Handbook of military and veteran suicide : assessment, treatment, and prevention

For the past decade, suicidal behavior in military and veteran populations has been a constant feature in the news and in the media, with suicide rates among active duty American military personnel reaching their highest level in almost three decades. Handbook of Military and Veteran Suicide reviews the most advanced scientific understanding of the phenomenon of active duty and veteran suicide, while providing a useful, hands-on clinical guide for those working with this population. This comprehensive Handbook covers all relevant topics and current research in suicide in military and veteran populations, including links between suicide and PTSD, the stigma of mental health treatment in the military, screening for firearms access in military and veteran populations, "subintentioned" suicide (e.g. reckless driving and other such "accidental" deaths), women in combat, and working with families. Chapters also cover suicide risk assessment, ethical issues in treating suicidal patients, evidence-based treatments for PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and managing suicide in older veterans. Significant issues that may arise in assessing and treating military and veteran populations who are at risk for suicide are presented and discussed with evidence-based and practical recommendations. This Handbook will benefit researchers, policy makers, and clinicians who work with active duty military and veteran populations. "For the past decade, suicidal behavior in military and veteran populations has been a constant feature in the news and in the media, with suicide rates among active duty American military personnel reaching their highest level in almost three decades. Handbook of Military and Veteran Suicide reviews the most advanced scientific understanding of the phenomenon of active duty and veteran suicide, while providing a useful, hands-on clinical guide for those working with this population.This comprehensive Handbook covers all relevant topics and current research in suicide in military and veteran populations, including links between suicide and PTSD, the stigma of mental health treatment in the military, screening for firearms access in military and veteran populations, "subintentioned" suicide (e.g. reckless driving and other such "accidental" deaths), women in combat, and working with families. Chapters also cover suicide risk assessment, ethical issues in treating suicidal patients, evidence-based treatments for PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and managing suicide in older veterans. Significant issues that may arise in assessing and treating military and veteran populations who are at risk for suicide are presented and discussed with evidence-based and practical recommendations. This Handbook will benefit researchers, policy makers, and clinicians who work with active duty military and veteran populations." -- Publisher's description There are approximately 30,000 suicides in the United States each year. Over 20% of these suicides are completed by active duty service members and military veterans. Experts in the field of military suicide collaboratively contributed to this textbook to summarize the current state of research on this important topic. The text encompasses various themes; it defines the scope of the problem, outlines current methods for screening and assessing suicide risk, summarizes both evidence-based treatments and risk management techniques, and describes current suicide prevention efforts. Specific topics among such themes explore the effect of psychological trauma, traumatic brain injury, and the impact of military culture on suicide risk. In addition, the text provides an overview of suicide efforts targeted for special population veteran and active duty service members, such as the Army National Guard and Special Operations Forces. Ethical considerations, challenges of research, as well as future directions are highlighted to provide the reader with a critical analysis of military and veteran suicide research. The information provided herein is ideal for care providers such as physicians, psychologists, and mental health professionals—as well as academics whose work involves military service members and veterans.