needs?
We expect to learn from you and will try to help you where we can. We also believe Veterans, families, and caregivers sharing their struggles in forums like RallyPoint can make it easier for others to share and get help.
If you need help now, dial 988, option 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
If you are not yet receiving benefits or care for VA and want to see if you qualify:
Visit https://rly.pt/VAHealthCareEligibility or call [login to see] (TTY: 711).
Mental Health
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Suicide
Edited 1 y ago
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 135
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Simple in concept..hard to execute: Find out why/motivation behind suicides and then move to eliminate the reasons. Whatever you are doing now, ain't working! and stop medicating when meds don't work except to make you all feel good.
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SrA Bruce Banner
Hi, LTC. I'm one of those veterans who the VA simply through pills at and used me like a lab rat all while denying me therapy. I was diagnosed with PTSD in January 2013 and my medication adjustments were nightmares until last month when I finally found my cocktail. I've also started telehealth group therapy (finally) and its made my anger go away. My VA social worker said medication and therapy were my routes to go for best patient outcomes. Thanks for your input.
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It's easy to say the VA cares, but that means nothing without actually following up with any sort of reliability...
"Benefits at Discharge?" Nope, months afterwards still sitting with an ambiguous status that provides no expectation of timeline.
Submit feedback on the process? Nope, "We can't collect your feedback at the moment."
Struggling to make your mortgage payment? Don't worry the VA sent a letter saying they could help if I'm struggling. Oh wait, nope, the VA can't help, it has to go through the lender, but the lender can't do anything about it because it's a VA Loan...
Nothing like demoralizing recently transitioned service members to help prevent veteran suicide... The VA Cares... about looking like they care...
"Benefits at Discharge?" Nope, months afterwards still sitting with an ambiguous status that provides no expectation of timeline.
Submit feedback on the process? Nope, "We can't collect your feedback at the moment."
Struggling to make your mortgage payment? Don't worry the VA sent a letter saying they could help if I'm struggling. Oh wait, nope, the VA can't help, it has to go through the lender, but the lender can't do anything about it because it's a VA Loan...
Nothing like demoralizing recently transitioned service members to help prevent veteran suicide... The VA Cares... about looking like they care...
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SrA Bruce Banner
I recommend hiring a disability attorney. It sounds like the best route for you. Supposedly, they will only charge $6K like for SSDI but ask first. Godspeed.
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Suspended Profile
A couple of issues about the VA.
Sever ptsd actually makes changes within the brain which are more or less permanent. Talking with a counselor will not help. And the VA hasn't to my knowledge ever admitted this fact.
Second issue is the suicide rate of Veterans that the Veterans Administration publishes is and always has been about 20 to 22 suicides a day when in actuality it is over 40 suicides a day.
Can the VA be considered credible? Not in my book.
In total I have 140% in verified disability claims but it took me 40 years to get them to acknowledge this fact.
The ptsd is as if it just happened yesterday. It's always been fresh in my mind and evokes the same fear, anger and hate as the day it began in Phu Bai.
Plans are always in the back of this mind, just haven't acted on them yet.
Sever ptsd actually makes changes within the brain which are more or less permanent. Talking with a counselor will not help. And the VA hasn't to my knowledge ever admitted this fact.
Second issue is the suicide rate of Veterans that the Veterans Administration publishes is and always has been about 20 to 22 suicides a day when in actuality it is over 40 suicides a day.
Can the VA be considered credible? Not in my book.
In total I have 140% in verified disability claims but it took me 40 years to get them to acknowledge this fact.
The ptsd is as if it just happened yesterday. It's always been fresh in my mind and evokes the same fear, anger and hate as the day it began in Phu Bai.
Plans are always in the back of this mind, just haven't acted on them yet.
Sgt Sheri Lynn
CPL Steve Eckert please don’t add yourself to the statistics. You matter. Your experiences matter. Knowing you are not alone can matter too. That is why I talk. You’re right, it won’t rewire my brain synapses, but it does give my internal pressure boiler relief, letting out controlled bursts rather than it exploding and me being destroyed. Please connect with someone somewhere somehow.
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Suspended Profile
Sgt Sheri Lynn Thank-you for the reply. I have talked and written letters to the Veterans Administration regarding the horrific, messy and shocking suicides that take place with Veterans and suggested a euthanasia program administered at a VA Hospital. I give the VA 3 months to change my mind, sign the paperwork and avoid friends and family from finding a shocking sight (giving them ptsd).
This could take place in a hospital, under supervision and with respect.
The VA being a political organization didn't want to discuss or think about a more viable solution than a shotgun.
I'm actually suprised that they haven't revoked my 100% disability for stirring things up over they years!
Guess this is my method to connect. Being a pest by showing them alternative viewpoints and methods.
This could take place in a hospital, under supervision and with respect.
The VA being a political organization didn't want to discuss or think about a more viable solution than a shotgun.
I'm actually suprised that they haven't revoked my 100% disability for stirring things up over they years!
Guess this is my method to connect. Being a pest by showing them alternative viewpoints and methods.
SrA Bruce Banner
You're not a pest. You are a blessing. I recommend you check out Task and Purpose as they are a non-partisan veterans group that encourages veterans to seek out new tasks and find purpose in life now that military service is over. I follow them on Instagram and they always have interesting stories about what is going on in the military right now.
(https://taskandpurpose.com/)
(https://taskandpurpose.com/)
Task & Purpose provides military news, culture, and analysis by and for the military and veterans community.
