A sliver of promise in the relentless struggle against veteran suicides has surfaced through the work of a U.S. Air Force veteran and a partnership between a psychiatric expert and a military mental health care program. Nancy Dickinson, a retired veteran after 23 years of service, including deployments in war zones such as Iraq, has spoken out about the profound impact that a new form of suicide prevention therapy has had on her life, a story reported by KSAT.
According to KSAT, Dickinson carried the weight of her battlefield experiences back home and faced the haunting potential of suicide, a reality she knew had to be addressed head-on. "I knew if I did not get help, it was going to go downhill fast. I dealt with the suicide stuff," Dickinson told KSAT. She added that the avoidance of seeking help among her peers was heartbreaking, aware of the daily losses suffered by the military community.
The intervention that Dickinson credits for her turnaround is known as Brief Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Suicide Prevention, a therapy approach distinct from traditional treatments as it specifically targets an individual's stress responses. Dr. Craig Bryan, a psychiatrist, professor, and researcher at The Ohio State University and an advocate for Brief Cognitive Behavior Therapy, has been working with UT Health San Antonio's STRONG STAR consortium. The therapy constitutes 10-12 sessions, focusing not solely on mental health conditions like anxiety or PTSD, but rather on how one responds to stress and challenging thoughts, as per ASCE.
"We look at how you react or respond to stressful situations. How do you think about yourself, about the situations that you’re in?" Bryan explained in the KSAT report. The goal is to equip individuals with more balanced perspectives and coping strategies. Dr. Bryan’s methodology includes crisis response planning—a critical tactic devised as a step-by-step action plan for when negative thoughts emerge, potentially helping to veer away from the path leading to a suicide attempt.
The innovative approach has shown significant results, with Bryan citing a 76% reduction in suicide attempts compared to traditional methods, as noted by the ASCE. Moreover, the therapy is flexible enough to treat concurrent mental health conditions like PTSD—challenging past clinical hesitancies due to perceived risks. The military's investment in the research and development of these therapies speaks to the paradigm shift, albeit with a noted slow uptake in integrating these practices within military healthcare systems. Both KSAT and ASCE have highlighted Dr. Bryan's work in training clinicians, supported by infrastructure from UT Health San Antonio and funding from the USAA Educational Foundation—paving the way for broader adoption of Brief Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
This dedication to refining and disseminating suicide prevention strategies extends hope to many, as life-saving therapies emerge from the fog of traditional mental health practices. For those struggling with such thoughts, resources like the 988 Lifeline provide immediate support. The contact for STRONG STAR is available at 210-562-6700 for military members and veterans seeking specialized assistance.
