In This Issue

Feature Topic

PTSD and Suicide Prevention

September is Suicide Prevention Month.

Going through trauma may increase a person’s risk for suicide. Studies also show that suicide risk may be higher in people who have PTSD.

This update focuses on what we know about the relationships between suicide, trauma and PTSD, and on ways to help prevent suicide.

• Common Reactions after Trauma: Following exposure to trauma, most people experience stress reactions. Find out about common symptoms as well as problems to watch out for, including suicidal thoughts and behavior.
• Suicide and PTSD: Learn about the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and suicide.

Suicide Prevention

Here are some things you can do to help prevent suicide.

• Learn the warning signs.
• Know who to call:
  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • Veterans Crisis Line:
    1-800-273-8255, press 1

It Matters

Get involved in Suicide Prevention Month. Share a message of hope with Veterans and the people in their lives. VA provides toolkits of materials. Learn how you can help prevent suicide. Veterans or loved ones can also share a photo showing what matters to you - and connect to a community that cares.

Just Released

PTSD Coach Online: Learn how to manage troubling symptoms following trauma, such as problems sleeping, anger, reminders of the trauma, and more.

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For Providers

Mental health problems and a history of trauma or abuse can increase the risk for suicide. Learn more about risk factors and how to help prevent suicide and save someone’s life.

• The Relationship between PTSD and Suicide: Find information about trauma, PTSD and suicide, as well as how suicide can be a traumatic event.
• Suicide Prevention Mini Clinic: Suicide prevention basics, from VA’s Community Provider Toolkit.

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For VA Providers

VA Monthly Lecture Series

Suicide Prevention Month Feature

VA staff can view the archive of a lecture from April: PTSD and Suicide Risk Management by Drs. Hal Wortzel and Beeta Homaifar.

Subscribe: Learn about our PTSD Lectures

VA staff, please sign up for VA Staff PTSD Updates to receive monthly notices that include a registration link and instructions for joining these live lectures:

PTSD Psychopharmacology Best Practices

3rd Wednesday of each month, 2 pm ET

• 10/16 - Ilene Robeck will present on PTSD: a Team Based Approach

VA PTSD Consultation Program Lecture Series

3rd Tuesday of each month, 2 pm EST

• 10/15 - Anouk Grubaugh on Assessing and Treating PTSD in Veterans with a Psychotic Disorder

VA PTSD Consultation Program

Free PTSD consultation for anyone working with Veterans. Call 866-948-7880 or email ptsdconsult@va.gov.

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Research at the Center

Improving Suicide Risk Assessment

Currently, suicide risk assessment primarily focuses on asking people if they are thinking about suicide. Center researchers are working to improve suicide risk assessment by developing novel objective tools that measure the basic cognitive mechanisms underlying higher-order processes associated with suicidal thoughts and behavior, including cognitive inflexibility and hopelessness.

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PTSD in the News

Knowing the Warning Signs of Suicide Could Save a Life. Yvonne Levardi talks about Veterans and suicide risk on the VAntagePoint blog. Read more.

Risk Factors Associated with Suicide in US Military Personnel. Unexpected findings on combat deployment as a risk factor for suicide. Read more in the current issue of the Clinician’s Trauma Update-Online.

Leahy Pushes for PTSD Funds. The Valley News reports U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT supports funding two projects; the nation's first PTSD "brain bank" for brain tissue research and an outreach initiative for providers treating rural Veterans. Read more.*

Positive Initial Findings for Prazosin in Active Duty Soldiers. PTSD Practice Guidelines recommend prazosin as an adjunct treatment targeting nightmares, noting insufficient evidence for use as a stand-alone treatment. A small randomized controlled trial of prazosin for sleep and PTSD in active duty soldiers helps to fill the gap. Read more in the current issue of the Clinician’s Trauma Update-Online.

Be sure to forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send only one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

Feature Topic next month: Self-Help Following Trauma: PTSD Coach Online

The Staff of VA’s National Center for PTSD

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