Taking a stand against suicide
| August 14, 2009 | 10:26 AM
More journal entries from Hank Schultz »
It’s been a long time coming, but the veil of shame and silence is finally being drawn back from the subject of suicide. The horror and incomprehensibility of the act and the guilt of the survivors have occluded efforts to understand the issue and do something about it.
A whole clinical field of suicidology has sprung up since the 1950s, spearheaded by the work of the late Dr. Edwin Shneidman. And suicide hotlines have proliferated, motivated by the recognition of suicide as a pressing public health issue, and not the tragic mistake of a few individuals.
The massive deployments of troops in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, often for repeated tours of duty, have given new impetus to the field of suicide prevention. Stress is a big risk factor in suicide, and the burden of repeated tours of duty — both in the combat zone and in the dislocation of everyday life — is one of the hardships modern military personnel must bear.
One person at the forefront of this movement to care for these individuals is Colorado Air National Guard Lt. Col. Edward Vaughan, who has served combat tours in Iraq flying F-16s. Vaughan, who will give a presentation to Air Force personnel at Buckley Air Force Base on Saturday, is the founder of the Colorado Wingman Project, part of an Air Force initiative called Wingman for Life.
It is appropriate here to disclose my connections both to suicide and to Vaughan. I lost my son, Aaron, to suicide in August 2004. Aaron took his life a week before his 18th birthday. This experience has motivated me to try to help others to take a different path than he did, and I came into contact with Vaughan and am a volunteer for his organization.
Vaughan’s approach is to equip family members, friends and associates with the tools to recognize when someone might be suicidal and to intervene successfully.
Many people hold back, not knowing what to say or do, or they are fearful they might make the situation worse. Vaughan’s program aims to overcome that hurdle, so people feel empowered to intervene.
To do nothing is the worst option. The question, “Are you thinking about suicide?” should no longer imply a moral judgment of the individual; rather, it’s a sign that someone cares. And a belief that no one understands or cares is a mind-set common among suicidal individuals.
Statistics cited on the Colorado Wingman Web site show that up to 5,000 active military personnel and veterans commit suicide each year. Sadly, suicide is an intractable problem; and a suicide prevention program is not a vaccine. Despite our best efforts, some will still make that choice. But many of those 5,000 could have been saved. How many? It’s what Vaughan and others are trying to find out.
Hank Schultz, Journals, Region
colorado wingman project, lt. col. edward vaughan, military, suicide prevention
