The War Within

Written by: Alwayswrite

The War Within The War Within It is no secret that war strains the mental stability of an individual. According to a Financial Times’ article on May 30, 2008, a record 115 cases of military suicides were reported in 2007. One-hundred and two cases were reported just last year. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is real. And the fact that tour lengths have been reduced from 15 to 12 months did little to decrease suicide rates. According to the article, the military found “a significant relationship” between suicide attempts and the number of days soldiers were deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Prolonged tours mean prolonged stress. Stressors obviously stem from direct war zone situations, but indirect situations, such as strain brought by a husband and wife being separated for extended amounts of time, are pivotal as well. However, suicidal behavior is more common in Caucasian, unmarried officers. The fact that they feel as if they have nothing upon their return such as a wife, children, or family structure, is the most probable explanation.
According to a 2008 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology article:

• Among adolescents (15-24), suicide is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
• Among young adults (25-34), suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States.

There is no doubt that individuals who commit suicide have a certain psychological behavior. An article from the same journal titled “Suicidal Desire and the Capability for Suicide: Tests of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior Among Adults,” claims an individual will not die by suicide unless he or she have both the desire and ability to do so. U.S. military servicemen definitely have the desire and the ability. The tests also showed “the need to belong and contribute to the welfare of close others are so fundamental that the thwarting of these needs is a proximal cause of suicidal desire.” The long tours, whether 15 or 12 months, lessen the contribution a soldier can make to his family. Soldiers like any other individual need social reinforcement as a basis for well-being. During war, reinforcement is not present, causing suicidal desire. Furthermore, suicidal behavior has a high pain tolerance, which can stem from past suicide attempts and exposure to painful and/or provocative experiences. Soldiers are trained to endure the stressors war can and will produce. Boot camp is designed to train the mental and physical breaking point. The threshold for pain tolerance is raised early, at this point. And it is raised higher when soldiers are placed in war zones saturated with decaying bodies, shell casings, torn limbs, and automatic rifles. War, specifically Afghanistan and Iraq, is a breeding station for suicidal behavior. When a government body declares and sanctions war, they simultaneously declare and sanction the suicide of United States’ citizens. Now, how do you feel about the ‘War on Terror’ when the war on terror terrorizes us?

Tags: Military, Violence, War | Jun 5, 2008 |

35 Comments, Comment or Ping

Torrie

This hurts me and my heart, because these are young men or men who have served this country all there lives. And feel helpless to all they have faced and can no longer live with it.

[Reply]
"A Mom"

This could have been my sons. In reality they are all of our sons and daughters torn by the failures of our country.

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Troublsome

Just like several things that you set forward to do in life, shit doesn’t always pan-out the way it’s supposed to. The messed up part is that people who seek an alternative in life, and do so through the avenues in which the American Society paints as just and beneficial, end up screwing you as well. The Military is no different than school, full of broken promises and at the end of the day benefits everyone else but you…

“Shot out to all the soldiers who put their lives on the line”…

[Reply]
twenty pearls reply on June 5, 2008 1:19 pm:
Are you maintaining that schools are full of broken promises and benefit everybody but the student?

So what is a person supposed to do? laze around and do nothing?

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:01 pm:
I don’t think Troublsome is maintaining that at all. I think his thinking may be a bit ‘black and white,’ but this is how I interpret his statement: Higher learning preaches, on a certain level, that school is the savior to the world’s ills. It just isn’t true. In fact, majority of the people who are creating the world’s ills are people who attended the so-called “best schools.” And, let’s say, if you are a person of color and you get higher education, in the real world, you are still a person of color–FIRST. The certificate of higher education does little or nothing to erase that, but school preaches that it can and will. You will be equal and so forth. “If you get a college degree, no one can take that away from you” is what I’ve been told. True, they can’t TAKE that away from you nor the knowledge you acquired, however, they can choose not to GIVE you a job. School definitely benefits you, but the benefit is incongruent to the real world value.

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Torrie reply on June 5, 2008 1:21 pm:
But, if we the people have voting rights. And make some of the laws and pay the salaries of the people in control. How do you separate or sounds like you are separating the country and the people in it. As a country, we don’t like everything that happens in it. But, we can’t continue to stand separated from what is going on and continue to blame and point fingers. When do we start to stand together and make the changes and talk about the issues.

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:14 pm:
First of all, majority of ‘we the people’ don’t vote. The people who will most benefit from policy change are the same ones who are not voting–PERIOD. What good is a right to vote if you don’t exercise it? It makes the right moot. Second, the country is a conglomerate of people. I agree. But, all of the people are not equal. So, the whole, the country, is divided unequally, because its parts, ‘we the people’ are unequal. I don’t think Troublsome is separating the country and the people. The country is separating itself from the people–intentionally.

