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Have Vietnam veteran suicide rates gone up or down? Find out how veteran suicide rates compare and what we can do to help veterans in our latest report.
It’s only rarely talked about, but veteran — and not just Vietnam veteran — suicide is a growing problem in this country. It also can be better addressed with greater public awareness. We’ll provide a more in-depth look at the issue, both past and present, as well as some preliminary tips for what can be done to help the men, women and families who are most affected.
From Shell Shock to PTSD: The Silent Epidemic of Mental Illness in Veterans
During World War I, British military doctors reported soldiers suffering from “shell shock.” It was a mental illness that doctors characterized by loss of smell, vision, taste and memory. Doctors also noted that most shell-shocked patients were in the immediate vicinity of shells that exploded. Treating symptoms of shell shock and “hysteria” involved sending soldiers to sanitariums to receive “faradization.” A therapeutic application of short-duration electric current, faradization primarily relieved the tremors, severe muscle contractions and rigid posturing that we now often recognize as symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia.
Post-World War II saw “shell shock” replaced by the term “battle fatigue.” During the years 1945-1960, when Freudian psychoanalysis was the standard mental health treatment, “repressed” feelings of hostility and infantile anxiety (“neurosis“) were a common diagnosis for returning soldiers. In fact, psychologists at the time didn’t think the war caused neurosis. Instead, they blamed battle fatigue on the theory that soldiers were already neurotic before they went to war.
Vietnam War veterans returning home in the 1970s were neglected by the mental health profession at that time and had to face an American society that was often hostile to them. It wasn’t until 1980 that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was officially recognized as a real psychological disorder. In 1983, the U.S. Veterans Administration conducted a study on how prevalent PTSD was among Vietnam veterans. The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study revealed that at least 15% of vets reported symptoms of PTSD.
State of the Veteran Suicide Crisis Today
Since 1960, the United States has sent soldiers overseas to fight in four major conflicts: Vietnam (1965-1975), Grenada (1983), the Gulf War (1990-1991) and Afghanistan (2001-2021). Unverified claims of between 50,000 and 100,000 Vietnam veteran suicides occurring between 1980 and 1990 did increase a growing recognition in society of the plight of mentally ill veterans.
The most recent veteran suicide statistics are found in the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The report includes the following statistics:
- Approximately 17 U.S. vets take their own lives each day. This number is in contrast to roughly 110 suicides daily in the rest of the U.S. population.
- 6,392 veterans died by suicide in 2021. This reflects an increase of 114 compared to 2020.
- The unadjusted veteran suicide rates have increased between 2001 and 2021 from 23.3 to 33.9 per 100,000. The rate increased during the same period from 12.6 to 16.7 per 100,000 for non-veterans.
- Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for veterans aged 45 and under and No. 13 overall.
- In ethnic groups, military suicide rates were highest among Native American Indian or Alaska Native veterans, with an unadjusted rate of 46.3 per 100,000.
- Veterans aged between 18 and 34 had the highest unadjusted veteran suicide rates by age.
- There were 350 suicide deaths among veteran women and 6,042 among men in 2021.
- The unadjusted suicide rates for veteran men were higher than women at 35.9 per 100,000 versus 17.5 per 100,000, respectively.
- Age-adjusted suicide rates for female U.S. troops were 166.1% times greater than rates for women not in the military.
- Firearms were more commonly involved in suicide deaths among veterans (72.2%) compared to the rest of the U.S. population (52.2%).
- Firearm suicide deaths were greater among veteran men, while poisoning happened more often among veteran women.
- One in three veteran firearm owners reported storing at least one weapon loaded and unlocked.
- Suicide rates among recent VHA users who were experiencing homelessness were highest over a 20-year period in 2021, at 112.9 per 100,000.
According to the division head of the Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Navy Captain Carrie Kennedy, “There is an increased risk of mental health problems during the first 3 or 4 months after an individual is discharged from the military.” Transitioning from the rigorous, exacting lifestyle of a Marine or Army service member to the much less structured civilian lifestyle often results in an unsettling and difficult adjustment. This is especially true of those who must cope with anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks and other symptoms of PTSD.
What Factors Increase a Veteran’s Risk for Suicide?
Any GI who directly experiences defensive or offensive military action with adversaries in a foreign country is considered a combat veteran. This military action includes hand-to-hand combat, gun battles, bombings, air assaults and all other events associated with war. Combat veterans are more likely to carry out thoughts of suicide due to these risk factors:
- Undiagnosed PTSD
- Resistance to seeking help from physicians or counselors
- Coping with guilt associated with one or more combat experiences (for example, witnessing friends being shot by the enemy and feeling guilty for coming home alive)
- Having a previous history of trauma (childhood neglect or abuse)
- Being on a long deployment and returning home to find major changes in their life (spousal separation, death of a parent, etc.)
- Suffering head trauma while in combat; traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may not present serious symptoms for weeks or even months after the trauma
- Returning home with a permanent physical injury
- Being male
- Having or developing an alcohol abuse disorder
- Having easy access to firearms
While certain factors can’t be modified, such as personal history, demographics and family history, many other factors can be modified and addressed to help a veteran cope with PTSD, substance abuse and feelings of alienation or guilt.
What Can Be Done to Stop Vietnam Veteran Suicide?
Established shortly after the United States entered World War II, the United Service Organizations (USO) entertained troops overseas and kept Americans involved in socially supporting military personnel. Although the USO dissolved in 1947, it was later restored when the Korean War began in 1950.
Today, the USO has centers all over the world that offer programs to make it easier to contact family and friends back home. USO centers provide computers, Wi-Fi access and international calling services to military personnel for free. In addition, USO Warrior Centers located in Fort Belvoir, VA, Bethesda, MD, and Landstuhl, Germany, are designed to assist service members suffering from suicide ideation, PTSD and physical injuries. USO Warrior Centers offer communal kitchens, outdoor gardens and counseling-type programs to help troop members who are dealing with the physical and mental trauma of being deployed.
The Veterans Crisis Line is operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and provides 24-7 access to crisis intervention services for active-duty service members, veterans, National Guard members and families of veterans or current service members. There are three ways a person can contact representatives at the Veterans Crisis Line: online chat, text messages or phone calls. All chats, texts and phone conversations remain confidential, and callers don’t need to give their names when talking to a counselor.
If you or someone you know is a veteran who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Veterans Crisis Line immediately, or call 911. You may also go to your nearest emergency room for help.
For information about our specialized inpatient treatment program for first responders, including veterans, call FHE today.
