Combat veterans are especially at risk…
“During about 300 missions, Andrew had a steady diet of death and destruction.
A combat engineer, Andrew cleared mines and improvised explosive devices from roads before they blew up his fellow Marines, soldiers, and civilians. After nine months, White was sent home and eventually received a medical discharge for PTSD.
“It changed him,” Stan White said of combat. “He became a recluse. In the last four months of his life, he ate two meals with the family. He would take his food to his room.”
On Feb. 12, 2008, when Andrew had failed to meet her for a planned lunch at a restaurant, Shirley White went home. She found him dead in his bed. He was 23.”
The above quote from the referenced website article is becoming an all too common tragedy by combat veterans who suffer from the symptoms of PTSD. Since the illness is invisible and soldiers will not even talk about their pain, they become a suicide risk without loved ones getting any warning. The diet of prescription drugs and use of alcohol as well can cause a person to lose hope and no longer have a desire to live. I know from my own experience that the side effects of medications can cause psychotic episodes that put you and others at risk. I remain hopeful that the continued monitoring and research of anti psychotic drugs, especially mixing with other prescription medications, including alcohol will help mitigate a troubling trend.
