“What signs did I miss?” “Are people judging me?” “Should I even be in this field?” The suicide of a loved one triggers many thoughts and emotions in survivors. When the survivor is a mental health professional, those thoughts and emotions can be even more complicated, leading them to question their own skills and capabilities.
After 11 episodes of talking about the “sins” of evidence-based practice, we’re wrapping up season 7 by finding out “what’s in the box?” Our guests this season have covered a wide range of topics related to EBPs, including reducing suicide risk, and working with maternal mental health, OCD, and nightmare disorders.
40.0%
The percentage of veterans seeking treatment for gambling addiction who have attempted suicide, according to an article in Military Times -- Research on problem gambling included in defense funding law
I was recently talking to a civilian community mental health provider, and she asked me if I thought veterans were utilizing mental health care more due to both the VA MISSION Act and the VA COMPACT Act. I thought about it briefly and responded (acknowledging that I had no evidence to support my answer) that it usually takes years for change following laws like these. Then I paused to really think about how much I have heard about either of these veteran-focused acts/laws in my role as a psychologist or as a veteran, and the answer was: not much. So I thought this would be a great topic to share with our community of providers.
This Suicide Prevention Month, CDP’s research team is taking a proactive approach to one of the most pressing challenges facing the military community. Suicide among service members and veterans remains a public health concern, with rates far exceeding those seen in the general population. Although many factors are associated with suicide risk, sleep problems have emerged as a critical, yet under-recognized factor. Prior work consistently demonstrates that poor sleep is not only common among military personnel, but also closely linked to worsening mood, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts.