O'Grady testimony: veteran suicide statistics and prevention philosophy
O'Grady presents veteran suicide data showing twice the civilian rate, emphasizes that suicide is preventable and that most attempt survivors go on to live full lives. She frames suicide as a symptom and feeling that can come and go, not an automatic outcome, and calls for nuanced assessment approaches.
I would say, listening to the commissioner also, I have the same stat, which is between 2012 and 21,
veterans in the city died by suicide at approximately twice the rate of the civilians.
We know that suicide is preventable.
We know that the majority of people who survive a suicide attempt do, in fact, live and who go on to live full lives.
So I think also the importance of feeling.
suicidal, having a plan, having the means available, having a time set and actually completing suicide.
I always teach and preach that we have to look at suicide not as an outcome, but as a symptom and as a feeling that is present perhaps at one moment in time, but it is not an automatic outcome.
It is not a death sentence, just like if you have a cold, the flu, you have pneumonia, you end up in hospital, you can still come home and live.
If you have emphysema, you might live with it.
You may die, but suicide is a nuanced topic.
It is not a...
Black and white issue, it can come and go and so be.
I think empathetic and to have, especially for our veterans who are more at risk, to be able to acknowledge and be proud and to put them in with the Gold Star families is an amazing accomplishment.
It should have been done earlier.
Dr.
Nichols is fabulous.
You know, to say these things out loud, I think, is tremendous.
When we talk about veterans, we have to talk about families, military service affects spouses, parents, children, caregivers, friends, the people who provide and care for them
during and after a crisis.
For families who've lost a service member or veteran to suicide, that impact continues long after the death.