This week, we’ve got new data on veteran suicides, a pair of compelling case studies, and an update on psychotics and CVD.
Veteran Suicide Remains A Persistent Public Health Problem
Suicide persists as a critical public health crisis among U.S. military veterans, who have suicide rates dramatically higher than their civilian counterparts.
In 2021, veterans accounted for almost 13 percent of suicide deaths nationwide. And that’s despite making up only 6 percent of the general population. Research points to the interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors and how they fuel this elevated risk. This highlights, once again, a crisis that demands more targeted prevention efforts.
A new study – published this week in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders – examined data from the “2019–2022 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study,” covering more than 2,400 veterans.
The study results showed that 11.5 percent of respondents demonstrated suicide-specific cognitions that can suggest an elevated risk. These can include beliefs about being unlovable or convinced that life’s problems are unsolvable.
These findings align with the fluid-vulnerability theory, which suggests long-term risk factors interact with acute stressors to boost suicide risk.
Crucial defensive factors that the study singled out include resilience, social support, and a sense of purpose in life. Veterans who lacked these traits emerged as the ones most at risk.
As a result, the study’s authors argue that reinforcing these modifiable factors could help cut veteran suicide rates. Providing better mental health support or launching community-building initiatives are just a couple of ways that could be done.
The study also highlights just how crucial it is to tackle the stigma that clings to mental health care since it almost certainly plays a part in veterans underreporting suicidal thoughts. Suicide-specific diagnostic tools, such as the Brief Suicide Cognitions Scale, could offer more effective tools for identifying those at risk.
But these results also reveal a ray of hope. By fostering resilience, purpose, and connection, targeted interventions can save lives. This research calls for a continued national commitment to understanding and addressing the unique mental health challenges veterans face.
IN OTHER PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY NEWS
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry this week takes a look at the DoD’s guidelines for bipolar disorder management.
- PCC also published a case report about a 4-year-old girl with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and her bout of catatonia during the post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- JCP also includes original research that backs up earlier data that shows cardiovascular disease risks among those on antipsychotics are common and often untreated.
- Another PCC case report discusses a rare case of exacerbation of psoriasiform eruptions in a patient who was prescribed sodium valproate for seizures.
- And, finally, our coverage of the latest in Emerging Approaches in Schizophrenia continues.
