The World Health Organization tells us that 800,000 people die each year from suicide across the globe. In the United States alone, every day there are over 120 suicides. For each of those, there are twenty-five people who make an attempt. That means each day in the U.S. there are over 3,000 attempted suicides.
In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs stated that twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. That’s one in every hour and five minutes. So, of the 120 suicides each day in the general population of the U.S., twenty-two of those are veterans who gave up hope after faithfully serving their nation and returned home only to face an invisible enemy.
Mental health professionals report that the more intentional someone is about committing suicide, the more they hide their plans and offer no warning signs.
If you have lost all hope and are struggling with thoughts of self-harm, or are concerned about a loved one at risk, we ask you to please go to https://afsp.org/find-support/ or call 1-800-273-TALK right away. Help is available right now.
If you are a veteran who is struggling, or you have a loved one who has served that is at risk, we ask you to please go to veteranscrisisline.net right away.
Please know there is hope available even in your darkest day. Death may be a choice, but so is new life. Just as God told Paul Asher, “And miracles happen. Every day. And sometimes … sometimes, you are the miracle.”