Suicidal Ideation

[Berta]

I had a call from a local friend about  a PTSD  vet 700 miles away who a relative is seeking help for.

The vet appears to have suicidal ideation.

I gave all the help I could to the person 700 miles away they have expressed suicidal thought to but this does not appear to be an imminent situation---3rd part info...by help I mean what they could do to help this vet.

But I have had suicide calls from vets, that needed imme4diate action.

The first thing is really the best thing to do. Call 911.

But if you can assess the situation better, you can successfully talk them down and then get them to the closest VAMC.

I don’t advise that however unless you know them well and determine if they are suicidal or just needing someone to talk to, and you can give them the Suicide Hot line # as well…

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Actually Call 911 if you don't know what to do.........I was lucky.....in most cases I dealt with I knew these vets personally and very well and could take them right over to the local VAMC. God was with me.

This is one of many reasons however I never give out my contact info here anymore.

We are not MH professionals.

 

 

[broncovet]

Of course, there are 2 issues

1.  Suicide Prevention

2.  VA benefits.  

    I would like to mention this.  Suicide is permanent, and the problems that brought it  on are temporary.   While SI can cross socio-economic lines, very often for Vets just getting VA benefits can/does bring immediate relief.   It does not make a person loved and needed when they are homeless and destitute.  Being homeless is not exactly a chic magnet either even tho women often say, "money makes no difference to me."  

    Even if a woman did not expect a man to support her, most of them dont want to support (financially) a man.  

    For a man, "his job" is super important to him..every bit as important to a woman as "her appearance".  

    How do I know all this?  Theory?  No.  I lost my home, my spouse and my car shortly after loosing my job.  This was a wife of 20 years.  Depression and despair followed.  It did not help that it took VA 3 years to "deliver" VA benefits..after a bogus denial.  

    In my 2002 VARO decision, it stated, as a reasons and bases for denial, "its been too long since military service".  I did not get that then, but "time since miltary service" is not one of the criteria.  I had a "in service event", a valid Nexus (my audiologist opined that my hearing loss was "at least as likely as not" due to excessive noise in military service), and, of course, a current diagnosis of hearing loss.  

    It did not stop VA from denying me anyway.  I had all the Caluza elements, so VARO cooked up a denial anyway, literally plucking it out of nowhere.  

    THREE years including a  successful BVA appeal later, I finally got 40 percent.  It was too little, to late to save my home, my car, and my family.   I specifiically told my psychiatrist that I was about to become homeless, and its in my notes..back as early as 2003.  

     Finally, in 2005, my psychiatrist suggested I apply for "pension".  NOT my VSO, not the VA, but my VA doc.  I really did not know what it was.  Thank you VSO!  You helped me become homeless, by not suggesting I apply for pension in 2002.  That 900 bucks a month (I got pension as it was larger than my 40 percent) in 2005 meant I could keep a roof over my head.  

    Im still fighting VA..for those back benefits from 2002 through 2006.  I have a new wife..a better one than the last one.   I no longer have suicidal ideations, now that I have a home, a wife, and my car back.  (a much better one than the one I lost to the repo man).    Is this a coincidence ?  Homeless, destitute, no benefits, no car, depression and suicidal ideation, and now I have a home, wife, car, and benefits.  

I dont think this is a coincidence, at all.  I hung in there for 3 years, virtually without a paycheck.  Only a faith in God stopped me from suicide.  It wasnt VA, that is for sure.  

[broncovet]

A couple weeks ago, my psychiatrist "screened" me for homelessness.  She asked me if I had a safe place to live.  I responded that I did, but could lose it if my wife kicked me out.  

She wanted to know how likely that was to happen.  I told her that if I could figure women out, that I would be a zillionaire as many a wiser man than myself gave up trying to figure out how to keep a woman happy.  

She said, "well the VA has 'progams' for homeless Vets.  

I got mad.  Yea, they had 'programs' in 2002, also.  The VA's goal is to make as many Vets as homeless as possible by delaying benefits and appeals as long as possible.  That is the VA's "homeless program".   They work with VSO's to make sure you dont apply for all your benefits, so that they can delay stuff, and then delay you again in appeals to make sure there are as many Vets as possible who are homeless.  

This must be Shinseki's "homeless initiative" he instigated, now that a BVA appeals are taking 5 years instead of the 3 years they were back in 2002.  

[Jimmer]

Broncovet, Wow!  I am glad you are in a much better place now, with a better car, house and a better wife (makes a lot of difference). I was at the V.A. hospital in Phoenix, last week, when I ran into vet, that had about a dozen young men that were interested in joining the military.   He showed them how the veterans are treated that have become injured, how they have to fight for benefits they are rightfully entitled too, and how the V.A.  has an indifferent attitude toward the men that serve this country.  Needless to say, none of them decided to join the military, after his showing them around.  Maybe if we had more individuals that were aware of how veterans are treated, and less and less decided to join the military then the government might wake up.

[Berta]

Love of country seems to trump everything else I think.

Our Military always meets it's recruitment quote. But I was shocked when my baby girl joined the Mil.

She had seen the bad side of PTSD here but she also interacted with many disabled vets , most with PTSD since when she was only 7 years old. She was never hesitant  to go with me to the local VAMC And talk to vets. The VA sign says The evidence  of sacrifice is here. It sure is.............

I was there a little while ago, rain poured so hard I could not get out of my car.The sun came out, and then we got big hailstones, and that happened at least 5 times today when I was driving. NY weather.

I will go back later this week. The cemetery is beautiful. My honey is happy there.God is there.

I will be there someday. And that sure is OK with me.

[Buck52]

Bless you Ms berta

I think what a veteran has to put up with just dealing with the VA is enough to cause him chronic PTSD & SI.

I hate to go to the VAMC but since I don't have any private insurance   I deal with it and do the best I can...or suffer.

[Andyman73]

What can you do with SI? My therapist knows all about it. When I had my C&P exam for ptsd due to MST, told him about it too...will it matter at the RO?