33-year-old vet went to the VA for help. Hours later he took his own life

[laserhaas]

Source: CNN

Link to tweet

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Burdened by suicidal thoughts, Justin Miller, a 33-year-old veteran from Minnesota, reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs in February for help, telling responders on the VA crisis line that he had access to firearms.

Miller was advised to visit his local VA emergency department, which he did immediately.


Miller exited the hospital upon being released from care but never left the facility's grounds that day.

Police found him dead in his car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound less than 24 hours later.

Read more: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/09/29/politics/veterans-affairs-suicide-prevention-data/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

[irisblue]

1. 🕯️

[UpInArms]

2. This a tragedy in so many ways

[JI7]

3. do they know how to deal with this ? what if he had called those prevent suicide numbers

available for all instead ? i wonder if they would have known how to deal with it better.

so fucking sad.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

14. Understand this about those suicide prevention hot lines

They are NOT staffed with mental health care professionals. Please re-read that.

The people who answer those hot-lines are ordinary, everyday citizens. They get a week of "training" and that's pretty much it. They are NOT trained in suicide prevention to the degree they claim to be. They are not professionals. They are not even social workers.

Someone very close to us, desperate for help and on the ragged edge called 1-800-273-8255, the Veterans Crisis Line. The older woman who answered the call had no fucking idea what to do, offered platitudes, dragged religion (which had already exacerbated the problem) into it, said the stupidest possible things imaginable and never knew that her absurd banalities created a hopelessness that turned a very bad situation into a tragic suicide.

We wrote a letter to the FCC about what happened. Never heard anything back.

I would never ever recommend one of those prevention lines to anyone.

[laserhaas]

15. Sad state of affairs

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. Why was he released?!!!

[haele]

11. They might have a mandatory hold timeframe.

And it's difficult to determine if the suicidal person is getting better and will go on with life for a while, or is coming to terms with his or her immenent demise.
A psychiatric hold can be as short as 24 hours or as long as 72 hours for walk inside, depending on how the patient presents.
The best Psychiatrists in the world are still not mind readers, no matter how TV and the movies depict them.
(Spouse is bipolar and also actually attempted suicide once, so we're acutely aware of what happens in these situations).

Haele

[Armymedic88]

5. As a 30yr old Vet this has hit home for me

After serving in 2017 I made a very serious attempt at suicide. After my attempt and the subsequent 8 days in ICU, I went to my local VA and got help with open and honest intentions. As of today I can say that the Drs and therapists at the VA have changed my life for the better. Unfortunately for us veteran's mental health has such a stigma we often down play or supress what we're feeling so we don't seem weak. I pray for his family and friends, and hope they are able to find peace.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Thank you for your courage in sharing this and also for getting the help you need.

And sadly, I am reading in today's news that the VA in Atlanta (my home) is among the worst in the US. It should not be this way. You all deserve top-notch care.

[Honeycombe8]

8. You were so lucky to find the help you needed.

What kind of help did they provide? Just curious. Psychology therapists, or something else? Group counseling?

I always hear that people need help with depression, but they never say what kind.

[Armymedic88]

12. For me

It was and is still a combination of talk therapy, medication, self realization techniques, yoga (which is fun to watch a bunch of vietnam vets doing), and alcohol counseling.

[appal_jack]

22. I am so glad you are still here, Armymedic88!

Keep doing that yoga, etc. and finding the humorous side of all things!

And also know that some random DU'er you have not yet met is thrilled that you are part of this journey we are all on...

-app

[Honeycombe8]

24. Outstanding!

I'm so glad you are still around. I've heard bad stories about Veteran medical treatment (or the lack of it), so I'm glad to hear that at least in one case, it did what it's supposed to do. So glad you're still around. (And for a selfish reason...the world loses way too many men! What they do for work & sport is dangerous, and then they go off mountain climbing & such, and of course the horror of war. ) You rock for pursuing the help.



(I'd love to see a room full of vets doing yoga. I used to do it, and I did find it helpful for the stress I was experiencing at work. Plus it does work the muscles & cardio. You wouldn't think so. But it does.)

[Honeycombe8]

6. Oh, no. Horrible. Just horrible. I hope the hospital investigates this. nt

[mysteryowl]

9. We need a better system of support for vets reaching out.

They need an immediate support person(s).

[mommymarine2003]

10. My son came back from Iraq with serious PTSD.

He was deployed to Iraq and had been back home not quite five months when he was redeployed to Ramadi where they were constantly having incoming mortars. After he came home from the Marine Corps, he went through a downward spiral, which included excessive drinking. He eventually quit driving due to anxiety attacks (gave his truck to his little brother) and pretty much stayed in his room for two years. I drove him to his appointments to the VA's in Seattle and Tacoma, but he continued to worsen. I finally had to get involved after my son could not deal with the unpleasant psychiatrist he had at American Lake in Tacoma. I went to an ombudsman for help there. First I found out that he was not being treated for PTSD. I also found out that there were 1,000 patients per doctor. Basically, my son was just being medicated.

My husband eventually took a job in the Portland area. The VA's in Portland and Vancouver were like night and day compared to the Seattle area ones. Chris had group therapy in Vancouver and a psychiatrist in Portland. They also worked with him with physical therapy and he had a nutritionist because after two years of not walking except around the house, he had gained 80 pounds and could not walk more than a block. We also got him a rescue dog. There were many times, he said he did not want to live and keeping him alive was a constant battle and almost a full-time job for me. One of his Marine buddies had already committed suicide.

He gradually got better mentally and physically. We worked on him being able to drive again. He tried to live by himself a couple of times but would move back home. Eventually he did finish an AA degree and then attended Portland State where they allowed him to have his dog in his apartment at school. He still receives treatment at the VA for his mental health, but he has come such a long way that he got married last year, found a good job, and bought a house. We thought we would never see that day, and my husband and I feel extremely lucky.

[laserhaas]

16. Very cool

👍

[dembotoz]

13. Friends kid is in and out of hospitals with suicide threats

Sort of revolving door.... don't know if he is serious or not.
You don't really know til he does it.
He is screwed up on a whole variety of levels.
Don't know how to roll that set of dice
Happy it's not my kid.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Such a young man, caught up in, doomed by a war created by a-holes.

Private First Class Justin Miller (left) and fellow service member Sergeant Worrel.


Rest in peace, Justin Miller.

[laserhaas]

18. It hurts more, when you see the picture of someone.

When I was at another realm, a fellow warrior against child sexual abuse posted a thread on suicides by parties who made it to their teens.

It depressed me for weeks.

When some friends of the deceased sent pictures of the persons - I sobbed uncontrollably - often.

This world is so cruel.

[Judi Lynn]

19. I'm with you on that, laserhaas. It's overwhelming far more often than not.

I just don't get it.

Your concern and respect for human beings make your presence in the world more likely to help others heal even if you can't see it.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[laserhaas]

21. I try. We won a few $100 at a casino slot in SD, Ca

I was driving down the road and a guy was sitting on curb, crying.

Turned my vehicle around, opened up the window, and said - cheer up - life can be surprising.

Tossed him rolled up bills.

He said thanks.

Then he jumped up in victory V arms when he saw it was $30

My girl friends golden doodle must have known. She jumped in my lap, turned her head upside down on my chest - and gave me an upside down paw for high 5

Or is that high paw 4??? 😛

[murielm99]

20. One of my son's friends

came back after two tours and took his life. He was just short of twenty-four years old.

[laserhaas]

23. Awh.....man

What they go through, in these unjust wars

[ck4829]

25. Kick