And you’re right. We need to stand together and not point fingers, but the country has created a system that thrives on separation and inequality. In some respect, without those two, America wouldn’t be America. As long as a certain few, continue to benefit from the ills of others, then the ills will continue indefinitely.

[Reply]
Malia

The military and government don’t know the human cost of war; these people live it every day. It’s hard enough just trying to get through this thing called life but they are over in a different country fighting for what??? I’ve forgotten what to cry for. I’ve forgotten what to pray for at night. It’s like who cares?

Everybody wants money! That’s why we’re over there right? That’s why everybody is selfish with a “me first” attitude, right? Are people important anymore? I don’t think so…….

[Reply]
Torrie reply on June 5, 2008 1:38 pm:
The military and government, some have all worked and been in war before. I look at Iran and other wars alike big and small. You can never say one is bigger then the other and look at the death kills are non-issue. Whether it is one solider or thousands. Forgotten what to pray for all I can comment on that is pray for the country and its leaders you may not agree with everything, but we are doing a lot better then other countries.

Who cares?!?!?! Ask the mothers, children, wives, aunts, uncles, etc.

Careless when you know you can no longer make a change. That is why third world war country’s hate americans we never see all the freedoms and choses we have. We are all pointing and complaining and doing nothing about it.

Sorry to go off. But, I CARE, I PRAY, I CRY. Because, someone is dying so I can walk around my country without hearing bombs dropping around me daily.

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Malia reply on June 5, 2008 1:44 pm:
Damn! Your words resonated within. People mean EVERYTHING to me as well, I put myself out there for people, I am so loving and so giving and so trusting that sometimes I feel SPENT …today is just one of those days…..but your words put everything back into perspective. Thank you Torrie.

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Torrie reply on June 5, 2008 1:52 pm:
No Problem, Ms. Carter. I do a list of gratitude daily and the people who died so I can walk freely are high on my list.

I don’t think everyone is all selfish, but that is the why we are taught to survive now. Taking care of self first. I use to worry about money, not saying it like I have a lot of it. But, The money can go nowhere with me when I die. When I die, in my soul I know I will only remember the changes I made for me and others.

Daily, I look outside of myself. Because other people’s crosses are heavier then mine. But, for peace in GOD. I am grateful. Worry only about the things you can change and work on getting better at the things you can’t.

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Malia reply on June 5, 2008 1:58 pm:
Thanks for the advice.

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:19 pm:
The mothers, daughters, sons, etc. do care, but they aren’t in the position to affect change, like bring the troops home. The people who can affect change just don’t care. That’s who we need to care. Those who can actually affect change. It’s nice to shed tears and manifest care in that way, but, ultimately, it’s small compared to the bigger picture. We need the those in power to shed tears. And that’s just not happening.

[Reply]
Eric reply on June 5, 2008 1:48 pm:
The military is made up of those humans that are lost…. we do know what the cost is…

[Reply]
Eric

Unfortunately this subject touches me personally.

I served in the finest Navy in the world for 12 years. And as screwed up as things are here in the US, I still feel that the United States of America is still the best place in the world to be born, grow up, live and die…. regardless of race or gender.

During my service, my best friend committed suicide. While some may want to place the blame of the stress of our jobs (Spec War) as to why he did it, I place the blame completely on him being selfish and only thinking of himself. Don’t get me wrong, I just as others in our unit and his family went through the whole range emotions (what could we have done, why didn’t he just talk about it, etc, etc) it took me years to come to grips with what he did. It still affects a portion of my outlook on life and work.

I guess I just want to say, I understand depression. I’ve been there. I can’t say that I agree with people that do commit suicide. There are too many reasons to live, to many opportunities for something, anything to change your current condition. But if you are dead, you can pretty much bet nothing is going to change…. dead today, dead tomorrow, dead forever.

Sorry if I got a little twisted in this response…. thinking of my friend kinda opened a wound that was closed. I thought I could comment on this subject but it still seems to be a sensitive area.

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Torrie" reply on June 5, 2008 1:49 pm:
I am agree suicide to me is a selfish act. Why, can I say it is because I was there before I tried it and GOD saw different. I am a mother, so to me GOD told me no way SISTER you are not gettin out this easy. You need to deal and get through this. It’s not all about you anymore. Rather it was my son or I serviced my country we all make decisions. When we need to be making less regrets.

My mother was in the army and I guess u could be it has a suicide she did. But, I don’t regret or get mad at her for not trying to change somethings she did the best she could.

