Show support for veterans by taking time to connect with them
With the news cycle laser focused on the 2022 elections for the past several months, there was little notice of a report issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs in September showing a sharp decrease in veteran suicides. But today, on Veterans Day, every American should take a moment to celebrate that report and take action to keep progress moving forward.
On Sept. 19, the VA released the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. It showed an incredible 9.7% decrease in the suicide rate among veterans from 2019-2020. It is the second consecutive year of decreases and the most significant decrease in more than 20 years.
Suicide rates among veterans rose unabated following the 9/11 attacks of 2001 and the launch of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By 2018, veteran suicides had reached epidemic proportions, with nearly 30 veterans taking their own lives each day in the U.S. The vast majority of those deaths were among young men age 18-34 — people with most of their adult lives ahead of them.
And while progress should be celebrated, it is of little comfort to the loved ones of those who have already been lost or who are fearful right now that their spouse, parent and sibling might be the next to take their own life. And despite the overall decrease, veterans are still at a 57% higher risk of suicide than their civilian counterparts, with rates of suicide within the first year after military discharge now higher than ever, according to the VA.
That’s why we’re using this Veteran’s Day to issue a call to action for the rest of us to serve our country by serving the men and women who wore the uniform.
Almost every one of us knows someone who has served in the U.S. armed services. And yet, according to the CDC, more than 40% of veterans experience feelings of isolation and loneliness on a daily basis.
Active-duty service members spend long periods of time building family-like bonds. They share living, learning and workspace for months if not years at a time. Suddenly losing those relationships upon return to civilian life can be difficult. And according to the VA, even veterans with robust civilian family and friend circles can have difficulty connecting to civilians who can’t relate to their experiences.
“Being cut off from others is like not being connected to your battery,” said Dr. Somnath Saha, a VA staff physician. “You lose an important source of energy. Unfortunately, that loss of energy often results in less motivation to engage with others and to seek help.
This Veteran’s Day, we can reach out to our friends and family who wore the uniform to not only thank them for their service, but to try and genuinely connect with them. A few tips from the CDC and VA include:
Recognize and respect that other people are experts on their lives.
Ask permission before showing up in person or inviting others to join you so that the person doesn’t feel ambushed.
Ask about basic needs like food and housing.
Ask about how the current cycle of news and politics is affecting them, including fears and anxieties they might be experiencing. Be willing to be vulnerable and share your own fears and anxieties as well.
Acknowledge when you don’t know something or feel there is a gap in culture due to your own lack of military service.
Normalize feelings of isolation and offer to do an activity with them. Even something as simple as watching a ballgame together or going for a walk can have a huge impact. Ask about connections to other service members or friends.
Always thank them for sharing private and vulnerable information and let them know how valuable and important they are to you.
You don’t have to be an expert to be a friend. But if you do need an expert, the national suicide hotline — 988 — is always just a phone call away.