Suicides

[pinkbug]

It makes you wonder where they get all these statistics and how accurate they may be.
I highly doubt these numbers are correct.

 

[orange.paint]

I just wanted to clarify something with you all...  My wonderful husband is slated to be home from an Afghanistan tour in a few short weeks, the CF rear party has organized a meeting with CF MH for the wives before their return.  We, the wives, have been told to contact them if we see concerning behavior before it gets out of hand.  Would you agree with this idea or am I to believe that this isn't a good idea?

Its a plan paved with good intentions I believe.But I can see this causing a lot of problems between spouses.Personally if my wife called the army to tell them I was withdrawn,or got angry at her I would proably lose it.I see spouses overreacting.I know my wife was annoying as **** when I came home cause I wasn't use to having to deal with her after 6 months.This followed fits of "anger" "Jesus give me some room" when shes smothering me while I'm trying to drive,or being "withdrawn" and heading to the basement to play darts when she gets annoying.

But it may point out some good things to look for and hopefully save life's.

 

[FuzzyLogic]

Interesting compare and contrast:

CBC says that the suicide rate in the CF is three times the national average ... TheStar says the rate is lower than the national average.  Somebody is spinning:

http://cjunk.blogspot.com/2008/04/soldier-suicides-compare-and-contrast.html

 

[George Wallace]

Once again, proof that STATISTICS can be used to prove anyone's agenda is correct.  One set of numbers, manipulated to prove two contradictory findings.  Interesting isn't it?

 

[BernDawg]

I read the CBC art this morning and was shocked but was also in a kind of disbelief.  Although I am painfully well aware of suicide in the CF I also believed that we were a tougher breed of person in general and were not as prone to the drastic action of suicide.  As it turns out I was correct and now recall a similar article I read a year or two ago that stated the same thing about our rate actually being lower than the national average.  I do feel that yet again someone (read CBC) has spun this story to their benefit.  It seems to me that the CBC has a dual agenda, sometimes they hate us and sometimes they love us but they can't make up their minds.  It will be interesting to follow this story for the next few days to see who takes what approach and how they present the "facts".

 

[ark]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/04/18/suicide-rates.html

According to this CBC article, we had 96,318 reg force members in 2006. Isn't this number way too high?

 

[2 Cdo]

I read the CBC art this morning and was shocked but was also in a kind of disbelief.  Although I am painfully well aware of suicide in the CF I also believed that we were a tougher breed of person in general and were not as prone to the drastic action of suicide.  As it turns out I was correct and now recall a similar article I read a year or two ago that stated the same thing about our rate actually being lower than the national average.  I do feel that yet again someone (read CBC) has spun this story to their benefit.  It seems to me that the CBC has a dual agenda, sometimes they hate us and sometimes they love us but they can't make up their minds.  It will be interesting to follow this story for the next few days to see who takes what approach and how they present the "facts".

Berndawg when are you going to learn that the only thing believable from the CBC is Hockey Night in Canada! The rest is just left-wing pablum. :rage:

 

[karl28]

2 Cdo 

I completely agree with you on your views with CBC .  They're a joke as a news group  I don't even consider them when I want to look for a news story truly sad most of the media have lost theire way  what ever happened to being neutral  when composing a story .  I guess those days are gone .



[Edit:  Sorry.  Being 'old school' I had problems wondering where there was.]

 

[enfield]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/04/18/suicide-rates.html

According to this CBC article, we had 96,318 reg force members in 2006. Isn't this number way too high?

The numbers from the CBC story:

2003    86,937  Regular Force members
2004    90,772 
2005    91,285 
2006    96,318
2007    87,000 

According to the DND website (http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about/index_e.asp) the military currently has 62,000 Regular members and 25,000 Reservists, including Rangers. The CBC table has apparently added Regular and Reserve numbers, and then called them all Regular Force members.

However, according to Statistics Canada (http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/govt16a.htm) the military had the following numbers of military personnel, on average, in the same years:
2003      83,766
2004      84,059
2005      85,706
2006      87,728
2007      89,332

Looks like the numbers - and thus the conclusions - from the CBC story are out to lunch.