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RBT reply on June 5, 2008 7:07 pm:
I can understand why the thought that suicide is selfish would come to mind but its selfish to feel that way. Everyone has had those feelings at on time or another the people who actaully go through with it MUST be really fucked up how can yo blame them

[Reply]
BlessedNMyStress

Tour lengths have been reduced from 15 to 12 months for soldiers deploying AFTER July, 2008!! If you deploy prior to July 1 you serve 15 months. Since when has the govt done ANYTHING quick and in a hurry?? NEVER!

They JUST started seeking social workers to deal with soldiers fighting PTSD. How long have we been in Iraq/Afghanistan? ?? This is total BS!!! Piss poor planning is what it is . . .

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:21 pm:
Agreed…

[Reply]
Jay Rome

We are doing a lot better than other countries …..

I don’t know about that. To a person with no insurance and a chronic health condition living in America, Canada sure is looking pretty good right now.
To a person put out of work by NAFTA and offshoring, Mexico, China and India got it going on. Did you know that because of oil royalties, Kuwaiti citizens don’t have to work. To a brother in prison in America Switzerland is really cool, seeing how foriegners deliberately go there and go to prison because they can get a skill to use to take care of themselves. Beligium and Germany’s highschool education system is waaaaay better than America. So that thing about we’re doing better than most countries ….. not really, we’re just the bully nobody wants to eff wit.

[Reply]
bballmom

My oldest son was in Bosnia. He was shot at by snipers, they would raid buildings and find horrors we could not imagine in America. But he will never go into detail about what he saw or did. There are dark moments but he is okay for the most part.

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Malia reply on June 5, 2008 2:26 pm:
Yeah, same w/ my cousin. He just came back from his second tour and now he’s more closed off than ever before. We try to get “in” but he has his walls so high right now. It’s like you want so much to be there for your loved ones and the people you care about but if they won’t let you inside what do you do?

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:24 pm:
That’s a precarious situation. But, think: If he has seen things that are so horrific, maybe he isn’t talking to save you from “seeing” what he saw. When it comes to psychology, the worst thing you can do is force someone to talk about trauma. But, then again, the worst thing you can do is let that person deal with trauma alone. Again, precarious situation.

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Malia reply on June 5, 2008 4:52 pm:
Why is he trying to save me? Why can’t we save each other? Pushing me away isn’t saving me…it’s hurting me…..

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 8:36 pm:
Saving you as far as not letting you experience what he has, even if it is far removed. You weren’t there but if he tells you what he saw, you will be there, again, though far removed. You can save each other, but if he’s not talking then… Communication is key for saving anything.

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bballmom

Suicide is a very selfish act. You leave everyone dealing with the issue of you taking your life and wondering why?

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Alwayswrite reply on June 5, 2008 4:28 pm:
Why? You couldn’t deal with life anymore. If you can’t deal with life, the only other option is death. So…

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"A Mom" reply on June 5, 2008 10:50 pm:
I can’t judge that person who takes there life because I can’t feel their pain. I would hope that they would get help but to be in their shoes I can’t. Therefore judgement is not mine to make.

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Torrie

I agree it is.

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Malia

I believe suicide is done more out of DESPERATION than selfishness. So many people have all the signs that something is wrong. Withdrawel, distancing themselves, abusing alcohol/drugs, emptiness, regression defeated attitude and we just walk on by and ignore their silent pleas out of our own selfishness…….

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Torrie reply on June 5, 2008 3:02 pm:
Desperation, I can’t say. I don’t know. Signs, are one thing. But, even when help is available people still act like they don’t need it.

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"A Mom" reply on June 5, 2008 10:43 pm:
Malia,
I agree desperation is one of the reason. The other is not having support. We don’t know if these people are getting the support they need.
I do know that some of the troops that have returned with no legs, arms, etc. are going thru a lot right here problems and they are not getting the support they need. I can’t imagine what is going on over there with our troops.

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"A Mom"

I pray for the troops and for the world we live in. But in my heart I wonder was this war for our freedom. I think we had other motives for killing so many innocent women and children as well as our men/women in this war and when it’s all said and done I pray for all the evil that has been done to the world.
I also think that the suicide rate is so high because some of our troops see no hope in what they are doing and a lot of them are very young and have no where to turn so they want to stop the hurt they feel.

[Reply]
Q.

didn’t really get a chance to read this, but based on some of the comments, i wanted to point people to my man’s, C3, blog.. very insightful, and hits some of the points that people have brought up..

http://darkestberry.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/todays-mathematics/

[Reply]
Alwayswrite reply on June 7, 2008 2:07 am:
Q.,

Good suggestion on the link. Definitely check it out. Definitely was relevant.

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TROUBL

The War Within

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