LT Darryl Diptee has created a Smartphone app that he hopes will address the high rate of suicide in the U.S. military. Here he is shown with local children during his time in Baghdad, Iraq.
Suicides in U.S. military continue to escalate
By Karin Eagle
Native Sun News Staff Writer RAPID CITY — More active duty personnel in the U.S. military died by their own hand than in combat in 2012. An estimated 5,000 veterans die by suicide each year. In a study done by the RAND Corporation, there are over 2.3 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, 2.6 million veterans who fought in the war in Vietnam and 8.2 million “Vietnam Era Veterans” who are at risk for suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in varying degrees and forms. According the RAND study, at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression. Other accepted studies have found a PTSD prevalence of 14, which quotes studies with findings ranging from 4 -17% of Iraq War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment, and out of the half that does seek treatment, only half of them get “minimally adequate” treatment. Also identified in the RAND study are 19% of veterans who may have traumatic brain injury (TBI) .7% of veterans have both post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. One U.S. Navy veteran, who saw combat in Baghdad, has created what he believes to be a tool that will help veterans of all branches and war eras find relief. LT Darryl Diptee, U.S. Navy, is the creator of EVA, Emotion Vitality Assistant, which is a mental healthcare App for smart phones. “I am an active duty U.S. Navy Lieutenant with 15 years of service who, after a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, decided to tackle the problem of suicide in the U.S. Military,” says Diptee “Knowing the culture of the military, I knew that technology could help solve this dreadful mental health problem. After 18 months of research and development, we now have a working prototype of a mental healthcare Smartphone app called EVA.” In 2012, the U.S. military recorded its highest suicide rate on record. On average, one active duty military member committed suicide each day, and approximately every hour, a veteran took his or her life. One of LT Diptee’s fellow soldiers suggested that his creation could go to help the high level of suicides in Native American communities as well. Though extremely important, traditional face-to-face psychological therapy falls short as it typically forces patients to recall days or weeks of undocumented, fragmented experiences in an hour or two for a counselor to analyze on the spot. Such expectations are unrealistic because important information is often forgotten by the patient and the counselor rarely has sufficient time to properly evaluate, query and advise on what’s being shared. The EVA Smartphone app solves this dilemma by providing a safe, confidential virtual space where patients can maintain a continued connection with their counselors in between face-to-face sessions. Patients share their thoughts, experiences and emotions via EVA as they occur in the form of text, picture, video, and audio journaling. Counselors can then use this information to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their patients. Subsequently, they are better prepared to ask questions, coordinate follow-up treatments and facilitate proper care-transition. The two main functions of EVA are to support mental health by promoting emotional expression in a safe, non-threatening environment and to provide continuity of care for those who are at risk for suicide. In addition to extending the therapy room to virtual space, other features of EVA include: Safety planning for bouts of suicidal ideation; live chatting with suicide prevention specialists; GPS locator for SAMHSA treatment facilities; Instant connectivity to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via 1-800-273-TALK (8255). EVA allows healthcare facilities and counselors to maintain connection with their mental health patients. The App also encourages the continual expression of feelings and emotions in a safe, non-threatening, and confidential environment which promotes personal well-being and mental health. “We've come a long way since the idea was first drawn out on a cafe napkin,” said Diptee in explaining how he is now seeking funding to bring EVA out of the prototype phase and into a wide usage “That being said, there remains much more to be done. The funding support we are looking for will help us make EVA a reality.” When the funding is secure an extra layer of encryption will be added to the server to become complaint with HIPAA regulations and protocol. An upgrade on EVA's IT and network infrastructure and to encrypt the network connection on Android and Apple platforms will be completed as well. Also with the funding the following steps can be completed; perform cosmetic reconstruction of the application and website with professional art and design to increase the user experience; complete EVA's development with increased functionality to get it ready for use in the combat zone and deployed areas; and design, build and perform a Randomized Control Trial of EVA for scientific validity. I've done and sacrificed a lot to get to this point, but with your help I know we can get this important tool out to our troops,” says Diptee. LT Diptee can be contacted via email at contact@DarrylDiptee.com. For more information about the fundraising efforts for EVA, visit www.indiegogo.com/projects/eva-the-mental-healthcare-smartphone-app. (Contact Karin Eagle at staffwriter@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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