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Tracking Police Suicides 2008
 Moderated by: cjustice  

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cjustice
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 Posted: Sat Jan 24th, 2009 02:34 am1st Post

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Ours is the first scientifically conducted, case-by-case verifiable effort to track police suicides in the United States and, at the same time, provide accurate profile information on the cases.     The below suicides represent cases gathered through a web-based year long surveillance of news reports on police suicide.  Approximately 119,000 suicide-related news articles were scanned during the year for information relating to police suicides in the United States.

 The results were revealing.  We found, following necessary adjustments for variables, there were 141 police suicides in the US during 2008.  This result is in keeping with current credible research, CDC and NOMS data, and other information available in the field today.  Further, testing of our data against blind sources and data gathered by non-media sources, we found solid confirmation of our findings.

 No, these aren't "exciting" figures, nor will the press jump all over them.  But they are valid, we believe correct, and most importantly, they are verifiable.  We do not subscribe to the idea that cops are "offing" themselves every 19 hours.  The evidence simply isn't there--anywhere.  We aren't alone in this--we are backed by the best research and data. 141 officers represents almost three times the number of officers being killed by felons.

 FULL REPORT LOCATED HERE
http://www.badgeoflife.com/suicides.php

Last edited on Sat Jan 24th, 2009 02:35 am by cjustice

Macka
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 Posted: Sat Jan 24th, 2009 10:47 am2nd Post

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cjustice, these are indeed concerning statistics.  What it shows is that police suicide is an issue that needs to be addressed.  What can we do to reduce the incidence of this tragic response to work place stress?  Given that it is not always the result of work issues alone and those who take this action are extremely troubled but who is there to support these officers in their darkest hour?  And, how can we better support our police when they need it most?

Macka

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 Posted: Sat Jan 24th, 2009 09:25 pm3rd Post

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While there are certainly different issues involved each time, it seems to me that friends, family, co-workers and supervisors need to look for different warning signs. And, then need to understand the importance of intervening. The suicide prevention hotline (San Francisco) listed these as warning signs:

Talking About Dying -- any mention of dying, disappearing, jumping, shooting oneself, or other types of self harm.

Recent Loss -- through death, divorce, separation, broken relationship, loss of job, money, status, self-confidence, self-esteem, loss of religious faith, loss of interest in friends, sex, hobbies, activities previously enjoyed

Change in Personality -- sad, withdrawn, irritable, anxious, tired, indecisive, apathetic

Change in Behavior -- can't concentrate on school, work, routine tasks

Change in Sleep Patterns -- insomnia, often with early waking or oversleeping, nightmares

Change in Eating Habits -- loss of appetite and weight, or overeating

Diminished Sexual Interest -- impotence, menstrual abnormalities (often missed periods)

Fear of losing control -- going crazy, harming self or others

Low self esteem -- feeling worthless, shame, overwhelming guilt, self-hatred, "everyone would be better off without me"

No hope for the future -- believing things will never get better; that nothing will ever change.

Macka
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 Posted: Sat Jan 24th, 2009 10:12 pm4th Post

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This clear and concise list is a wonderful tool to assist anyone concerned about a loved one, friend or colleague.  In particular police students should be made aware of this during their initial training and it would not only assist them in recognising the signs of possible suicide in others but also in themselves. 

Commanders should reinforce these warning signs by reminding staff regularly so that all can be aware of what to look out for and helping before things escalate out of control.

I do believe we can prevent suicide if we know how to recognise the signs and how to assist those effected.  In our work with the Police Post Trauma Support Group we have saved many lives by extending an open and understanding hand for those to use as a life line.  That life line is often utilised but only by those officers who are aware that support is available whenever they are thinking of self harm. 

Macka 

cjustice
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 Posted: Sun Jan 25th, 2009 06:26 am5th Post

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Badge of Life

 On February 13, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion Sergeant Andy O’Hara, California Highway Patrol (ret.), Executive Director of The Badge of Life.

