22,000 US veterans have called suicide hot line in its opening year

22,000 US veterans have called suicide hot line in its opening year
Jul 29, 2008 03:09
JOHNNY512 Points: Join Date: Nov 29, 2004 Status: offline	Do you stereotype that soldiers are more firm-willed than civilians? You got the wrong idea. American government says, over 22,000 veterans called suice hot line（the National Suicide Prevention Hotline）to seek mental help. About 221 suicides have been averted. A recent study by RAND Corp says that about 20% veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. They are more likely to commit suide than those men who are not veterans. It is disappointing news.Soldiers are generally thought to have steel-like willpower. They are fearless and callous. Most soldiers are trained to never yield to enemies no matter how powerful their enemies are. How can they become so vulnerable in their private lives? A soldier who wants to commit suide is qualified soldier?

Jul 29, 2008 03:09

JOHNNY512
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Join Date: Nov 29, 2004
Status: offline

Do you stereotype that soldiers are more firm-willed than civilians? You got the wrong idea. American government says, over 22,000 veterans called suice hot line（the National Suicide Prevention Hotline）to seek mental help. About 221 suicides have been averted.

A recent study by RAND Corp says that about 20% veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. They are more likely to commit suide than those men who are not veterans.

It is disappointing news.Soldiers are generally thought to have steel-like willpower. They are fearless and callous. Most soldiers are trained to never yield to enemies no matter how powerful their enemies are. How can they become so vulnerable in their private lives? A soldier who wants to commit suide is qualified soldier?

Jul 30, 2008 02:02

DODGER
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Join Date: Jul 15, 2007
Status: Offline

In past conflicts there was never any sort of counseling given to returning soldiers.
Many hundreds of thousand of combatants returned from all sides after World War One & Two broken men, both physically and mentally.
Returning to civilian life is never an easy step. From a world where you can and are expected to trust the man or woman next to you. From an environment that fosters mate ship and camaraderie that civilians will never understand to an environment with completely different values. The adjustments needed in mind set are huge. Some fail.
These men and women that serve us all in our respective Forces are not super human beings. If they do appear to be” fearless and callous” on the outside it is just a mask that they are expected to wear. Their countries expect much of them.
Some are taught skills that are completely useless in civilian life. New life skills need to be learnt.
It is only now that there is some form of counseling available that the wider public is becoming more aware of the mental and not just physical traumas that these people go through.
I had always thought that my step father was a little crazy but I have never been under attack by submarines or dive bombed.
By the time I came to understand what real fear meant he was dead so I never got to say sorry.
Dodger.

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