Deployment Psychology Blog

Staff Perspective: The Case for Addressing Sleep Disturbance in Suicide Risk

Diana Dolan, Ph.D., CBSM

Years ago, when I was on active duty, I was called to serve as the psychologist on a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in the case of a recent suicide of a Service member at the installation. While every suicide is a unique loss, this loss crosses my mind frequently. The husband and his wife, returned home very late one night from a date night and began to argue. As the argument escalated, he fatally shot himself. Although there were many precipitating factors, I have often wondered – would it be different if this had happened during the day? Did he feel it was so late he had no one to call and nowhere to go? Was he tired and exhausted?”

By the Numbers: 21 September 2020

34.4

The number -- out of "1000 psychiatric aeromedical evacuations that occurred between 2001 and 2013" -- that were suicide-related, according to an article published online before print in the journal Military Medicine: Demographic and Occupational Risk Factors Associated With Suicide-Related Aeromedical Evacuation Among Deployed U.S. Military Service Members

Research Update: 17 September 2020

Research Update Icon

The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include: 
● The Role of Telehealth in Reducing the Mental Health Burden from COVID-19.
● The Association Between Sexual Functioning and Suicide Risk in U.S. Military Veteran Couples Seeking Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
● Rates of Behavioral Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors in Operators and Support Personnel in U.S. Special Operations Forces.

 

Staff Perspective: COVID-19, Connectedness, and Suicide Prevention

Lisa French

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and one goal is to help provide information on suicide prevention programs and resources. Although it is important to focus on suicide prevention every day of every year, given the challenges of 2020, this year it may be even more important. 

By the Numbers: 14 September 2020

53%

The percentage of U.S. adults who "reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus," according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) -- The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use. "This is significantly higher than the 32% reported in March, the first time this question was included in KFF polling."

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