Veterans Suicide Seminar Sends Message: Speak Up and Reach Out

By Jayne Davis, DCoE Strategic Communications

“I hope to get some information to help me with depression and suicidal thoughts.”
- Vincent C. Lewis, patient at Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center

Vincent Lewis found what he was looking for at the “Epidemic of Veterans Suicide” seminar hosted recently at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C. (DC VA Medical Center). Club Vet, whose members have sought services from the center, sponsored the forum.

Researchers, suicide prevention advocates and seminar organizers spoke to an attentive audience about suicide rates of veterans; pointed out warning signs and potential triggers for committing the act; encouraged those troubled with thoughts of suicide or concerned about others to speak out; and identified where, how and when to reach out for help.

Lewis and other patients from the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, an outpatient program of the DC VA Medical Center, joined care seekers and providers at the seminar to review suicide prevention resources provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) and Real Warriors Campaign, a DCoE initiative.

Club Vet opened the seminar broadly to veterans; service members; civilian and military families; members of veterans service organizations; those seeking treatment for suicidal thoughts; people personally affected by suicide; or those seeking to better understand preventative actions to promote suicide prevention awareness.

Carolyn Feisal, Club Vet officer, offered her hopes for the seminar. “With [suicide], we want to break down barriers to seeking help, and come together to share dialogue as we work to decrease the negative stigma associated with this issue,” said Feisal. “It’s a process to make progress.”

Pay Attention. Be Aware.

“Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility,” said Patricia Toles-Lucas, DC VA Medical Center suicide prevention coordinator. Starting off the speaker presentations, Toles-Lucas framed the issue and gave it dimension with statements about the scope of the crisis. She mentioned that there are now twice as many veteran suicides as civilian suicides and that overall, women attempt suicide more often but men complete more suicides.

Toles-Lucas recognized the Veterans Crisis Line, option one on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK), as saving lives and cited the increase in calls from 9,000 in 2007 when it started, to 116,000 by June 2011, as evidence of its important place in suicide prevention care. Her parting advice to the audience was to pay attention. “Often there are signs of trouble we don’t pick up because we’re not making ourselves aware,” she said.

Awareness of risk factors and protective factors that can potentially help prevent suicides was the focus of a presentation by Dr. Colanda Cato, DCoE program manager, post-traumatic stress disorder and violence prevention, and licensed clinical psychologist. When asked by Cato to name the number one precursor for thoughts of suicide, the audience generally agreed on depression and seemed surprised to learn of other powerful precursors, such as substance abuse, financial, legal, spiritual or social problems.

The awareness gap allowed Cato to expand on the military’s “Total Force Fitness” initiative, which describes facets of a person’s life that when in balance, contribute to overall well-being. She emphasized the importance of having a strong social support network and echoed the overriding message of the seminar of reaching out for help and not being afraid to ask someone else if they’re OK.

Cato described resources such as ACE: Ask, Care and Escort, a guide for responding to others in crisis, and the DCoE Outreach Center accessible by phone (866-966-1020), chat or email, resources@dcoeoutreach.org. She directed the audience to the DCoE website where the focus this month is on suicide prevention.

Dr. Teodor Postolache, University of Maryland School of Medicine Mood and Anxiety Program director, brought an academic’s view on suicide research. He explained some of the challenges in reaching conclusions and difficulties in trying to understand the complicated mechanisms that may have a bearing on suicide. Some factors he mentioned were habituation – repeated exposure to a stimulus that diminishes its effect, like eating a favored food everyday; nature vs. nurture; and changes in brain chemistry that might affect one’s ability to apply brakes to dangerous thoughts. He also spoke of triggers, such as stress, loss, substance abuse and medications, as well as deterrents, like having dependents or a pet, or a strong support network.

Kim Ruocco’s personal revelations about her Air Force husband’s suicide six years ago resonated with the audience – she received a standing ovation. Her moving story epitomized how fear of stigma prevents taking critical action. “My biggest regret is leaving him alone in that pain and not making sure he got help,” said Ruocco.

Now, as the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors national director for suicide education and outreach, Ruocco travels the country sharing lessons learned to suicide prevention outreach programs. She summed up her main messages for veterans coping with suicidal ideation. “We value you,” she said. “You have information on what war does to you. Because you’re still here, you’re resilient and can share what you know about healing and hope.” And most importantly, “Take care of each other. You know when someone needs help.”

Dr. Maria Llorente, DC VA Medical Center Mental Health Services associate chief of staff, noted at the seminar’s closing, “the best measure of this seminar is that someone listening to the speakers and reading the information told me he thought he needed to seek mental health care now,” said Llorente. “That’s what I call success.”