The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Veterans Crisis Line 24/7, confidential crisis support for veterans and their loved ones. Dial 988, then 1. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. Veteran Crisis Hotline is a free, anonymous, confidential resource available to Veterans in crisis. VA offers a network of support for all Veterans and friends.
Some behaviors can be a sign that a Veteran needs help. Learn to spot the warning signs of an emotional or mental health crisis. Signs of crisis: the end of a relationship, loss of a job, housing instability, and a feeling of loss of purpose. At some point, everyone will face a challenge. Some may develop into a crisis. Recognizing a crisis in yourself or those you care about can help you know when to find support (veteranscrisisline.net)
Veterans, service members, and their loved ones can find free mental health services, discover ways to increase mental health literacy, and learn how to identify and address barriers that prevent people from getting the help they need.
The fight against veteran suicide is a battle waged on many fronts. It is a struggle to save lives and mend the invisible wounds of war. This demands our attention, resources, and unwavering commitment. Veteran suicide is a national crisis demanding immediate attention.
The following was taken from the Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention page:
When Veterans have access to the right support before a crisis happens, lives can be saved.
One of the keys to prevention is strengthening protective factors – like access to mental health care, feeling connected to other people, and positive coping skills – for Veterans and reducing risk factors, as easy access to firearms or certain medications and stressful life events, such as divorce, job loss, or the death of a loved one.
The Veterans Administration is dedicated to reducing Veteran suicide rates, but we cannot do it alone.
Because roughly half of all Veterans in the United States do not receive services or benefits from VA, we collaborate with partners and communications nationwide to reach Veterans where they are.
Veterans’ friends and family members are also crucial to prevention. They know their Veteran loved ones better and are often the first to notice the Veteran is facing a challenge.
Whether you are a Veteran, friend, family member, or caregiver, VA offers support no matter what you are experiencing.
There is so much to be said on the topic of Suicide Prevention. The Veterans Administration is a good spokesperson for this. My goal with this article is to bring awareness to this subject and provide a contact number for the veteran. We must continue to do all we can to help our veterans in any way
we can. Again, the confidential crisis support for veterans and their loved ones. DIAL 988, THEN 1.
