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ROUTINE
R 272137Z MAY 10
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NAVADMIN 189/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAY//
SUBJ/SUICIDE PREVENTION QUARTERLY UPDATE//
REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/04AUG2009//
REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/22DEC2009//
REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/231556Z APR 09//
NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1720.4A, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE NAVY SUICIDE PREVENTION
PROGRAM AND DIRECTS COLLECTION OF DATA ON NAVY SUICIDES. REF B, OPNAVINST
F3100.6J, AND REF C, NAVADMIN 122/09, DIRECT THE REPORTING OF SUICIDES AND
SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIORS VIA THE OPREP-3 REPORTING SYSTEM.//
RMKS/1. NAVY DEVELOPED THIS QUARTERLY UPDATE AS A TOOL FOR ALL HANDS TO
ADDRESS THE CRITICAL TOPIC OF SUICIDE PREVENTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE SUICIDE PREVENTION IS AN ALL HANDS EFFORT - EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE
ISSUE, FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AND SHARE THIS
KNOWLEDGE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND SHIPMATES IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN OUR SUICIDE
PREVENTION NETWORK. OUR AIM IS TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT STOP OUR PEOPLE
FROM SEEKING THE SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO THEM BY IMPROVING AWARENESS AND
ELIMINATING MISPERCEPTIONS.
2. CY 2010 FIRST QUARTER SUICIDE STATISTICS. PRELIMINARY REPORTS INDICATE WE
LOST SIX ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS AND THREE SELECTED RESERVE SAILORS (NOT IN A DUTY
STATUS) TO SUICIDE FROM 1 JANUARY TO 31 MARCH 2010. THESE TRAGEDIES AFFECT
ALL DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES.
3. SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIOR. DURING THIS PERIOD, MORE THAN 350 SAILORS ARE
STILL ALIVE BECAUSE THEY REACHED OUT FOR HELP OR SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO HELP
THEM, CONSISTENT WITH OUR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING AND CORE VALUES.
4. "ACT." OUR CORE MESSAGE: IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING, REACH
OUT AND ACT.
- A - ASK WHAT'S BOTHERING THE PERSON, HOW YOU CAN HELP, IF THEY
ARE THINKING OF HURTING THEMSELVES.
- C - CARE BY LISTENING WITHOUT JUDGMENT AND OFFERING HOPE.
- T - TREAT BY PERSONALLY ASSISTING THE PERSON IN GETTING
ASSISTANCE THROUGH THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND, CHAPLAINS, OR
MEDICAL. NEVER LEAVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING SUICIDE ALONE!
5. TRAINING. A VIDEO ENTITLED "SUICIDE PREVENTION: A MESSAGE FROM
SURVIVORS" WAS RECENTLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE GENERAL MILITARY TRAINING
(GMT) DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
THIS POWERFUL VIDEO HAS NO ACTORS; IT CONSISTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE WHO
HAVE EXPERIENCED SUICIDE LOSS, OR HELPED SOMEONE OVERCOME A SUICIDAL CRISIS,
AND IS DESIGNED TO AUGMENT TRAINING IN A SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION FORMAT. IF
YOUR COMMAND HAS NOT RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS VIDEO, A COPY CAN BE ORDERED
THROUGH THE DEFENSEIMAGERY.MIL WEBSITE. LOG ON TO
HTTPS://WWW.DEFENSEIMAGERY.MIL/PRODUCTS/DAVISDITIS.HTML AND ENTER 806812 IN
THE SEARCH BLOCK.
6. TRANSITION. THE SUMMER SEASON IS OFTEN A TIME OF TRANSITION, INCLUDING
PCS MOVES, RETURNS FROM DEPLOYMENTS, AND CAREER TRANSITIONS. NORMAL SUPPORT
SYSTEMS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE DURING TRANSITION AND PERSONNEL MAY NOT KNOW
EACH OTHER WELL ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR.
ALMOST HALF OF ALL NAVY SUICIDES IN RECENT YEARS OCCURRED DURING OR SHORTLY
AFTER A TRANSITION, MAKING THIS A TIME WHEN EXTRA EFFORT TO STAY CONNECTED CAN
BE CRITICAL.
7. "I HALT." RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU ARE UNDER INCREASED STRESS, HEED THE WARNING
SIGNS, AVOID BAD JUDGMENT: AS WE NAVIGATE STRESS AND CHALLENGE, WE MUST BE
MINDFUL AND PREPARED TO AVOID THE MANY PITFALLS THAT CAN SET US ON DESTRUCTIVE
PATHS.
