(04-15-2019, 12:14 PM)americus 2.0 Wrote: "Many veteran suicides occur without the veteran ever even entering into the VA’s system, which, one could contend, was the point of those millions of dollars allocated for public outreach. The point remains, the VA can’t help veterans that don’t seek it."

 As a suicide survivor I can tell you that when I was in the "black hole" I was being treated by a psych doctor but it didn't matter. It didn't help. When you're that far gone you don't always see the need for help you're so consumed by the depression, anxiety, etc. In the back of my mind I knew I needed more comprehensive help, I just couldn't verbalize it. I was also one of those who thought people who committed suicide were weak and I would never be that person. 

Until I was. 

I look back on it all now and, even though I lived it, I still can't believe or understand how desperate I was. The experience definitely gave me insight into a lot of things I didn't and couldn't understand before. I was hospitalized twice. Once for the initial attempt and again a month or two after my discharge. I knew I was still a danger to myself and admitted myself the second time. The help may be there but sometimes the people are so damaged they can't see it.