COLORADO SPRINGS — Suicide is a complex problem that has many contributing factors, but overall, active-duty military members and veterans commit suicide at a rate 1.6 times higher than non-veterans, according to THE U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Given that Colorado Springs has one of the highest per capita veteran populations in the country. As home to several military installations and support services, we lose more veterans to suicide than any other part of the state. The people closest to the subject hope to give you advice on how to support someone in your life who may be struggling to find the will to live.
This is a difficult subject to discuss. And that’s exactly why News 5 wanted to tackle this issue, in hopes of further breaking down the stigma.
According to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, a quarter of people who committed suicide in 2022 in the county had a history of military service and more than half of all suicide victims reported a history of suicidal thoughts.
The numbers are sobering. In Colorado Springs, 194 people died by suicide last year, according to the El Paso County coroner’s office. Among them, 49 were former or active military personnel. And it’s likely that in each of their lives there is someone who suspects they might be in trouble.
“I think we can all recognize someone who is very, very, very mentally suffering. It’s harder to recognize that person that you’ve seen every day for years, and now something seems weird or, you know “She’s going through a difficult time. difficult time,” said El Paso County Coroner Dr. Leon Kelly.
The research Kelly and his team conduct into the circumstances that led to a veteran’s suicide can help identify resources missing from sources that could save others.
“Suicides are unique in that the more we know about what went wrong, the better equipped we are to prevent those same things, either by identifying people with risk factors, intervening with them, “by identifying the groups that are struggling the most and maybe focusing our efforts specifically on them, and creating safer environments for those people until you can help them through this acute crisis,” said Kelly.
One of these environments is the Pike’s Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership downtown where Cass Walton runs the center which offers connection opportunities such as group meetings, grief support yoga and individual counseling.
“We want them to know about this resource. And we also don’t want them to be scared off by the name suicide prevention. I think when people hear those words, they think crisis. But I want them to know about this resource. they focus on prevention, because suicide prevention starts long before we say the word suicide,” Walton told News 5.
Often, the military prides itself on being independent and self-sufficient; trained to solve problems, not to ask for help, Walton said.
“And so we’re very conscious of the fact that we’re just asking ourselves, ‘Think about your symptoms. Well, what’s the symptom?’ Anything that impacts your ability to follow your normal routine. You know, is it hard to get out of bed? Do you want to rip someone’s head off… And realize that you’re not don’t have to live like that. No “You’re expected to. We wouldn’t want you to self-medicate your strep throat. Is not it ? And so no one expects you to know how to take care of your own mental health. It makes sense to ask for help,” she said.
Those who have suicidal thoughts are not alone. After a decline in 2019 and 2020, the Centers for Disease Control found suicide deaths increased by 5% in 2021 and increased further in 2022 with 49,449 people committing suicide that year.
This is why the CDC lists suicide as a leading cause of death among all Americans and says there is common risk factors for those considering ending their life, including relationship issues, chronic health issues, legal issues, or substance abuse issues.
“Those are the broad categories. When you have someone in your life who is struggling with these things, those are the people who are at greatest risk, particularly if they’re dealing with an acute stressor like end of a marriage or the latest problem with their spouse. substance abuse where they get arrested. Those are the people who are at that time most at risk,” Kelly said.
This is the time when those around them who care can step in and offer resources to help them get through a difficult time.
“We always say, be honest. You can let someone know, ‘I’m having this conversation with you because I care about you.’ And you might even say, “I’m really bad at talking about feelings and difficult things. It shows you how much I care because I’m willing to try to have this conversation with you because I care about you.” Walton said.
Walton suggests having some resources in mind where your loved one can seek help or offer to call or text 988 with them. The Veterans Crisis Line is option 1 when you call. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers survivor stories, talking points and other resources on its website.
“A lot of people think, ‘If I bring up suicide, I’ll plant that seed, and I don’t want to talk about it because I don’t want them to think about it.’ If someone is at risk of suicide, they’re already thinking about it. And what the research shows us is that if you ask about it, what happens most often is that they experience a feeling of relief like, ‘Oh, I can finally talk about it.’ And it’s really important. And it’s one of the most vital things we can do,” Walton said.
Walton suggests one way to start a conversation with someone who appears to be using substances to cope, starting by expressing that you are concerned about them.
“And the most common response you’ll get is, ‘I’m fine, thanks for asking,’ or ‘I’m fine.’ And I would just talk about it in a non-judgmental tone, like, ‘I don’t think so that someone who drinks x amount is good. What I see is you’re trying to feel differently, and I’m just wondering if we can “find a more favorable way for this to happen. …so could we try something else,” suggested Walton.
Walton and Kelly also emphasize the importance of gun storage. Unlike any other way of committing suicide, a gunshot is immediate. So, creating obstacles to this action, by placing a firearm in a safe, under lock and key, or even storing ammunition separately, can give a veteran time to reconsider their decision.
“So if I’m this person who’s living at this base level and I’m trying to find my way, I feel a little lost. I feel a little uncertain. I also haven’t been cultured to ask help and then Something terrible happens in my day. I want there to be a break before this person can access a gun and make a very permanent decision about a temporary problem,” said Walton.
Of the 194 suicides in El Paso County in 2022, 119 of them were committed using a gun, according to data from the coroner’s office.
“When someone goes through this, their window of tolerance is so small. It takes a very immediate situational crisis to push someone into a crisis situation,” she said.
When investigating a veteran’s suicide, Kelly’s team will look to see if the victim had a history of post-traumatic stress or head trauma that could help the victim’s family receive military benefits. They also report their findings to the Department of Health, which may result in grants funding additional community resources for veterinarians.
“I think there are probably few causes that we would all agree on more than making sure that these people, these valuable members of our community really have support beyond just words, is “Right? Support in this community to help them deal with the difficulties that many of them are experiencing,” Kelly said.
Anyone can get a free gun lock from the Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership,Colorado Springs Police Department, or the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. There is also several places where you can temporarily store a firearm if you want it to be easily accessible.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, as many do over the holidays, call or text 988.