 Program Date: February 13, 2009

Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific

Topic: The Badge of Life

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/02/14/The-Badge-of-Life

 About the Badge of Life

According to The Badge of Life, they “are a group of active and retired police officers from the United States and Canada who are victims of trauma-related injuries from our law enforcement service. We have suffered the worst that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) brings—the hopelessness, the despair, the flashbacks, the attempts at suicide, the nightmares and insomnia, the panicky hypervigilence, anxiety and terror. Among us are victims of both critical incident and cumulative PTSD.

 Our personal experiences are varied and representative of what occurs in police work—shootings, violent attacks, the loss of fellow officers, near-death experiences, helplessly watching the death of a child, and more. We were drawn together out of a determination to help others avoid our fate. With the help of experts in the field like John Violanti, PhD (author of Police Suicide, Epidemic in Blue and Under the Blue Shadow), Dr. Janak Mehtani, an expert on PTSD and Catherine Leon, LCSW, who has worked extensively with PTSD and law enforcement, we began to set a path.

 We found that many departments still lack adequate suicide prevention programs. We found many departments have excellent programs—but limit themselves to suicide awareness and prevention. Our program came after long discussion and research--and the realization that, in the search for complex answers, we were all missing the simple solutions! Thus came about the Badge of Life program--a common sense approach to law enforcement stress and trauma that stunned even us by its utter simplicity. 

 About the Guest

Sergeant Andy O'Hara, California Highway Patrol (ret.) is a military veteran and the Executive Director of The Badge of Life.  According to Sergeant O’Hara, he “spent his last day of law enforcement sitting on the bedroom floor with his gun, trying to decide whether to shoot himself in the mouth or side of the head.  Hospitalized twice with the effects of his post traumatic stress, he has written on this topic and spoken to numerous groups about the importance of this new program.  Through those presentations, he has realized how well received and effective the message truly is.   He is a member of the California Peer Support Association, the International Police Association and works as a peer volunteer with the West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat.

 About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

 About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

 Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/02/14/The-Badge-of-Life

chp7016
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 Posted: Tue Jan 27th, 2009 10:49 pm6th Post

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Macka wrote: cjustice, these are indeed concerning statistics.  What it shows is that police suicide is an issue that needs to be addressed.  What can we do to reduce the incidence of this tragic response to work place stress?  Given that it is not always the result of work issues alone and those who take this action are extremely troubled but who is there to support these officers in their darkest hour?  And, how can we better support our police when they need it most?

Macka

An excellent question, Macka. 

Many police agencies have, today, good suicide awareness and prevention programs.  Too many departments don't, however, and we need to reach out and educate them on the values of implementing them.

Additionally, we need to begin in our academies, providing recruits the tools with which to take care of themselves emotionally in an emotionally challenging career.  Cadets know it's going to be "stressful," but it's difficult for them to understand the impact real trauma will have on them.  As we say, "Stress happens, trauma happens TO you."

There are ways to prepare for it, however, and our program recommends an annual "metnal health check," done in the same way you see the dentist once a year for a checkup and cleaning, the doctor for a physical, or get a flu shot.  You don't get a flu shot because you have the flu--you get one to prevent the flu.

So it goes with checking in, annually, with a therapist.  We review the past year, we see "how it's gone," we see what "little things" might be bugging us (because they may later become "big").  We learn the art of "resiliency," how to bounce back, and we build on our strengths.  And we have a place to go when the going gets tough.  Your beat partner or a peer officer may be nice for some things, but when your bothered by that humiliating mistake, you need a therapist.

Conclusion--we need both--taking care of the wounded, and taking care of ourselves before we're wounded.

 


 

cjustice
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 Posted: Sat Mar 7th, 2009 01:50 am7th Post

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Army Creates Suicide Prevention Task Force During 'Stand Down'
By Gary Sheftick
Special to American Forces Press Service 

March 6, 2009 - The Army has created a suicide prevention task force as part of its month-long "stand-down" to address suicides among soldiers, the service's vice chief of staff said yesterday. Maj. Gen. Colleen McGuire, the Army's director of senior leader development, has been selected to head up the task force, Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli told military bloggers and online journalists at a Blogger's Roundtable hosted by the Defense Media Activity. 