PLAN AHEAD TO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR RESILIENCE HEADING INTO THE COMING
MONTHS. REGARDLESS OF AGE, EDUCATION, OR EXPERIENCE, WE CAN ALL FIND
OURSELVES IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS THAT CAN IMPAIR OUR JUDGMENT. YOU CAN USE
THE ACRONYM "I HALT" TO ASSIST IN RECOGNIZING AND CORRECTING THESE SITUATIONS.
- I - IMPAIRED WITH ALCOHOL OR MEDICATIONS. ALCOHOL AND OVER THE
COUNTER OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE
EFFECT ON OUR THINKING AND DECISION MAKING.
- H - HUNGRY. WE DO NOT OFTEN THINK ABOUT HOW HUNGER OR
DEHYDRATION IMPACT OUR MOOD, BUT THEY DO. TRY TO AVOID
HEATED DISCUSSIONS AND MAJOR PURCHASES WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY OR
DEHYDRATED.
- A - ANGRY. WHILE THE AGGRESSIVE DRIVER ON THE STREET MAY ANGER
US, THOSE CLOSEST TO US - SPOUSES, FAMILY, AND CLOSE FRIENDS
ARE THE ONES WHO CAN REALLY PUSH OUR BUTTONS. IF YOU FIND
YOURSELF INFURIATED OR ENRAGED, REALIZE IT IS NOT THE TIME TO
ADD ALCOHOL, FIREARMS OR VEHICLES TO THE SITUATION. TAKE
ACTION TO COOL DOWN SO THAT CLEARER THINKING CAN GUIDE YOUR
ACTIONS. EXERCISE CAN HELP LET OFF STEAM. ANOTHER USEFUL
TOOL IS THE "DIVE REFLEX" - PUT COLD WATER ON YOUR FACE (OR
EVEN GRAB A HANDFUL OF ICE). THIS TENDS TO LOWER YOUR HEART
RATE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND BUY A LITTLE TIME FOR YOU TO
EXAMINE YOUR THINKING AND AVOID RASH DECISIONS. ANGER
DISTORTS YOUR THINKING AND CAN KILL. IN THE PAST YEAR, TOO
MANY SAILORS LOST THEIR LIVES TO SUICIDE OR ACCIDENTS IN
MOMENTS OF ANGER FUELED BY ARGUMENTS WITH LOVED ONES.
- L - LONELY. LONELINESS CAN AFFECT US AT ANY TIME, EVEN WHILE IN
THE MIDST OF A CROWD. IT CAN CATCH US UNAWARE PARTICULARLY
IF WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOSS, WHETHER DUE TO A DEATH,
DIVORCE, OR SIMPLY A FALLING OUT.
- T - TIRED. BEING TIRED OR SLEEP DEPRIVED SERIOUSLY IMPEDES
REACTION TIME, CONCENTRATION, MOOD, MEMORY, AND JUDGMENT.
LIKE ALCOHOL, FATIGUE CAN CATCH US UNAWARE. SLEEP
DISTURBANCE OR DEFICIT HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE AND
OTHER UNSAFE ACTS. LEADERS SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE
IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP IN MAINTAINING RESILIENCE.
9. WE MUST BE ON GUARD AGAINST THE DISTORTED THINKING THAT "I HALT" STATES
CAN CAUSE.
10. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE FACTORS CAN AFFECT YOUR
PERCEPTIONS AND ACTIONS, AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT "I HALT" FACTORS ARE IN PLACE, AVOID DANGEROUS
ACTIVITIES, STARTING OR ENDING INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS, AND ANY IRREVOCABLE
DECISIONS. TAKE TIME TO EAT, HYDRATE, REST, AND COOL DOWN; REACH OUT TO
PEOPLE YOU TRUST. IF YOUR THINKING IS TAKING YOU IN CIRCLES AND YOU ARE
HAVING TROUBLE DEALING WITH YOUR PROBLEM, GET ANOTHER OPINION - A REALITY
CHECK - FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST OR CALL ONE OF THE SUPPORT RESOURCES LISTED
BELOW.
11. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION INCLUDE:
MILITARY ONESOURCE, 800-342-9647, WWW.MILITARYONESOURCE.COM; NATIONAL SUICIDE
PREVENTION LIFELINE, 800-273-8255, WWW.SUICIDEPREVENTIONLIFELINE.ORG; AND NAVY
SUICIDE PREVENTION, WWW.SUICIDE.NAVY.MIL.
12. POINT OF CONTACT IS LCDR BONNIE CHAVEZ, OPNAV (N135F), AT (901) 874-
6613/DSN 882, OR VIA E-MAIL AT bonnie.chavez@navy.mil.
13. RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.//
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