According to the World Health Organization, almost one million people worldwide die by suicide every year. Within the United States, suicide is a leading cause of death with over 49,000 people dying in 2022 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). There are also many more people who experience suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide.
The U.S. military reflects an important subset of the U.S. population with both shared and unique characteristics when compared to the U.S. population. Historically, military suicide rates have been lower than those found in the general population. Rising suicide rates among Service members and veterans over the past decade have raised public and professional concerns. According to the calendar year 2022 Annual Report on Suicide in the Military, the standardized suicide rate was 25.1 per 100,000 for the Active component. For the Selected Reserves component, the rates were 19.1 per 100,000 for the Reserves and 22.2 per 100,000 for the National Guard.
A number of psychosocial factors are associated with suicide risk in military populations. Common individual stressors identified for military personnel who either attempted and/or died by suicide were relationship problems, administrative/legal issues and workplace difficulties. Other medical conditions that are associated with an increased risk for suicide include traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain, and sleep disorders. These conditions can contribute substantially to increased suicide risk in affected individuals. The most common method for suicide in the DoD is firearms, accounting for over 69 percent of all suicide deaths in the military.
Elevated suicide risk has been shown to endure well beyond military service, with veterans carrying a much greater risk for suicide than their civilian counterparts. According to the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (2023), the Veteran suicide rate was 33.9 per 100,000. Like Service members, the most common method for suicide among U.S. veterans is firearms, accounting for over two-thirds of all veteran suicides.
With the increased suicide rates in military and veteran populations, it is imperative that we provide evidence-based psychotherapies developed specifically to target suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) is an evidence-based treatment recommended by the VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Patient’s at Risk for Suicide (2024). CBT-SP is a structured, time-limited, present-focused approach that helps patients develop coping skills and strategies to overcome suicidal crises.
CDP offers two-day training workshops on the assessment, prevention and treatment of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Click Upcoming Training Events to view future training opportunities and to learn how to how to register for a training event.