"Suicide is a multi-dimensional problem and, as such, will take a multi-disciplinary approach to dealing with it," Chiarelli said. 

In keeping with the complexity of the problem, the task force will have members from a range of staff sections and functional areas. "My charter is ... to look across all disciplines so... commander[s] can have a menu of tools and training programs and experts and know how to best deploy them," McGuire said. 

The task force will include representatives from the Army's offices of personnel and human resources, the provost marshal's office, and the medical department, and it will coordinate closely with the chief of chaplains, Lt. Col. Leo Ruth, a task force member, said in an interview with Army News Service. 

 The task force will examine all of the Army's recent suicides and try to find commonalities, Ruth said. 

 "The whole idea ... is to identify a common theme," he said. "We may not find a trend," but he added that the task force "owed it to leadership" to examine demographics such as age and deployment history to see if any trends exist. 

 The task force will report to Secretary of the Army Pete Geren. Its recommendations first will be looked at by a senior officer steering group, Ruth explained. The ultimate product, he said, will be a suicide prevention campaign plan. 

 The task force will only form the genesis of the campaign plan, Ruth said, stressing that the task force is a temporary organization. The Army also has partnered with the National Institute of Mental Health for a long-range study to determine the causes of suicide in the Army. 
 
n Armywide "stand down" for suicide prevention training continues through March 15 whereby commands and individual units take part in four-hour training sessions on how to recognize and try to prevent suicides. 

 The centerpiece of the training is an interactive video called "Beyond the Front" that Chiarelli told online journalists is "some of the best facilitation for training that I've seen in 36 years in the Army." He said the purpose of the video is to reduce the stigma of seeking help, to teach soldiers to recognize the signs of suicide and how to provide help to a buddy. 

 It's especially important for junior officers and noncommissioned officers to train with the video and be able to offer intervention to soldiers at risk, Chiarelli said. 

 The stand-down will be followed by a "chain" teaching program, which is intended to be leader-led training, cascaded across the entire service and completed by July 15. 

 "Unfortunately, suicide is touching every segment of our force -- active, reserve and National Guard, officer and enlisted, deployed and non-deployed, and yet-to-be-deployed," Chiarelli said. 

 In the last fiscal year, 138 soldiers committed suicide, Chiarelli said, and five additional cases are being reviewed as possible suicides. In January, 12 soldiers committed suicide with another 12 cases under review. In February, two soldiers committed suicide and another 16 cases are being reviewed. 

 "As a soldier and a leader, I'm deeply saddened every time a soldier loses his or her life," Chiarelli said, "but it's especially troubling when a soldier commits suicide." 

 About a third of those soldiers were deployed, Chiarelli said. Another third had returned from a deployment, and the last third had never deployed. 

 "The rational person might think, the more deployments, the more likely you are to commit suicide," Chiarelli said. "But we saw just the opposite." 

 "A certain resiliency" seems to grow in soldiers that have completed multiple deployments, he said. 

 Chiarelli said the task force will look across multiple disciplines – from personnel to medical – to try and discern the root causes of suicide and synchronize solutions. 

 There's no single solution to the problem, he said, characterizing it as "very, very complicated." 

 About half of the soldiers who committed suicide last year sought treatment from mental-health care providers, Chiarelli said. 

 Only 5.4 percent of the suicide victims had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, said Col. Elspeth C. Ritchie, a psychiatrist who serves as director of strategic communications for the Army Medical Department. She said 17 percent had problems with substance abuse. 

 At least 60 percent of those who committed suicide had relationship problems, said Col. Thomas Languirand of Army G-1. Some also had compounded legal problems, financial problems, or work problems, he said. 

