A new national survey suggests that recent suicidal thoughts may be more common among U.S. veterans than they were five years ago. Among veterans who reported suicidal thoughts during the previous year, those who identified the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as their primary source of health care reported current mental health treatment at about twice the rate of those who did not identify VA as their primary health care source.

The findings, published July 20, 2026, in JAMA Network Open, come from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a population-based survey designed to estimate the mental health of the U.S. veteran population.

Among 2,636 veterans surveyed during 2025 and 2026, 13.4% reported suicidal thoughts during the previous two weeks. In the study’s 2019-2020 survey wave, the comparable estimate was 9.0%.

The survey also examined treatment use. Among veterans who reported suicidal thoughts at some point during the previous year, 53.8% of those who identified VA as their primary health care source reported currently receiving mental health treatment. Among veterans who did not identify VA as their primary health care source, that figure was 25.8%.

The comparison highlights a difference in reported treatment use between the two groups. It does not explain why the difference exists or whether receiving VA care caused the higher treatment rate.

The study used a repeated cross-sectional design, meaning researchers compared two independent national samples collected several years apart rather than following the same veterans over time. As a result, the findings estimate how the veteran population changed between survey waves but cannot determine whether individual veterans became more or less likely to experience suicidal thoughts.

The researchers also measured different suicide-related outcomes separately. While recent suicidal thoughts were reported more frequently than in the earlier survey, estimates of lifetime suicide planning and lifetime suicide attempts remained broadly similar across the two survey waves. The study did not measure suicide deaths.

Recent suicidal thoughts were assessed using item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a widely used screening measure that asks about thoughts of being better off dead or of self-harm during the previous two weeks. A positive response is a screening result; by itself, it does not establish a suicide attempt or determine whether someone will die by suicide.

Because the study relied on veterans’ self-reports, the findings describe what participants reported about their mental health and treatment rather than what appears in medical records. The survey also sampled veterans living in the community and did not include institutionalized populations.

The findings raise important public health questions but should be interpreted carefully. The survey identifies population-level trends and differences in reported treatment use, not causes. Why recent suicidal thoughts appear more common, and what factors contribute to differences in treatment use, remain questions for future research.

Why this matters

Studies like this help describe the mental health of the veteran population at a national level. They cannot determine why patterns change, but they can identify trends that deserve closer attention from researchers, clinicians, health systems, and policymakers.

Questions readers may have

What did the survey find?

The weighted estimate of past-two-week suicidal ideation was 13.4% in the 2025-2026 sample, compared with 9.0% in the independent 2019-2020 sample. Estimates of lifetime suicide planning and lifetime attempts remained broadly similar under the study’s corrected comparisons.

Did researchers follow the same veterans over time?

No. The study compared independent, nonoverlapping samples drawn from the same national sampling framework.

Does the treatment difference show that VA care caused greater treatment engagement?

No. Veterans who identified VA as their primary health care source reported current treatment more often, but the study cannot establish why the groups differed or whether VA use caused the difference.

Did the study measure suicide deaths?

No. It measured past-two-week and past-year suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide planning, and lifetime suicide attempts through self-report.

Was this an EMDR study?

No. Its relevance to EMDRNews is veteran mental-health surveillance, treatment engagement, and careful interpretation of suicide-related outcomes.

Selected Sources

• Fischer IC, et al. Suicidal Thoughts, Behaviors, and Mental Health Treatment Use in US Military Veterans. JAMA Network Open. Published July 20, 2026. JAMA Network Open article | DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.24114
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Crisis Line.

Crisis support

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Veterans, service members, and people concerned about them can contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 then pressing 1, texting 838255, or chatting online.

This article is public mental-health reporting and is not a clinical assessment or a substitute for immediate help.