It's Suicide Prevention Week and a local veterans affairs center is making sure the veteran community knows of the resources available to them.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an average of 20 veterans die by suicide each day.
The Waco VA offers a number of resources to help those struggling with their mental health, including its Center of Excellence, which focuses on researching the events that lead up to suicidal thoughts.
"The classic one certainly is a major depressive disorder, but even minor feelings of depression," said Dr. Richard Seim, a clinical psychologist at the Center of Excellence. "PTSD, traumatic brain injury, symptoms of military sexual trauma or even just kind of life issues like marital problems or family functioning issues."
Dr. Seim said this type of research allows them to better serve veterans who could use additional treatment after going through traditional therapy.
"One of the studies we've been running for the last seven years now is tracking veterans as they come back from recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and looking at those symptoms of PTSD, traumatic brain injury and so forth to see how they change over time," said Dr. Seim.
Dr. Seim said the Center of Excellence is also about to open a new clinic. It will involve using magnetic waves to stimulate the brain, which will help to alleviate symptoms of depression.
If you know a veteran struggling with depression, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.
For more information on the Waco VA, click here.
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