Need Advice

[jecsb4]

Hi all,

I don't think this is the right forum section to post this but I am trying to convince two vets to go to the mental health dept of a VAMC.

1st - This vet has told me he is thinking about hurting himself. So far he is just talking, and I have called a local hot line to try and get him help. I would like for him to go to the VA to get admitted. Isn't there a 72hr deal were they can be admitted on thier own efforts or can they just make it mandatory and keep him there against his will? I have made attempts to talk to his family who don't live near him.

2nd vet is bacically mentally exhausted and can barely function, and he lost his job. Can he be evaluated and given some sort of admission for rest? He has no family. Both are OEF vets.

Thanks.

[Berta]

Both of these veterans need care.

You asked for advice-if the second veteran is homeless there might be a way that VA could help him.These are some contact numbers:

http://www1.va.gov/homeless/docs/HCHV_Sites_ByState.pdf

The first veteran also could be helped by the VA for his obvious suicidal ideation.You did the right thing as to contacting his family members.They should be the ones helping him with this.

I used to get late night phone calls- and even worse- emails--- from vets or widows who said they were contemplating suicide.

A friend of mine got a call from a former member here who had threatened to kill himself while talking to her on the phone and said-if she called the police he would definitely kill himself when he saw the police or ambulance pull up into his driveway.She talked him out of the idea he had.Then he kept asking her and me for my phone number via email which he never got.

I felt he had manipulated this womanin many ways- long story-

I call or forward the info from any phone calls or emails I get like this to the NY State Police.

This vet's family has to help him deal with all this.Or he himself has to get over to the closest VA.

I probably sound cold on this subject-but vets and widows have actually threathened to commit suicide to me in phone calls and emails -due to their claims!

As if this suicidal threat stated to me would somehow bring about an award letter from the VA.

I feel used when that happens.

I am sure no one here is fully qualified to be able to determine whether a suicide threat is real or not.You aksed for advise and my advise is to make sure this suicidal veteran's family is fully aware of his feelings and that they themselves should convince him to seek help.

It might be a good idea also to contact the local VA and also the local or State Police.

Most of us are simply not qualified to deal with suicidal ideation.

The best thing you can do is contact the local VA or the state police and make them aware of this.

[carlie]

jecb54,

If for whatever reasons they don't want to go to VA, then you could locate and suggest their closest Vet Center, even make a call and drive them there if they are willing.

jmho,

carlie