Buddy Buddy System App - Suicide Prevention

I suffer from PTSD, and have seen the darkest depression there is, and I am far from being out of this. I am still actively seeking treatment and being treated, I could not function without the amazing support that teams like "Op Courage" have given me. However, what I have noticed is that it took me far too long to realise I needed this help, I was physically assaulting my partner (in my sleep, so completely unconscious, and I would never hurt him awake, ever) and the guilt this placed on me was unbearable, but I still didn't go and get help straight away! I let things get worse, and worse, and worse until eventually it couldn't get any worse, and either I needed to get help, or something was going to happen to me that would mean I would not be here typing this monologue! 

I feel selfish, because I managed to talk to my GP who acted quickly and got me in touch with the right people who have likely saved my life, while I am nowhere near out of the woods, and I am still dealing with the basics, I think that as part of my ability to "ground" myself from the effects of PTSD, I need to create a Veteran failsafe, a last ditch attempt for any veteran to be saved! The reason I think this has a chance of working is because it's not going to be the same as your normal prevention app, this is going to be the just talk and listen app, veteran to veteran, someone that has been there, and someone that has seen it, and knows what you are going through! 

The plan has to work, as there are currently too many veterans taking their own lives. There is already more suicides from veterans that served in Afghanistan, than were killed in the time we were there! This app, seeks to put veterans in touch with other veterans and help them make the transition into getting support when they are ready from groups like Op Courage. It is going to be effectively a mass volunteering veteran database, with locations stored securely, so we can implement a "buddy - buddy" system, when you join the app, you are linked to another veteran in your area, and your responsibilities are to look out for each other, check in, have a coffee, go for a beer, get to know each other. If that "buddy" doesn't work, then there will be a way to request a change, and as we are adults, no one should feel negative about that! This is my vision, bringing what we did while serving, back into civvy street with us! Who knows, as suicide among men is skyrocketing, we could eventually look to implement and teach the principles of the buddy system to our civilian friends! Helping to save more and more lives and more and more and more join! 

I have a long journey ahead of me, and there are a lot of things in life I want to achieve, and one of those is making sure that I can control my PTSD, and it stops controlling me, together we can do this! Let's get the Buddy-Buddy system up and running for everyone in the UK that has served, and then expand from there!