The Problem With The $3,000,000 Military Anti-Suicide Nose Spray

The US military put up $3 million to research an anti-suicide nasal spray. The important thing to see in this is the reality of how the state is handling a real crisis. The problem is the mental health of the troops. The solution is to address what is driving so many people to take their own lives. The problem with the state addressing this is that it would have to confront the violent reality of what it is. The real solution would involve a drastic change in the violent power of the state. Instead of addressing the mental health of people it is exploiting to take lives and oppress the state is looking for a magic drug.

This is the equivalent to addressing the depression of an abused woman with anti-depressants and telling her to stay in the abusive relationship. The problem is that these people will never heal and will continue to have the psychological damage brought on by the aggression of the state. In fact if these people are mentally ill and the state is using a band aid to try and cover the symptoms this will lead to further trauma and further mental damage of these troops. In the attempt to prevent suicide the state is bringing on further damage to these people.

The only goal seems to be to prevent the suicides. The goal of creating an environment where people are driven to suicide wasn’t the option. The problems that lead to this are not addressed. One symptom is being addressed by trying to prevent it or prolong it until the troops are no longer in the military. This shows great irresponsibility and an unwillingness to address the problems they have brought upon these people.