I'd also point out that until someone compares the suicides to the deploymets and units of the individuals, and takes into consideration statistics from Veterans Affairs on retired/released members, any conclusions are inaccurate and premature. 

 

[FuzzyLogic]

Age and gender are critical to this matter.  The single most suicide prone group in Canada is young adult males.  That's why any comparison of CF suicides to Canadian suicides must compare gender and age in each group.  Since most CF are still male ... and relatively young ... then the target population in the CF for comparison in Canada must match.  TheStar article makes it clear that when compared this way ... which is the accurate way ... that CF suicides are in fact lower than the general population.  For example; males, aged 18 to 30 in the CF are less likely to commit suicide than the same group nationwide.

Of course, this would be too complicated for the CBC to point out.

 

[Shamrock]

If male CF suicides during 2006 were 20 and below the male national average and doubled to 36 making them three times the male national average, then the male national average for 2007 would have to be around 13, meaning the male national average halved. 

I'd hate to accusse the MSM of selectively comparing nonequivalent descriptive statistics by say comparing the CF to one standard before the rate change and to a second standard after the rate change to arrive at a flawed conclusion.

 

[Timmy!]

Berndawg when are you going to learn that the only thing believable from the CBC is Hockey Night in Canada! The rest is just left-wing pablum. :rage:

Amen... 

 

[Proud_Newfoundlander]

Arent CF members more likely to seek help help for mental illness ?


CBC Newsworld isnt to bad, but National Canadian media does have a soft leftist bias. Allthough comedy shouldnt be taken on the level of, say news, I find CBC comedy to be terribly bias. Whats bothersome is this is government tax funded money programs Have no idea bout their dramas, as they dont seem to last past a week.. lol

 

[BernDawg]

Oh I'm well aware that they're the Communist Broadcasting Corporation.  I never said that I trusted them. 

 

[Yrys]

The article the blog and CBC are speaking of is also mention in thread here :


Invisible Wounds of War

 

[tomahawk6]

Suicide is a real problem with seriously injured soldiers.They are depressed that life as they know it is forever changed. Its a decision that affects their families. Seriously injured soldiers need a strong support network to overcome depression and heal.

 

[Yrys]

I would add to tomahawk6  post  medications for depressions (don't know if medications work for PTSD).

 

[the 48th regulator]

I would add to tomahawk6  post  medications for depressions (don't know if medications work for PTSD).

Medication does work,

But, like any other method of healing it all depends on the individual, and the treatment that they receive.

dileas

tess

 

[tomahawk6]

A badly wounded man needs a strong will to live and if that is lacking then its very hard to keep him from killing himself. Family and friends are far better than just medication alone. This is why men when they have a shot at staying in the service have a goal and hope to cling to. There was an account last year of a Captain who was paralyzed from the neck down who after discussing his situation with his family,said his good byes and had the doctors stop life support. These are hard choices that are highly personal and those who make the decision to die should not be looked down on by anyone. These fine young men/women served their country and gave their all thats what counts to me.

 

[dapaterson]

Perhaps we should back off on some of the CBC bashing.  The table in the CBC story is clearly labeled as "Regular Force and Reserves"; I'm concerned about the drop from 2006 to 2007 of 9000+ personnel.  I suspect they've dropped the CIC and Canadian Rangers from the total in 2007; dropping 9000 pers will increase the rate, especially when the raw number of personnel increases.

Claiming "The military has many young men who are more prone to suicide" is a red herring.  First, the military is not a cross section of society writ large; there is selection prior to enrollment that should weed out psyches more likely to suicide; this could be an indicator that those selection processes are not working as they should, or an indicator that additional stresses are being placed on our sailors, soldiers and airmen.

Overall, this is a significant issue: going from 20 to 36 suicides in a year might be a statistical blip, but may also be an indicator of stresses in the system that have to be addressed.  Far better to take action that is later proved unnecessary than to do nothing in a situation like this.