The Silent Crisis: Suicide Statistics Among Veterans and Public Service Members

These numbers are more than just statistics; they represent lives lost, families shattered, and communities robbed of their protectors. But there is hope, and that hope lies in the transformative power of equine-assisted therapy. Research has shown that equine-assisted interventions can lead to significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, social functioning, vitality, and emotional regulation (Stanley et al., 2016). A study by Modern Psychological Studies found that students in animal-assisted therapy programs had a 0% dropout rate, compared to a staggering 40% for those without this therapy (Cerel et al., 2019). Furthermore, participants were 94% more likely to seek out mental health support when equine-assisted therapy was involved (Cerel et al., 2019).