There is a culture inside the military that continues to harass those who try to take advantage of mental health services (Hall, 2008).
Because of its continuing and transient nature, chronic suicidal ideation (CSI) compared to active suicidal thinking is often not an indication for hospitalization. This can be a difficult factor in treatment of veterans with PTSD. For many who have experienced considerable trauma in their past and continue to cognitively and emotionally re-experience the trauma (i.e. chronic PTSD), CSI is a persistent concern. CSI is distinguished from acute and active suicidal ideation as being constant, transient, intermittent thoughts of ending one's life. Acute suicidal ideation explains a patient who is in imminent danger of killing themselves, and is an indication for emergency hospitalization. On the other hand, passive suicidal ideation is the wish for oneself to die, without active plans to facilitate the process. Since danger is not objectively pending, these individuals are left to deal with their suicidal thoughts by drawing on their own intra- and interpersonal resources (Sivak, n.d.).
Suicidal ideation, attempts, and accomplished suicide are significant concerns for clinicians working...
Several studies have established an increased risk of suicidal behavior in veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD. Thoughts of ending one's life as well as preceding suicide attempts have been significantly correlated with a diagnosis of PTSD in veterans, as well as 82.6% of veterans in outpatient management reporting symptoms of suicidal ideation. Furthermore, a high preponderance of anxiety disorders, particularly PTSD, has been found in veterans with completed suicide, relative to the general population of completed suicides (Sivak, n.d.).
References
Hall, Thomas C. (2008). PTSD/Substance Abuse Committee Report: Force Readiness. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from Vietnam Veterans of America Web site:
http://www.vva.org/veteran/1209/ptsd.html
Sivak, Joseph. (n.d.). PTSD And Chronic Suicidal Ideation: The Role Of Counter Suicidal
Cognition. Retrieved March 24, 2010, Web site: http://www.fsu.edu/~trauma/a1v5i3.html
Sundararaman, Ramya, Panangala, Sidath Viranga and Lister, Sarah A. (2008). Suicide
Prevention Among Veterans. Retrieved from Web site:
http://veterans.house.gov/Media/File/110/5-6-08/CRSReptRL34471.htm
