Living a Life Worth Living: Spirituality and Suicide Risk in Military Personnel

In the absence of conceptual models that explicitly incorporate protective factors for suicide, research focused on understanding the contributors and causes of suicide among military personnel and veterans has largely overlooked factors that may reduce risk in this population. One proposed protective factor is spirituality, but the mechanisms by which spirituality reduces risk remain unknown. Research suggests that existential aspects of spirituality such as meaning in life and the capacity to forgive oneself for perceived transgressions may reduce risk more so than explicitly religious aspects of spirituality such as belief in a higher power or deity. Preliminary evidence suggests that interventions and treatments that foster personal meaning and self-compassion in addition to reducing guilt, shame, and self-deprecation can reduce suicidal behavior among military personnel and veterans. Additional research is needed to understand why, how, and for whom spirituality influences suicide risk.