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It's a daily effort. An effort to get out of bed, when you didn't sleep, anyway. It's an effort to socialize. A real effort. Yep. I've been to the edge of the black hole more than once. What has pulled be back from the edge? Well, counseling, certainly. My first counselor was great. But she moved. The one I have now is really good, also. Originally, and you can laugh at this point all you like, was God introducing me to a woman who is indescribably wonderful. For the first two years, all she did was listen, as everything poured out. Well, all but the MST, and that took forever. Some things just continue to destroy you--and anyone you could possibly talk to would NOT understand how the guiltless are the ones who are destroyed. (Took me a very long time, but one day I said those simple words, "It's not my fault.") Group therapy? Nope. Can't be in a room full of people.
Personally, I've made some progress in getting myself out of the house. Small rooms with lots of doors. Everyone knows what that means. So, I would simply say one-on-one counseling has been a huge help, because when I stumble, there is someone there who understands--besides my gift from God.
Personally, I've made some progress in getting myself out of the house. Small rooms with lots of doors. Everyone knows what that means. So, I would simply say one-on-one counseling has been a huge help, because when I stumble, there is someone there who understands--besides my gift from God.
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It's a daily effort. An effort to get out of bed, when you didn't sleep, anyway. It's an effort to socialize. A real effort. Yep. I've been to the edge of the black hole more than once. What has pulled be back from the edge? Well, counseling, certainly. My first counselor was great. But she moved. The one I have now is really good, also. Originally, and you can laugh at this point all you like, was God introducing me to a woman who is indescribably wonderful. For the first two years, all she did was listen, as everything poured out. Well, all but the MST, and that took forever. Some things just continue to destroy you--and anyone you could possibly talk to would NOT understand how the guiltless are the ones who are destroyed. (Took me a very long time, but one day I said those simple words, "It's not my fault.") Group therapy? Nope. Can't be in a room full of people.
Personally, I've made some progress in getting myself out of the house. Small rooms with lots of doors. Everyone knows what that means. So, I would simply say one-on-one counseling has been a huge help, because when I stumble, there is someone there who understands--besides my gift from God.
Personally, I've made some progress in getting myself out of the house. Small rooms with lots of doors. Everyone knows what that means. So, I would simply say one-on-one counseling has been a huge help, because when I stumble, there is someone there who understands--besides my gift from God.
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SrA Bruce Banner
As a fellow male MST survivor I feel and understand you. 60% of females report their MST while less than 15% of men do. It's so emasculating and embarassing that it could happen to such a fit, strong, young men like we used to be. I'm still coming to grips with it. As for group therapy, I'm the same way as I cannot sit in a room full of people talking about their issues. Instead, I do telehealth through VA Video Connect through my cell phone group therapy and it's amazing. Getting group therapy from the comfort of my own home feels like one on one therapy. I highly recommend you look into it. God bless you on your journey!
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Sgt Sheri Lynn
Video Connect works well for me also. Traditional group therapy was always a disaster for me. Seemed like I always got overwhelmed and immersed in the other people’s stories. Very triggering and unsafe for me. But, there is something about telegroup that gives me the sense of safety that I need. I can mute, I can go invisible (lol), I can just disconnect if I need to for my own health. I belong to two different groups right now…MST and a grief group.
I also want to say this… my uncle survived horrible MST during his service on a ship during Korea. It wasn’t until he was 75 that he even barely mentioned it. But I knew. I had enough of a similar experience to “get” what he was going through. We have got to help each other. No one else can really imagine what MST does to a person. There are no words for some of it.
I also want to say this… my uncle survived horrible MST during his service on a ship during Korea. It wasn’t until he was 75 that he even barely mentioned it. But I knew. I had enough of a similar experience to “get” what he was going through. We have got to help each other. No one else can really imagine what MST does to a person. There are no words for some of it.
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For starters stop making veterans wait months between appointments. We need the help and it feels like at times the VA cares more about saving a dollar then the well being of the veterans it’s supposed to serve
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What works for me honestly? Having other warriors trust my ears to their traumatic past and present trials. I sometimes get caught up in your heartfelt and sometimes heroic experiences that I forget about my own for a moment...a moment to take a deep breath and thank GOD we are all still here to talk and share on forums like this. We all understand, we all care, we want you all to stay with us...PLEASE?
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SSG Steve Knox
Caring people take care of warriors. Warriors take care of each other. GOD will take care of us all.
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If the VA and other agencies actually cared about preventing suicides or helping Veterans they would display an attitude of caring, not one of callousness and rudeness. It seems there is more concern about "celebrating" this or that minority group. How about "celebrating" by providing quality care or hiring people to reduce wait times? How about hiring quality providers for Behavioral Health? The last time I spoke with someone from BH she was an hour late for our "phone visit" and spent the remaining appointment time explaining it wasn't her fault because I had fallen through the cracks! Obviously it wasn't important enough to her or the so-called support staff to prevent this sort of failure. Sure, I complained, but either it fell on deaf ears or the VA simply doesn't care.
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SrA Bruce Banner
VA healthcare seems to be hit or miss across the country. I'm lucky the 3 VA's I attended have taken care of me well.
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Getting involved in a church really helped me a lot. I get that a lot of people don’t want to believe, are mad at God, etc. I got it sorted out and life really turned around for the better. I also shook off the negative folks and set strict boundaries for who can be in my life.
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I have survived my own suicide attempts. It has been 4 years now and counting. The things that keep me from attempting again have included cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness training. The most important has been forming connections with my neighbors and with my community. That was tough but I decided it was worth trying. The VA should facilitate those connections. Not just providing a list of community organizations, for example, but actually engaging with the veteran to make the contact and to follow through. In my case, I serve other veterans by teaching guitar online to them. Feeling valued is very helpful in keeping me alive.
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