Suicide intervention: from crisis to counsel

  • Published
  • By Ross Tweten
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  Modern life is complex. While the military life attempts to simplify things, the mental and emotional stresses servicemembers deal with are vastly more complex than the average modern American.

These stresses can pile up and life becomes seemingly unmanageable or unbearable over time.

It should come as no surprise that, just as regular Americans, servicemembers sometimes seek to solve their complex temporary problems with a permanent solution ... or non-solution.

As servicemembers try to reconcile these complex military stresses combined with other stresses, it's important to remember there are a myriad of services and people available, armed with the knowledge and expertise needed to help intervene, when servicemembers are contemplating the most grave of prospects.

Suicide intervention is the act of counseling and helping people who are actively contemplating suicide or have contemplated suicide within the past four days or have reoccurring thoughts of suicide consistently and have a plan for completion.

Here at Homestead Air Reserve Base, the chaplains play a vital role in suicide intervention, helping those who are at the end of their rope.

"The ultimate goal of the intervention is to help people by providing the counseling necessary to pull them out of their crisis as well as helping them find the resources available, of which there are many, to get them the proper care," said Chaplain (Capt.) Ryan Ayers, 482nd Fighter Wing chaplain.

Ayers stresses the importance of talking to someone, whether it's a professional or a friend, but should individuals wish to speak with their chaplain, they can have the peace of mind that their best interests and confidentiality take precedence.

"People should have zero fear about coming in and talking to a chaplain about any problem, big or small," he said. "We offer 100 percent confidentiality. We take that very seriously."

Suicide is a serious issue throughout the Department of Defense. According to recent statistics, one servicemember commits suicide every day, an increase from the previous year, reaffirming the importance of bases having suicide intervention programs.

"We want to find out what the root cause of the suicide issue is," said Ayers. "Why are they thinking about it, what are the stressors involved?"

The tools and resources available to help those in need are countless. And these tools are available to active duty, guard and reserve, veterans, retirees, and family members. [see bottom of story for important numbers and websites] And not only are three chaplains available, but the base Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Veronica Sforza, is available to provide and find the resources needed for those who are either in a crisis or contemplating suicide. Ms. Sforza is a licensed clinical social worker and is trained in suicide prevention and intervention.

"There are services available out there and I know how to find them," said Sforza. "When people are depressed or anxious and they can't figure out where to go and who to talk to, they can tell me their problem and I can help them find an answer."

Just like speaking with a chaplain, Sforza also provides confidentiality.

"We're coming from a culture where people are frightened to talk about mental health even when we're living in a world that is filled with confidentiality and HIPAA rules," she said. "These rules are in place to protect people's privacies."

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, was enacted by the United States Congress in 1996. One of its major provisions requires privacy and security of patient information.

Both Ayers and Sforza urge individuals in crisis to seek help before their crisis reaches the point to where it's unbearable.

"If people don't get the help they need, then they're just going to go deeper and deeper into that suicidal thought process," said Ayers. "Eventually they'll have a plan; eventually they'll try to carry it out."

According to Sforza, it's difficult for people to realize they may need help.

"Sometimes people don't recognize the line--that line where the issue crosses from something that a person can handle to something a person can't handle," she said. "Some people don't know where that line is. That's why it's so important to step outside and ask somebody else. If you recognize that you're heading in a direction that could escalate to a very serious situation, seek help.

"These issues can cause people to lose focus, and it's not good for our servicemembers to lose focus. With their high level of responsibility and with fighting the war, there's so much at stake."

The types of problems people are facing are numerous. But, according to Ayers, it's not one particular problem as much as it's a compilation of problems.

"People are losing their jobs, houses and spouses; they're encountering major changes in life situations," he said. "A lot of times it's multiple things that are affecting the way a person functions. Workplace issues, losing a loved one, coming back from deployments, people seek services for a number of reasons. And suicide in the Air Force is not something that is just focused on the security forces or explosive ordnance disposal Airman. Every job has its own challenges and deserves attention."

Given the nature of people's issues and the crises they face, suicide intervention is not a hard-and-fast process. The process is different for everyone. There might be a few counseling sessions with a chaplain then the individual may be referred to a licensed counselor in the local area. Military OneSource, another confidential option, offers a community counseling based program that provides 12 free counseling sessions with a state licensed therapist. People are allowed to choose the type of counselor they want.

During a suicide intervention, one of the goals is to focus on the potential positives or solutions to the problem.

"When people are suicidal, a lot of times they're so deep into the issue that they don't see a way out," said Ayers. "But there's always a way out. So we start developing a positive outlook, changing a negative conversation into a positive conversation. We begin giving coping skills, ideas for change, and strategies on how to get out of the situation.

"But we don't mask the problems by only focusing on the stuff that makes a person happy. People have real problems with real issues. The question is getting them to see clearly enough to overcome these problems. We help clarify what they're dealing with through our counseling methods," Ayers said.

Just as it's important to for individuals to monitor themselves and seek the help they need, it's important for people to keep an eye on those around them.

"What would you rather do; escort your fellow servicemember to the chaplain, SARC office, or the medical squadron to get the help that they need or escort them to the gravesite?" asks Ayers. "You're going to do one of the two if they're suicidal."

An important peer suicide intervention program is the Ask, Care, Escort (or ACE) program.

Ask: people should not be afraid to ask the question, "Are you thinking about hurting yourself or killing yourself?" Care: show that you care. Care enough to ask, "Why are you thinking about that, what's going on? I'm here for you. Let's talk about this."  Escort: stay with them and get them to the help they need.

"ACE is what's going to help you save the life of the person that's fighting and serving next to you," said Ayers.

"The reality is that it is possible to see when people are encountering stress in their life," added Sforza. "It's important to ask them about it. If you know someone is in a time of crisis, you need to try to help them."

As everyone knows, sometimes taking the first step toward help is the most difficult process, but with the myriad of people and tools available, help couldn't be easier to grasp.

"We're talking about life and death," said Ayers. "Don't be worried about perceptions when we talk about life and death. Go find the help.

"I serve my country by keeping the warfighter ready emotionally and spiritually. It's not just a job for me. When someone comes to the chapel and they're hurting and stressed and have issues, I get excited for them because I know they just took a step toward becoming both a better warfighter and a better person," said Ayers.

Below are numbers and websites for assistance and guidance on suicide prevention and intervention:

482nd Fighter Wing chaplains: 786-415-7093
482nd Fighter Wing SARC: 786-415-7606 or 24/7 - 305-224-7272
Military OneSource: www.militaryonesource.mil
Switchboard of Miami: 305-358-4357- Switchboard of Miami, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides the Miami-Dade County community with comprehensive telephone crisis counseling, suicide prevention, information, and referral services 24/7.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255