Crisis feels different for everybody and can arise from a wide range of situations before, during, or after military service.
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or know a Veteran who is, confidential support is only a phone call away. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and Press 1 to speak to a qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responder. During an emergency, you may call Counseling and Psychological Services at (828) 262-3180 and select the option to speak to the counselor on call. During office hours, you can visit the Counseling and Psychological Services Center in the Miles Annas Building, tell them you are experiencing an emergency, and they will find a counselor to talk to you.
More resources for attempt survivors can be found here: http://lifelineforattemptsurvivors.org
Speaking to a therapist or attending a support group can help improve your overall mental health. Currently enrolled students are eligible to receive counseling for free from the Counseling and Psychological Services Center. Individual counseling and group counseling are available. The Counseling and Psychological Services Center hosts a Connections Group - a group that welcomes students with marginilized or under-represented identities on campus to share and connect in a confidential, supportive space. In order to see a counselor or join a group, visit the Counseling and Psychological Services Center in the Miles Annas building during initial consultation hours.
During the Fall and Spring semesters, Initial Consultation hours are:
Monday - Friday: 8:30am-11:00am and 1pm - 4pm
Counseling and Psychological Services offers the following groups for veterans and military students:
- This group offers a unique forum where men may encourage, challenge, and prepare each other in the pursuit of their chosen path, explore their values, virtues and obstacles, as well as acquire training in psychological skillsets. We welcome men from all walks of life.
- This group is designed for those who have experienced traumatic events in their lives or who come from backgrounds in which they did not feel safe. Members will learn how their past experiences and their biology are affecting their lives now, and they will learn what to do about it! Members will learn important insights about their patterns in relationships and skills to better manage their emotions and relationships.
All of the groups offered by Counseling and Psychological Services are designed to provide meaningful experiences for students who want to resolve specific concerns, for those who want to learn how to better deal with interpersonal relationships, and for those who want to feel better about themselves. Groups generally meet weekly and are most often limited to 6-8 people.
For more information about therapy groups, contact the Counseling and Psychological Services at (828) 262-3180. For more detailed information, ask to speak to the Group Therapy Coordinator.
Having a plan in place that can help guide you through difficult moments can make a difference and keep you safe.
Appalachian State University Veteran Resource Center
The Student Veteran Resource Center is centrally located and provides access to a multitude of resources and amenities, which include a study lounge and individual, portable desktop chairs and a large meeting table for groups, two desktop computers available for students, along with an electric adjustable desk, information about on-campus and off-campus resources for student veterans, refrigerator, microwave, soda bank, coffee and snacks and free printing.
Location: Plemmons Student Union 251
Appstate Student Veterans Association
To provide a social group and support structure to help veterans adjust to and become successful in civilian and college life.
National Society of Pershing Rifles, Company M-4
Pershing Rifles Company M-4 has, and still is, leading the way. Every year, a National Competition (NATCON) is held where companies from around the country compete for trophies. Currently, Appalachian State University has the highest overall NATCON wins with 13 national titles. Practices include elements such as drill and ceremony, exhibition drill, color guard, and assembly/dissasembly of the M1903 Springfield.
The National Society of Scabbard and Blade - F Company, 17th Regiment
Scabbard and Blade is a national honors society, recognized by Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC, as well as service academies. Scabbard and Blade strive to encourage cadets to maintain a high academic standard in addition to their normal course of military and academic study.
Watauga County Veterans Service Office, located in the Courthouse Annex (331 West Queen Street, Boone, NC 28607), assists veterans, dependents, and retirees in obtaining benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs. Applications for hospitalization, service connected compensation, education, loans, scholarships, pensions, and burial allowances are processed and appealed, if necessary.
The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The mission of the North Carolina Heroes’ Fund is to improve the quality of life for the military men and women of North Carolina and their families who are experiencing financial hardships as a result of their service, often times from overseas deployment.
The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crises Line - Call 1-800-273-TALK[8255] and press 1.
Connect via chat.
Text - Text to 838255
The Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline have joined with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to create the Veterans Self-Check Quiz. This is a safe, easy way to learn whether stress and depression might be affecting you.
Engage in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a form of therapy designed specifically to treat individuals who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. Daymark Recovery Services offers DBT treatment. If interested, students should schedule an initial assessment by calling (828) 264 - 8759. Daymark accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicaid, and offers a sliding scale for individuals who do not have insurance.
Now Matters Now is a website that presents the stories of those who have been suicidal, and research-based ways for managing the most painful moments of life. Learn Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Current Emotion, Opposite Action and Paced-breathing. These skills are part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT, proven to be helpful for people considering suicide. These tools are not considered a replacement for one-to-one counseling. You do not have to have suicidal thoughts or mental health problems to use these tools – they are useful for most people and many problems.
Told through the voices of these individuals, their families, and the professionals in their support network, each inspiring story recounts one person's journey from a suicide attempt to the life of hope and recovery that they are leading today.
This blog was created by the American Association of Suicidology to share that suicidal thoughts can happen to anyone and that it’s possible to recover, or learn to manage, and move on.
Live Through This is a collection of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors, as told by those survivors. The intention of Live Through This is to show that everyone is susceptible to depression and suicidal thoughts by sharing portraits and stories of real attempt survivors - people who look just like you. These feelings can affect those closest to us, and the fear of talking about it can be a killer.
This brochure was created to help you as you begin to work through challenges that led you to attempt to take your life. It offers information about moving ahead after your treatment in the emergency department and provides resources for more information about suicide and mental illnesses.
Adapted from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's Help for Attempt Survivors
