FInal Essay_Suicide Among Female Veterans

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Dec 6, 2023

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1 The Suicidal Female Veteran STUDENT School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University CCOU304: Christian Counseling for Women (D01) Dr. Kristin Kellen August 4, 2023

2 Introduction When God first created man and woman, they lived in harmony with their Creator and the world around them. However, this peace did not last forever, and in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve committed the original sin. Since sin entered the world, mankind has been living in sin’s shadow, fighting demons of all sorts. Living under the curse of sin and fighting Satan’s influence every day can be a heavy burden to carry, and, unfortunately, the burden becomes too heavy for them to carry. Exhausted and with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, and not knowing who to ask for help, some decide to give up the fight and turn to suicide. For the purposes of this essay, it is critical to provide operational definitions for different terms related to suicide. First, suicide is defined as “taking one’s own life” (Kellen, 2022, p. 133). Suicidal ideations are the thoughts, ideas, or wishes surrounding suicide. And a suicide attempt simply means that a person has made an attempt, whether or not the attempt was successful (Kellen, 2022, p. 133). In 2021, 12.3 million adults had serious suicidal ideations; 1.7 million adults attempted suicide, and 48,183 people completed suicide (CDC.gov: Facts About Suicide, 2023). That means that approximately 1 of God’s people, created in His image, dies by suicide every 11 minutes (CDC.gov: Facts About Suicide, 2023). Suicide is a scary topic, one that is often considered taboo. However, it is a subject that must be addressed and examined further because is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States as of 2020 (Kellen, 2022, p. 133). Female Veteran Suicide One special population that garners much attention when it comes to the topic of suicide is United States veterans. They are our nation’s heroes, working around the clock to protect their fellow Americans, often under tremendous levels of stress and danger. These heroes include

3 women, which is the fastest-growing demographic in the veteran population, accounting for about 9% of all veterans, a number that is expected to reach more than 15% by 2035 (Women veterans report, 2017). And worrying trends among the female (or woman) veteran population that warrant further examination and discussion, especially for those who wish to counsel women. Unfortunately, the topics of mental health and suicide remains incredibly stigmatized despite the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) having their respective suicide prevention initiatives. While the suicide rate among veterans has declined since 2018, the average number of daily veteran suicides has increased overall from 6,001 in 2001 to 6,146 suicide deaths annually as of 2020; a net total of 145 more veteran lives lost every year (2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). Statistics Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report discusses the most recent suicide trends in the veteran community. Current statistics suggest that, on average, 16.8 veterans died by suicide per day in the year 2020, making the suicide rate 57.3% higher than their non-veteran counterparts (2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). Further, among veterans ages 18 to 44 years, suicide is the second leading cause of death, compared to being the tenth leading cause among the total U.S. population (2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). While male veterans are more likely to die from suicide, female veterans are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than civilian women. Moreover, between the years 2005 and 2017, the suicide rate among veteran women increased 60% (Denneson et al., 2020, p. 1). It is still the second leading cause of death for female veterans 18 to 34 years old and the third

4 leading cause of death for those between 35 and 44 years old (2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). One reason for the difference in the rate of suicides between veteran and non-veteran women is likely that veteran women are 15% more likely to use firearms in their suicide attempts than non-veteran women (48.2% versus 33.3%). The second most used method for female veterans is poisoning, including overdose in almost 27% of suicide attempts (2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report). Possible Reasons for Suicide Attempts What They Have in Common Counselors need to be aware that suicide is complex and there is never one single cause of suicidal ideations. (Houston, 2017, p. 64). There are several reasons a woman may consider committing suicide and many of them are non-discriminatory. In a study published by Denneson et al., researchers interviewed a sample of 50 veterans about the circumstances surrounding their suicide attempts (2020, p. 3). Women reported feelings of worthlessness, shame, and emptiness stemming from feelings of powerlessness and poor interpersonal relationships and a subpar support system. When they would ask for help, these veteran women were met with rejection. Additionally, many women indicated that they were victims of sexual abuse and trauma (pp. 4- 5). Moreover, women may consider suicide out of bitterness and contempt toward another person for having hurt them; their wish is to “hurt them back” (Kellen, 2022, p. 135). Again, none of these reasons are unique to veterans or non-veterans. Unique Considerations Veteran women and non-veteran women are more alike than they are different. Female veterans are still humans, image-bearers of their Creator with their own unique roles and

5 functions. Yet there are several factors unique to veteran women that must be accounted for in the counseling process in order to better understand their symptoms and assist in treatment planning (Ross et al., 2015, p. 521). Military culture is unique and complex; each branch has its own traditions, ways of socializing, values, terminology and behavioral norms (Ross et al., 2015, p. 521). Not only do veteran women carry the burdens associated with family, relationships, their role as women, and as human beings living under the curse of sin, they bring additional stressors like recent transitions from military to civilian life, chronic stress related to lengthy deployments, and the horrors of combat (Houston, 2017, p. 173). Also, the female veteran may have been the victim of military sexual trauma (MST), in which she was harassed or assaulted in the line of duty, which research has linked to increased suicide risk (p. 176). Another concern for female veterans, especially in the context of suicide, is that many do not enjoy the same amounts of camaraderie and belongingness as their male counterparts, leaving them especially vulnerable to feelings of loneliness and isolation (p. 175). Finally, research suggests that men and women who join the military are more likely than their civilian counterparts to have experienced difficult childhoods, including higher instances of all types of abuse (Houston, 2017, p. 175). It is hypothesized that military-related stressors may trigger or aggravate such wounds, leaving servicemembers and veterans more susceptible to mental illness and suicidal ideations or behaviors (p. 175). A Biblical Perspective of Suicide Because humanity dwells in the shadow of sin, all are vulnerable to suicidal ideations and Christians are no exception. There are conflicting perspectives on the topic of suicide within the Christian community, so it is critical that counselors rely on scripture to guide them in counseling

6 those at risk for suicide. While the Bible does not provide any prescriptive teachings on suicide, there are several core beliefs in Christianity regarding why suicide is wrong. Suicide is Sinful God’s Commandments The best place to begin is with the definition of what suicide is: it is self-murder (Potter, 2021, p. 3). Committing murder of any kind, whether it is homicidal or suicidal in nature, is a violation of God’s sixth commandment, “you shall not murder,” given to Moses in the book of Exodus (20:13, New International Version). Furthermore, sin is willful disobedience against God; suicide is willful and therefore, a sin. Second, if God forbids taking the life of any image- bearer, the sixth commandment extends to one’s own life (Potter, 2021, p. 2). In the same passages regarding creation, it is made clear that God is the Ultimate Authority when it comes to the creation of life and when life ends. If someone other than God ends a life, they are attempting to impose their will on God, rather than submitting to his will (Potter, 2021, p. 2). She is Precious Another reason Christians believe that suicide is wrong is because our lives are not our own; God owns our bodies, not us (Potter, 2021, p. 5). In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul says that the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and was bought for the high price of Christ’s blood on the cross. Therefore, we should honor God by caring for our bodies. Moreover, one of the very first lessons Christians learn from the Bible is that God created man and woman in his image, Imago Dei. And, when God saw all that he had made, it was very good (Genesis 1:31, New International Version). Like every woman that came before her, the counselee is just that, very good. She is beautiful, has a purpose and has potential, whether she sees it or not (Kellen, 2022, p. 10). Therefore, to Christians, when someone harms their body in

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