Suicide has become an Army epidemic

Friday, September 07, 2012 by: Ben
Tags: suicide, soldiers, epidemic

(NaturalNews) The men and the women of the Army are widely recognized as America's heroes, but combat is no longer the biggest risk. Suicide due to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is occurring among those on active duty as well as those who have returned home, and in the past six years, it has been on the rise to overtake battle and vehicle accidents in fatalities. With the danger and everything else associated with warfare, it is no surprise that soldiers are suffering; family and friends; however, should be on the lookout for signs.

PTSD is an emotional disorder that potentially can develop after a person suffers a traumatic event. Examples of trauma that could trigger PTSD are sexual or physical assault, child abuse, a natural disaster (such as a hurricane) and combat exposure. Unfortunately, it has claimed 116 soldiers' lives this year alone.

The daily training and lifestyle of these soldiers is practically a recipe for this mental disorder. It is taught from a young age that hurting people is wrong, and society in general lives by this. In combat, though, the men and women of the Army are trained to remember something completely different: kill or be killed. And this doesn't translate back to regular life when they come home.

Constantly living in a state of high adrenaline, and most likely fear, can cause long-term issues to the mind. Letting go of that learned lifestyle when returning home and integrating into their previous life is extremely difficult, and this is where PTSD becomes a concern for soldiers and their loved ones.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for suffering soldiers to receive treatment. There often is a lack of sufficient mental healthcare, even for those who wish to seek help. It is, therefore, in the best interest of everyone involved to learn the symptoms of PTSD and take basic actions to try and help.

The symptoms of PTSD commonly include an obvious state of depression, extreme mood swings (especially relative to anger), lack of emotion, flashbacks or nightmares, a constant state of alert and a hard time re-integrating back into society and a "normal life."

There are ways that families and friends can help those who are suffering. Encouraging the person to keep a journal to communicate feelings, thoughts, etc. can give insight to what triggers these reactions. Try to keep things on a schedule, such as mealtime. Ensure the person is doing regular, daily activities, such as showering, because it gives a sense of normalcy to life.

It is also recommended to keep guns, large quantities of pills, and other aids to suicide out of the house until the soldier's mental health is more stable.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.thefrisky.com

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/what-is-ptsd.asp

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/127496908.html

About the author:
Ben enjoys writing about the benefits of green tea at Tendig.com, a revenue sharing site that publishes unique and interesting articles.