{"id":8278,"date":"2024-04-23T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8278"},"modified":"2024-04-23T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T14:30:00","slug":"help-for-veterans-facing-thoughts-of-suicide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8278","title":{"rendered":"Help for Veterans facing thoughts of suicide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-04-23T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Transition can be incredibly stressful, and some Veterans find themselves facing thoughts of suicide.<\/p>\n

Life is full of twists and turns. You may start a new job, move to a different city, start or end a relationship, or face a number of other significant changes in your life. Though any big transformation usually comes with challenges, one particular life change can be jarring for Veterans: transitioning from the military back to civilian life.<\/p>\n

If you think about it, it\u2019s natural for Veterans to face stress or confusion\u2014or both\u2014during this period. You\u2019ve gone from a network of support to being expected to do a lot of things on your own. It\u2019s more important than ever to strengthen your purpose and create or foster connections.<\/p>\n

Many Veterans feel a sense of freedom as civilians. However, some start to feel lost and stuck, not wanting to seek help because of a sense of shame and feeling unsure about how to move forward. Military culture may not always encourage help-seeking behavior and, for many Veterans, there\u2019s a disconnect between knowing something is wrong and feeling like they have \u201cpermission\u201d to get help for it.<\/p>\n

Veterans can find ways to effectively handle and work through those feelings by strengthening or building a support system through resources offered by VA and Veteran-centric organizations. You don\u2019t have to be alone on your journey.<\/p>\n

Going from \u201cwe\u201d to \u201cme\u201d<\/h2>\n

In the military, we\u2019re told how to dress, what to eat, when to sleep and how to spend every minute of every day. In addition to being given instructions, we were supplied with everything we needed, like food, clothing, housing and health care. After you leave that regimented environment, you\u2019re forced to make a lot of daily decisions you probably gave very little thought to when you served. The minutia of daily life can quickly add up and compound with the other problems and pressures you\u2019re faced with during transition.<\/p>\n

Aside from figuring out how to spend each day, you\u2019ve also lost a sense of community, camaraderie and teamwork. You\u2019re used to a group identity where you were constantly surrounded by others working together toward a common goal. Now, the skills you developed and others depended on may not fit so neatly into civilian life.<\/p>\n

You now own your time and all your decisions. It\u2019s up to you what you want to do, what you want to wear and who you want to be. It\u2019s up to you to make new connections and build new relationships. It\u2019s up to you to find your next mission and get after it. That freedom can be equally liberating and daunting. Just because you now own your path ahead doesn\u2019t mean you have to walk it alone.<\/p>\n

How do you find your new or renewed purpose? Who will be part of your new team? Will you redefine yourself? VA is here to help.<\/p>\n

Your new network of support<\/h2>\n

VA offers many of the tools you need to build your new life:<\/p>\n