Research examines link between traumatic brain injuries, soldier suicides

Posted on: 10:11 pm, June 1, 2013, by Mark Green, updated on: 10:12pm, June 1, 2013

SALT LAKE CITY A new study indicates people in the military who suffer more than one traumatic brain injury have a higher risk of suicide.

Assistant psychology professor Craig Bryan, University of Utah, was the lead author of the research performed by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah.

They studied 161 military personnel stationed in Iraq who had a possible traumatic brain injury and found their risk for suicidal thoughts increased significantly over the short-term as well as throughout the individuals lifetime.

Bryan said the problem is complicated by the fact some soldiers are unwilling to face up to the full danger of the situation.

Most will minimize the problems and the symptoms theyre having because they dont want to be removed from duty, he said. They want to stay and continue their mission.

Bryan said soldiers who do report symptoms after an injury usually see improvement within 24 to 72 hours of the incident.

The recovery is quite rapid for concussions as long as the person sidelines for a while, he said. They take some time off. They rest, sleep, dont do physically strenuous activity, and they really let their brain rest.

Bryan said soldiers struggle with feelings of isolation.

They feel like theyre not understood and that their not truly valued and appreciated, and we know, based on the research that were doing now, that that isolation, that sense of not fitting in with the larger society is actually a much stronger predictor of suicidal thoughts and behaviors than combat exposures, he said.

See the rest here:
Research examines link between traumatic brain injuries, soldier suicides