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Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports 8/2014

01-08-2014 | Military Mental Health (CH Warner, Section Editor)

Suicides in the Military: The Post-Modern Combat Veteran and the Hemingway Effect

Authors: Carl Andrew Castro, Sara Kintzle

Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports | Issue 8/2014

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Abstract

Suicides in the military have increased over the last ten years. Much effort has been focused on suicide prevention and treatment, as well as understanding the reasons for the sharp increase in military suicides. Despite this effort, the definitive causes of military suicides remain elusive. Further, highly effective suicide prevention and treatment approaches have not yet been developed. The purpose of this article is to present a short review of the current state of suicide prevention interventions within the context of the military. The root causes of suicidal behavior and the role of combat in the military are each discussed. Interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and the military transition theory are introduced as guiding frameworks for understanding suicides and suicidal behavior amongst active military personnel and military veterans. The article concludes with a set of recommendations for moving forward in understanding and addressing suicides in the military.
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Metadata
Title
Suicides in the Military: The Post-Modern Combat Veteran and the Hemingway Effect
Authors
Carl Andrew Castro
Sara Kintzle
Publication date
01-08-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Psychiatry Reports / Issue 8/2014
Print ISSN: 1523-3812
Electronic ISSN: 1535-1645
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0460-1

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