I think the biggest reason why soldiers are killing themselves is that the Army throws drugs at the problem and then doesn't monitor the soldiers. Everyone I know in the Army was on "psycho" drugs at one time or another.
While serving in the Army, I found myself having symptoms of PTSD. Before this, I thought PTSD was for Vietnam or WWII vets. Anyway, the docs gave me handfuls of various meds (lithium, Haldol, Prozac, Risperdol, Seroquel, Clonopin, etc.) and did minimal monitoring. I would fall asleep in the parking lot of Landstuhl and barely remember what I was doing there. I became violent and beat my wife. I would become another person while I was on the meds. I was arrested for domestic violence and ordered to go to anger mngt, which was a joke. Everybody in my platoon was already there so it was just a way to get out of work and screw around. I trusted the docs to know what they were doing until I was at the edge of suicide/murder. Eventually, I stopped the meds (really tough aftereffect) and started dealing with the wreck my life had become. Most soldiers don't need meds, they need sleep and some one to talk to. The Army needs less psychiatrists and more psychologists.
I think the biggest reason why soldiers are killing themselves is that the Army throws drugs at the problem and then doesn't monitor the soldiers. Everyone I know in the Army was on "psycho" drugs at one time or another.
While serving in the Army, I found myself having symptoms of PTSD. Before this, I thought PTSD was for Vietnam or WWII vets. Anyway, the docs gave me handfuls of various meds (lithium, Haldol, Prozac, Risperdol, Seroquel, Clonopin, etc.) and did minimal monitoring. I would fall asleep in the parking lot of Landstuhl and barely remember what I was doing there. I became violent and beat my wife. I would become another person while I was on the meds. I was arrested for domestic violence and ordered to go to anger mngt, which was a joke. Everybody in my platoon was already there so it was just a way to get out of work and screw around. I trusted the docs to know what they were doing until I was at the edge of suicide/murder. Eventually, I stopped the meds (really tough aftereffect) and started dealing with the wreck my life had become. Most soldiers don't need meds, they need sleep and some one to talk to. The Army needs less psychiatrists and more psychologists.