Self-Blame and Suicidal Ideation Among Combat Veterans

Suicide, attempted suicide, and suicidal ideation are serious problems in the military, particularly among combat veterans. Self-blame and guilt are recognized risk factors for suicide in military personnel. The author describes his clinical experience with suicidal combat veterans, the role of self-blame in their suicidal ideation, and a series of core negative self-beliefs common in this population. Under the theme of self-blame, the author discusses: the locus-of-control shift; precombat trauma; suicide as murder of the self; survivor guilt; self-blame for death of a fellow soldier; self-blame for being raped by a fellow soldier; and several other forms of self-blame that contribute to suicidal ideation. He provides examples of treatment strategies and clinical interventions for each of these reasons for self-blame