 On Wednesday, Chiarelli participated in a two-hour video teleconference with commanders across the Army whose units have been affected by suicides. Commanders in Iraq, Korea and other locations shared feedback. The video teleconference is to be followed by a written report. 

 Also on Wednesday, Chiarelli spoke to more than 100 chaplains from across the Army who gathered for a suicide-prevention "summit" meeting. 

Many of the chaplains came from brigade level and lower and deal with soldier problems on a daily basis, said Col. Dave Reese, director of ministry initiatives for the Army's Chief of Chaplains Office, and a planner of the summit. 
 
eese said the chaplains broke into four groups to discuss suicide prevention across four domains: life skills training, intervention and crises, fostering hope, and engaging grief and recovery. The initiatives will eventually comprise what Reese termed a renewed "holistic approach" to suicide prevention for chaplains. 


(Gary Sheftick writes for the Army News Service).

chp7016
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 Posted: Sat Mar 7th, 2009 02:21 am8th Post

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Some interesting information.  Of interest is that the Army, with 675,000 personnel, had 128 suicides during calendar year 2008, and law enforcement had 141 suicides (with about 850,000 personnel).  Striking similarities.

Frustrating for us is that both the Army and law enforcement continue to focus on "suicide awareness" and "suicide prevention" as though these were the long-term solutions to the problem.  If we truly want to make a difference in the suicide picture, we need to add a third component, which is the mental health of all officers, not just those in crisis.

It's not "just" about suicide.  For every officer who commits suicide, there are a thousand more who continue to work, suffering silently from the emotional wounds of their experiences over the years. 

We need to begin in our academies and every year thereafter through our officers' careers, educating them on the value of ongoing therapy and teaching them how to prepare for trauma BEFORE it happens--not waiting until after.

Andy

Badge of Life

 

 

 

 

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 Posted: Sat Mar 7th, 2009 09:27 am9th Post

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The suicide prevention task force should be commended but I must admit I confer with Andy when he mentions the need to educate from recruitment onwards so that officers are well equipped with strategies they can use when facing emotional difficulties.  I also believe the task force needs the inclusion of someone who as been in the position of considering suicide and who has come out the other side.  The benefits of experience in these matters is paramount and unless you have been in that dark place that beckons you to end your life you can never truly understand what it's like.  You can build as many task forces as you like with well meaning academics but you still need the experience of those who have suffered to help us open our minds and to learn how and why suicide is so prevalent in military and police settings.

Macka

cjustice
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 Posted: Thu Mar 19th, 2009 04:22 am10th Post

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Armed Services Field Programs to Combat Servicemember Suicides
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service 

 March 18, 2009 - One servicemember suicide "is too many," and each military service now has programs designed to combat the problem, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at a Pentagon news conference today. About one-third of the suicides in the military involve members who've never deployed overseas, Gates said. 

Gates also said he's been told that broken relationships constitute one of the principal causes of servicemember suicide. 

 And it's not hard not to imagine that repeated deployments don't have an impact on those relationships," Gates said, noting that he didn't have any data on hand to support that contention. 

 "But, it just seems to me [to be] common sense, that repeated deployments have to weigh very heavily on relationships," Gates said. The Army's previous 15-month deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan "were a real strain on many of our men and women in uniform, as well," he added. Army units now deploy for 12 months. 

 Servicemember suicide is an issue the Defense Department "takes very seriously," Gates said. 

 All of the armed services are working to prevent servicemember suicide, Gates said, and the Army, in particular, is engaged aggressively in that endeavor. 
 
The Army's anti-suicide program, Gates said, appears similar to efforts that seek to identify and assist soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Noncommissioned officers are trained how to recognize if junior-rank soldiers are depressed or seem disconnected from associates and their families. 

 "I've seen some of the training materials that they've provided, and I think that they are doing the appropriate things," Gates said of the Army's efforts to combat suicide. 

 Later in the day, a group of senior military officers from across the services told members of a Senate Armed Services subcommittee about their suicide prevention efforts. Before the start of the hearing, committee chairman Sen. Ben Nelson said the military services have seen increased rates of servicemember suicides between calendar years 2007 and 2008. 

 Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli said he and other senior leaders are working hard to solve the soldier-suicide issue. The Army has stood up an anti-suicide task force that recently issued an interactive video that attacks "that issue of stigma," Chiarelli said. Some soldiers have been reluctant to seek help for psychological issues because they fear it would affect their careers or that would be perceived as weak for doing so. 

 Years of war and overseas deployments have "undeniably put a strain" on the Army's soldiers, Chiarelli said, noting that the effects of stress have resulted in increased incidence of suicide. 

"We must find ways to relieve some of this stress; particularly the stress caused by deployments and frequent lengthy periods of separation," Chiarelli said. 

 Even though the demand to deploy soldiers overseas is expected to remain high for some time, Chiarelli said, the Army is "focused on mitigating the stress as much as possible." 

 Suicide ranks as the third-leading cause of death in the Navy, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Patrick M. Walsh said at the hearing. The Navy, he said, now is embarked on a comprehensive suicide-prevention program. 

 Sailor suicide also "destroys families, devastates communities [and] unravels the cohesive social fabric and morale inside our commands," Walsh said. The Navy, he said, is instructing its leaders to look for and connect with those individuals seemingly beset with relationship, financial, legal, and work troubles and exhibiting deteriorating physical and mental health, including depression. 

 The Navy must also "eliminate the perceived stigma, shame and dishonor of asking for help," Walsh said. Naval commanders, he said, have an important, supportive role in this endeavor. 

"The tragic loss of a Marine to suicide is deeply felt by all of us who remain behind," Assistant Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos said. The Marines, he said, lost 41 members to suicide in 2008, 33 in 2007, and 25 in 2006. 

"That is unacceptable; we are taking action to turn this around," Amos said, noting that the Marine Corps is committed "to fix" the suicide issue. Data shows, he said, that the most likely Marine to die by suicide is a young Caucasian male, ranging in age from 18 to 24, and between the ranks of private and sergeant. 

 The most likely cause of Marine suicides "is a failed relationship with a woman," Amos said, noting that men are more likely to take their lives. The most common methods of Marine suicide, he said, are gunshots and hanging, similar to civilian statistics. 

 Suicide prevention, Amos said, is required training at Marine boot camps, for all new officers, and is incorporated throughout the Corps' officer, noncommissioned officer, and enlisted professional development education systems. 

"Our NCOs have the day-to-day contact with Marines, and therefore, the best opportunity to see changes in behavior and other problems that can identify Marines in need of further assistance," Amos said. "As a result, we are developing a high-impact leadership training program focused on our noncommissioned officers and our corpsmen." 

 Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. William M. Fraser III said his service is "doing all we can to focus on suicide prevention, while heightening awareness and exploring new approaches on this issue affecting our Air Force and airmen." 

 With today's sustained operational tempo, Fraser said, the Air Force is taking steps to ensure that its servicemembers are mentally prepared for deployments and re-deployments as they are prepared physically and professionally. 

"We continue to make strides in implementing our Air Force suicide prevention program," Fraser said, "in further enhancing our psychological health treatment and our management programs, and in strengthening our continued partnerships with our sister services and our interagency colleagues." 

 Despite the successes, Fraser said, one suicide remains too many. 

 "And so we remain committed to these programs – individually and collectively – as a part of a larger effort to take care of our Air Force's most valuable assets, its people," Fraser said.

cjustice
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 Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 06:35 pm11th Post

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'Super Coaches' to Assist Servicemembers with Psychological Problems
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

March 24, 2009 - The Defense Department is launching a new program soon that's designed to assist transitioning servicemembers in accessing help for mental health issues, a U.S. Public Health Service officer announced here yesterday. The Transitional Support Program is "designed to bridge potential gaps in psychological health services that can occur during periods of transfer," when servicemembers complete military service and re-enter civilian life, according to Cmdr. Guy Mahoney, who is detailed to work with the Defense Department.

