[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

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                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 26, 2013

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman 
Sinema for organizing this special order today. For far too long, we 
have treated mental illness as a by-product of physical injuries, and 
that those who suffer from mental illness just need to get over it.
  September is Suicide Prevention Month, and mental health is a big 
part of the causes of these fatalities.
  The VA is on the forefront of treating mental health. The soldiers, 
sailors, airmen and Marines who served in Iraq and Afghanistan survived 
at a rate that far outstripped that of any other war that America was 
involved in. That is due to the cutting edge protections and armor that 
we outfitted our military with. A side effect of this protection was 
that they were coming back injured, and many of those injuries were not 
physically evident. Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress 
Disorder.
  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after one has 
experienced a traumatic event. A traumatic event can involve the threat 
of injury or death. Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include but 
are not limited to: combat exposure, physical abuse, sexual or physical 
assault (including Military Sexual Trauma), and serious accidents, like 
a car wreck.
  PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but may 
not appear until months or years later. They also may come and go over 
many years. There are four types of symptoms of PTSD: Reliving the 
event, avoiding situations that remind you of the event, negative 
changes in feelings towards yourself and others, feeling too alert 
(hyperarousal).
  PTSD develops differently from person to person.
  The VA has developed the Veterans Crisis Line, where free, 
confidential support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 
365 days a year, to Veterans, their families and friends.
  As part of this service, online chat and text-messaging services are 
also offered for free.
  Veterans, or anyone concerned about a Veteran, can call 1-800-273-
8255 and Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat or text 
838255 to receive support--even if they are not registered with VA or 
enrolled in VA health care. All Veterans Crisis Line resources are 
optimized for mobile devices.
  Since 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than 890,000 
calls and made more than 30,000 lifesaving rescues. In 2009, the 
Veterans Crisis Line added the anonymous chat service, which has had 
more than 108,000 chats.
  I want to thank the Congresswoman from Tuscon for organizing this 
Special Order today, and commend her leadership on this issue, which is 
so important for so many people.

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