U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Office for Suicide Prevention

“Bittersweet” PSA Partner Newsletter Article

We all can take simple actions to help prevent suicide among Veterans and Servicemembers. Just being there for someone going through a difficult time can make a big difference.

Veterans and Servicemembers may navigate many transitions — such as sending a child off to college, retiring, or losing a loved one. Sometimes these challenges contribute to feelings of hopelessness or even thoughts of suicide. That’s when the support of family and friends is crucial.

The new “Bittersweet” public service announcement (PSA) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses stories of these transitions to show the importance of support from family members and friends at challenging times. Genuine acts of kindness can help someone feel included and less alone — and sometimes they are an important step in helping someone at risk for suicide connect with support.

Please watch and share “Bittersweet” to show people how even small, simple actions can make a difference to someone going through a difficult time. Visit VeteransCrisisLine.net to learn about how you can be there for the Veterans and Servicemembers in your life. Together, we’ve got this.

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