Iraq Military Service Doesn't Increase Someone's Suicide Risk, Study Says

The connection between military service and ailments such as post traumatic stress disorder does not necessarily mean a veteran has an increased risk of committing suicide, according to a study in the Journal of American Medical Association.

What can increase a veteran’s suicide risk is dishonorable discharge or discharge after less than four years of service, the study found.

“It was interesting to find that earlier separation from the military was associated with increased suicide risk, but this needs further investigation to understand why,” said Mayer Bellehsen, PhD, director of the Unified Behavioral Health Center for Military Veterans and their Families. “Meanwhile, there have been mixed findings on the impact of deployment on suicide rates with some studies finding an increased risk due to deployment. Other studies, including this one, have found that deployment alone is not associated with increased suicide risk.”

One thing Dr. Bellehsen did not think this study accounted for was pre-existing mental health issues, which would increase someone’s suicide risk after deployment.

“Mental health problems may also play a role in early separation, possibly accounting for some of the link between early separation and suicide risk,” Dr. Bellehsen said.

Some things that increase any person’s suicide risk include: poor social support, recent stressful events such as the death of a loved one and family history of suicide.

“Warning signs for suicide include a person talking about not wanting to live or feeling like he or she is a burden on others; a person displaying new or increased behaviors of substance abuse; withdrawal from friends and family; giving away prized possessions; searching for a means to commit suicide; and, if a person has negative changes in his or her mood, feelings of hopelessness, and agitation,” Dr. Bellehsen said.