MSI Press Blog

  Tere is a strong and well-documented relationship between depression and suicide — but it’s not a simple cause-and-effect. Depression increases the risk of suicide, especially when it’s moderate to severe, but not everyone with depression becomes suicidal. 🧠 How Depression and Suicide Are Connected Depression distorts thinking : It can make people feel hopeless, helpless, and worthless — as if their pain will never end. Suicide may seem like a solution : In deep depression, people may believe that ending their life is the only way to escape emotional suffering. Isolation intensifies risk : Depression often leads to withdrawal from others, which removes protective factors like social support. Co-occurring issues matter : Substance abuse, trauma, and chronic illness can compound depression and increase suicide risk. About 60% of people who die by suicide have a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder. 🚨 Warning Signs to Watch For Talking about wanting to die or...

  PTSD is often described as a disorder of memory — the past refusing to stay in the past. But for many people, especially (though not exclusively) former military service members, PTSD is also a disorder of survival . The nervous system stays on high alert long after the danger has passed. The body keeps bracing. The mind keeps scanning. And over time, that constant vigilance can become unbearable. It’s in that unbearable space that suicidal thoughts sometimes take root. What the Research Shows People living with PTSD have significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than the general population. The risk increases when: trauma was severe, prolonged, or repeated symptoms include hyperarousal, nightmares, or intrusive memories PTSD coexists with depression, anxiety, or substance use the person feels isolated or misunderstood the trauma involved moral injury — a violation of one’s core values Among former military service members, the risk is shaped ...

  Many people assume that depression is simply sadness. In reality, severe depression can be a life-threatening illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and views the future. For some veterans, depression develops after combat exposure, traumatic experiences, physical injuries, chronic pain, survivor's guilt, PTSD, difficult transitions to civilian life, or a combination of these factors. What makes depression especially dangerous is that it often convinces people that nothing will ever improve. That is why support matters. Learn to Recognize the Warning Signs Depression does not always look like sorrow. Some veterans become withdrawn and isolated. Others seem constantly irritable or angry. Some stop participating in activities they once enjoyed. Others begin neglecting their health, sleeping excessively, or sleeping very little. Particularly concerning signs include: Talking about feeling hopeless Saying they are a burden to others Giving away valued possessions Expressing...