PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Suicide and PTSD

Available en Español

For Immediate Help, Call or Text 24/7

• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
• Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 then press 1 or text 838255.
  • If you are a Veteran with hearing loss, dial TTY 711, then 988.
  • If you are a Veteran calling from overseas, find phone and text numbers in the footer of the Veterans Crisis Line website.
• Online chat is available on both the 988 Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line.

How common is suicide?

It can be difficult to know exactly how many suicides occur each year.

• Suicides may not be reported as such.
• It can be hard to know whether or not a person meant to die by suicide. For a death to be recorded as suicide, examiners must be able to say that the deceased meant to die.
• The way deaths are recorded (in general) has changed over time.

The 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report includes the following data about suicide in general, and among Veterans:

• In 2023, among all U.S. adults, 47,711 died by suicide. This is an average of about 131 adults per day. This includes 6,398 Veterans who died by suicide in the same year, an average of about 17 or 18 Veterans per day.
• Men are more likely to die by suicide, and this is true for the general population as well as among Veterans.
• Young adults, ages 18-34, are more likely to die by suicide than older adults, regardless of sex or Veteran status.

Does trauma increase a person's risk for suicide?

There is no single cause for death by suicide. Going through a trauma may increase a person's suicide risk. And particular types of trauma may increase risk. For example, among Veterans, some studies have found that combat trauma is related to suicide, while other studies have not found this pattern. It is possible that suicide risk in Veterans may be affected by the intensity and frequence of the combat trauma. Data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) shows that among Veterans getting care in VHA, those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) are more likely to die by suicide. This is true for both female and male Veterans.

Does PTSD increase a person's suicide risk?

When someone has PTSD, it may be that their symptoms and the impact of PTSD on daily life may increase risk of suicide. It may also be that other mental health problems that are common for people who have PTSD, like depression and substance use, may increase risk of suicide separate from PTSD symptoms.

Data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) shows that among Veterans getting care in VHA, mental health problems are related to suicide. Among Veterans who died by suicide in 2023, the following diagnoses in the prior calendar year were found:

• Depression. About 38 out of 100 Veteran suicides, or 38.1%
• Anxiety: About 27 out of 100 Veteran suicides, or 27.5%
• PTSD: About 27 out of 100 Veteran suicides, or 26.6%
• Alcohol use disorder: About 20 out of every 100 Veteran suicides, or 20.3%

From 2021 to 2023, the rate of suicide among Veterans with the above mental health problems decreased.

What can I do if …?

I am thinking about suicide

If you are ever thinking about suicide or feel unsafe, use the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or Veterans Crisis Line (by dialing 988, then pressing 1). See Get Help in a Crisis for additional resources. Services are also available en Español. See Obtenga Ayuda en una Crisis.

Everyone feels down from time to time. If you have thoughts about hurting yourself, seek professional help. Many people who have thoughts of suicide also struggle with depression or with drinking or drug problems. A health care professional can help you address these additional concerns.

I am dealing with PTSD

If you have PTSD and are involved in mental health treatment, your suicide risk will likely be regularly assessed. If suicide risk can be managed safely on an outpatient basis, treatments that are effective for PTSD can help.

I am concerned about someone’s safety

As a family member, friend, or coworker, you may know someone who is thinking about suicide. When a person tells you they have thoughts about suicide, you can support their recovery. Helping someone can be as simple as asking questions and listening, showing kindness; or, you may be in a more pressing situation, where you can encourage mental health treatment or serve as a helper during a crisis. Both the 988 Lifeline and the Veteran’s Crisis Line offer information and resources to help you be a support for someone at risk of suicide. You can also call either of these resources (dialing 988, or 988 then 1 for Veterans) on behalf of someone else.

Someone I know has died by suicide

Coping with death can be hard, and even more so when the loss is unexpected or traumatic. Grieving the loss of a loved one is a process. Due to the traumatic nature of suicide, you may struggle to understand the loss or wonder if you missed a warning sign. Know that the process of grieving can be hard to talk about, change over time, and bring reminders on birthdays or holidays. It can also be difficult to cope when a loved one has made a suicide attempt. Getting support for yourself is important. Learn more about the grief process and how you can take care of yourself after a loss or know when you may need professional help.

Suicide prevention is a top priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As such, they offer many coping and support resources for those who are impacted by a suicide. Although some of the resources are specific to Veterans and military families, much of the information may be useful for non-military families as well.