Suicide has a ripple effect. Each death by suicide impacts a large number of people. In fact, it’s estimated that for every suicide, up to 135 people are affected1. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the US2, meaning suicide touches the lives of far more people than you might realize. With the veteran suicide rate 50% higher than non-veteran U.S. adults3, military families are disproportionately affected by suicide. But there is hope.
The ripple effect shows us that events in our lives have a direct impact on the lives of others. So, what if we #ReverseTheRipple? Instead of being bystanders to suicide, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) urges all Americans, especially those in our military communities, to take a proactive approach to suicide prevention. On this page, we offer ways to #ReverseTheRipple.
Resources
Warning Signs
Knowing the Warning Signs of Suicide could help you save a life.
Resources
Find Suicide Prevention Resources for you or someone you know.
Suicide Language
Recognize the Coded Language of Suicide – and what to do about it.
Myths and Misconceptions
CVN Survey Reveals Misconceptions about Suicide
Sources:
1 Cerel, J., Brown, M. M., Maple, M., Singleton, M., Venne, J., Moore, M., & Flaherty, C. (2018). How many people are exposed to suicide? not Six. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 49(2), 529–534. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12450
2 National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.) Suicide. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide
3 Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. (2022) 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2022/2022-National-Veteran-Suicide-Prevention-Annual-Report-FINAL-508.pdf