Mahoney serves as a senior analyst with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs' force health protection and readiness (psychological health) directorate. He was one of several civilian and military guest speakers who attended yesterday's Reserve Officers Association-sponsored seminar here on mental health care.

Servicemembers experiencing mental health issues, Mahoney explained, are exposed to a window of vulnerability before they've actually seen a health care provider who can address and treat their maladies.

"During those times that folks are not being seen are pending times of great distress," Mahoney said. "Having someone available and dedicated to servicemembers during these times can be of just enormous help to prevent all sorts of problems from occurring.

"There's always a need to have somebody 'in-between' there for the servicemembers," he said, adding that the program, which is slated to begin later this week, is open to active-duty and reserve component troops.

The program comes in response to a recommendation from the Defense Department Mental Health Task Force, Mahoney said. It will feature a 24-hour, toll-free phone hotline to connect servicemembers in crisis to trained professional whose job is to direct them to mental health services.

The department is deeply committed to assisting servicemembers with psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues, Mahoney said.

"We have a system that is trying desperately to make sure there aren't gaps in services," Mahoney emphasized. "The fact is, when a servicemember leaves a military treatment facility, and they may have a mental health diagnosis of some sort, they may get access to care within a certain period of time, but they may not see a mental health provider for weeks, particularly if they are discharged in rural areas of the country."

The hotline facilitators are mental health experts who are trained in post-traumatic stress disorders, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, also will assist victims of sexual assault and people with personality disorders.

A private-sector, nationwide health care organization has been awarded a contract to manage the transitional support program, Mahoney said.

"We knew that we could not build this [program] from the ground up; we needed to use an existing" health care network, Mahoney said.

The transitional support facilitators will function as "super coaches" and experts in crisis intervention, Mahoney said. The facilitators, he added, will assist servicemembers by ensuring that they access the appropriate mental health services to help them cope with stressful experiences such as family problems, divorce, thoughts of suicide and other issues.

The facilitators "will provide support for the servicemembers in times of distress," Mahoney said.

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 Posted: Thu Apr 9th, 2009 07:09 am12th Post

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These statistics, no matter how many times I see them, are always shocking to me.  I will never understand why people will seek such a permanent solution for a temporary problem and never consider the path of distruction they leave in their wake. 

November 24, 2008, a long time friend of mine and fellow officer, drove from his house to a some cliffs overlooking the ocean where he committed suicide.  All of us that knew him were shocked to say the least.  He left no letters or clues as to why he did this.  All we could do is speculate.  In talking to different people afterwards, I found that some of the signs were there.  The problem was that, these signs were observed by different people and it wasn't until after he had taken his life that we were able to put the pieces together.

As a supevisor, I have always made it a point let my people know that I am there for anything, even the non-work related stuff.  The big problem, I think, is that in our business, admitting something is wrong, sadly, is viewed as a weakness and guys will do all they can to put up a front so that this does not occur.

My only advise is: If you feel life getting to you....just talk to someone. Help is out there.  Learn to leave work at work. Do not allow this job to consume your life.  It's a great and exciting job but like with everything else...too much of a good thing is not good. 

 

chp7016
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 Posted: Fri Jun 18th, 2010 03:48 am13th Post

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It's so critical that we get away from these phrases like, "why people will seek such a permanent solution for a temporary problem" and "why they chose." 

This is an education issue, and we need to get people understanding the dynamics of depression, PTSD and what's behind suicide.  They don't SEE solutions of any kind, nor are they making a choice.  This not something they decide to do over their Wheaties and coffee.  It is a painful, desperate end that they see only as inevitable, not a choice that's made in the same way we buy that big boat.

We have to get folks to understand that there is a mental disorder at play here.  PTSD and depression are mental disorders.  People do not act rationally when they are being bombarded by irrational thoughts.  Consequently, our simplistic judgements just don't apply--and certainly make it worse if we try using them on the suicidal person.

Education.

 

 


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