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• Understand suicide stressors and risk factors

• Understand the Operational Stress Continuum

• Recognize signs that someone might be suicidal

• Understand myths associated with suicide

• Describe protective factors that reduce risk of suicide

• Apply the acronym ACT as it pertains to suicide awareness

• Describe responsibilities of individuals, shipmate, leader, and command in suicide awareness and prevention

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You may not be stressed and you may not be suicidal, but…

The prevalence of stress reactions and suicide in our Navy and families has increased.

The loss of one shipmate…

Is one too many!

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SN Carter was on a career fast track. He advanced to E-5 within two years of joining the Navy, but due tosome uncharacteristic and poor decisions he ended up ata Captain’s Mast.

It resulted in a pay-grade reduction from E-5 toE-3, 30 days extra duty and 30 days restriction. Carter is married, has two young children and is themain wage earner.

The family is living in a house itcan no longer afford with the pay reduction.

Petty Officer Jones, who knows about Carter’s currentsituation, tells him, “Deal with it, you brought this uponyourself, don’t bring you personal problems into theworkspace.”

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What are SN Carter’s current stressors?

What are SN Carter’s current stressors?

What are other risk factors for suicide?What are other risk factors for suicide?

• Pay-grade reduction• Extra duty• Cannot see family• Cannot afford house• Unsympathetic co-worker

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READY REACTING INJURED ILL

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1

2

3

4

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As an individual…

As a shipmate…

As a leader…

As a command…

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To help him cope with his stressfulcircumstance, SN Carter tries tostick to a regular exercise routine,reads and maintains regularcommunication with his family.

Yet nothing is helping him reduce thestress or the feelings ofguilt and shame that he isexperiencing.

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What is SN Carterdoing to help dealwith his stress?

What is SN Carterdoing to help dealwith his stress?

• Exercising regularly• Reading• Maintaining regular communication with his family

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Have a Have a positive outlookpositive outlook

Nurture your Nurture your spiritualityspirituality

Be Be self-confidentself-confidentBe Be self-confidentself-confident

Find meaningFind meaning

Accept your limitsAccept your limitsDevelop Develop active copingactive coping

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As a shipmate…

As a leader…

As a command…

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SN Carter’s work performance starts todecline. Before the Captain’s Mast hewas social with shipmates but now iswithdrawn and has been heard tomake such statements as “My familywould be better off if I wasn’t around.”

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What are some signs that SN Carter may be

suicidal?

What are some signs that SN Carter may be

suicidal?

What are some other signs that

someone might besuicidal?

What are some other signs that

someone might besuicidal?

• Withdrawn• Making statements like “My family would be better off if I wasn’t around”

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IDEASIDEASSUBSTANCE USESUBSTANCE USE

PURPOSELESSPURPOSELESSANXIETYANXIETYTRAPPEDTRAPPEDHOPELESSHOPELESS

WITHDRAWALWITHDRAWALANGERANGERRECKLESSRECKLESSMOOD CHANGESMOOD CHANGES

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Petty Officer Smith has been SN Carter’s shipmate for a while and is aware of some of the stressors that he is going through.

Smith pulls SN Carter to the side and says, “You seem to be acting different, and now I just heard you say that your family would be better off without you. Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

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What did Petty Officer Smith

do?

What did Petty Officer Smith

do?

What ifPetty Officer Smithdid not intervene?

What ifPetty Officer Smithdid not intervene?

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ACT is the Navy’s acronym for suicide prevention.

The stands for ASK.

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You can ask a shipmate, “Have you had too much to drink? I’ll drive you home.”

You can ask a shipmate who looks tired, “Are you having trouble sleeping?”

You can ask a shipmate you are concerned about, “Are you thinking about suicide?”

If YOU are the one in a stressful situation and are having difficulty dealing with it, YOU can ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask.

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Petty Officer Smith listens and pays attention to what SN Carter has to say.

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What did Petty Officer Smith

do?

What did Petty Officer Smith

do?

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The stands for CARE.

We all need to know that we have value.

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How do YOU, as a shipmate, show YOUR co-workers that YOU value them?

How do You, as leaders, show YOUR Sailors that YOU value them?

Remember: YOUR attitude can save a life.

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After listening to SN Carter, Petty Officer Smith says, “Let’s go talk to our LPO and see about getting you down to the Chaplain.”

The LPO spoke with SN Carter and initiated the command’s Crisis Intervention Plan.

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What did Petty Officer Smith and the LPO do?

What did Petty Officer Smith and the LPO do?

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The stands for TREAT.

Take suicidal threats SERIOUSLY! Escort the person to help.

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DO NOT LEAVE THE PERSON ALONE until he or she is in the hands of someone who can help.

The general order, “I will not leave my post until I am PROPERLY relieved,” applies here.

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• Chain of command• Chaplain• Medical• The nearest emergency room• 800-273-TALK(8255)

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• Know your stress level.• Ask about the stress level of your shipmates.• Leaders, know your Sailors.• Problems are temporary. Be resilient.

• Don’t be afraid to ACT: Ask about suicide, care for one another, take your shipmate to get help or get help for yourself if you need it.

• Know where help is located on your ship, in your command and in your community.

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Understand suicide stressors and risk factors

Understand the Operational Stress Continuum

Recognize signs that someone might be suicidal

Understand myths associated with suicide

Describe protective factors that reduce risk of suicide

Apply the acronym ACT as it pertains to suicide awareness

Describe responsibilities of individuals, shipmate, leader and command in suicide awareness and prevention

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Life Counts