Suicide risk in the military similar to that in civilian populations

Dr. Charles C. Engel

Military suicides are sometimes characterized as an epidemic, and many assume that the rate is escalating out of control because of prolonged combat deployments and their associated stresses, said Dr. Charles C. Engel.

But suicide within the military remains rare, despite the worrisome increase that has occurred in recent years. This trend should be viewed in context: A similar increase in suicides has been reported in the general U.S. population during the same time period, and has been linked to declines in the economy and escalating unemployment.

The findings of LeardMann et al. are reassuring in that they identify three leading causes of military suicide – mood disorders and alcohol misuse – for which effective treatments exist, he said.

Charles C. Engel, M.D., is with the department of psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. He reported no financial conflicts of interest. These remarks were taken from his editorial accompanying Ms. LeardMann’s report (JAMA 2013:310:484-5).