MILWAUKEE — One challenge many veterans face is mental health, including thoughts of suicide.
A 2022 Veteran Affairs study shows more than 16 veterans die by suicide every day.
The resources for veterans are extensive, but sometimes people don't know where to turn or how to start getting help. That's where veteran Curtiss Peck comes in. His one-on-one training has proven to not only prevent suicides but to help others notice the signs too.
Some of the topics and approaches discussed could be triggering to some.
Peck joined the Air Force in 1966.
"In the military, when you look to your right and you look to your left and you look behind you, there's somebody there. You're in a team. When you get to civilian life, so often, you look to your right and you look to your left and there's no one there," Peck explained.
It's a challenge Peck said is familiar to many veterans and one he has experienced too.
"I've been there. I was pretty close. There was a time in my life I would tell my wife I wasn't going to make it to 30, and I engaged in really risky behavior," Peck said.
Behavior Peck now teaches others to notice. Behavior like withdrawal from family and friends, significant changes in behavior, increased drug or alcohol use, giving away prized possessions or even dramatic changes in appearances. Peck said all of these or even some could be signs of suicidal ideation.
Recognizing signs of distress is the first part of Peck's training known as R.A.C.E. Suicide Prevention.
Most recently, one of his participants noticed a co-worker was showing those warning signs at a company meeting.
"We were doing a monthly check-in, and I was able to just listen, and I noticed something was off with him," Mariano Delle Donne said.
Delle Donne is one of Peck's few hundred participants. He said he took Peck's training because his company works hand-in-hand with law enforcement.
"Because of the training, I just asked him point blank, 'Are you thinking about committing suicide?' and he quickly, without hesitation said yes and 'I have everything I need to go through with it'," Delle Donne explained.
A scary situation that Delle Donne said he was prepared for.
"Without the training, I would never have been in a place where I would've known that going direct and asking very pointedly was the way to go. As a group, we were able to just stop, listen, turn our attention to this person, and then provide him with support and he's doing great today," Delle Donne explained.
Delle Donne said he's recommended Peck's training to family members and friends too.
"Most people who contemplate suicide, they don't really want to die. What they want to do is end the pain that they're experiencing, and suicide is the option, and so our job is to help them and to give them hope and to help them find options," Peck added.
Peck's one-on-one training is virtual and free. It's three, one-hour sessions weekly.
If you are struggling with mental health you can call 9-8-8 to speak with someone immediately.
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