Photo By Jason Bortz | Capt. Sarah Martin, commanding officer, Naval Hospital Pensacola, and Lt. Holly Black,...... read more read more
NAVAL HOSPITAL PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Naval Hospital Pensacola held a special observance for Suicide Prevention Month on Sept. 18, 2015.
The observance began with an awareness walk and concluded with the reading of a suicide prevention proclamation by Capt. Sarah Martin, commanding officer, Naval Hospital Pensacola, and the release of 36 butterflies.
“The butterflies symbolized freedom and beauty,” said Lt. Holly Black, NHP’s suicide prevention coordinator. “There is beauty in remembering those we have lost to suicide and freedom for those that have persevered.”
According to Navy Personnel Command, 41 active duty Sailors committed suicide in 2013 and another 53 active duty Sailors committed suicide in 2014. As of Sept. 1, 28 active duty Sailors have committed suicide in 2015. Per the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide accounts for more years of life lost than any other cause of death except for heart disease and disease.
One Sailor took advantage of the awareness walk to remember a friend of his that committed suicide when he was 16 in his native country of Ghana. Hospitalman Marcus Ofosu Appiah started walking at 8 a.m. and didn’t stop until he reached 14 miles.
“I was just thinking about my friend and how much I missed her,” said Ofosu Appiah, a corpsman with Naval Branch Health Clinic Corry Station.
This year, the Navy’s message for Suicide Prevention Month is “1 Small ACT.” This message promotes that simple, everyday actions can save lives by using the Navy’s ACT (Ask Care Treat) bystander intervention model.
“One life loss to suicide is one too many,” said Black, 26, who is also a nurse with NHP’s Labor and Delivery Department. “I organized this observance to raise awareness of suicides in our military and to educate everyone on suicide warning signs and risk factors.”
According to Black, there are no specific demographics associated with suicides, but there may be warning signs that can be observed by those in contact with someone contemplating suicide. Acting withdrawn, decreased work performance, lack of focus or increased use of alcohol may be signs of someone who needs help, but it is also possible a person will show little or no signs of suicide.
Black knows firsthand that warning signs are not always easy to notice. As a new nurse at her previous command, she knew two fellow service members that committed suicide. One of those service members was a close personal friend.
“We ran races together and I even had her at my house for Easter dinner,” said Black of her friend. “I spoke with her five days before she committed suicide, and I never suspected she was suicidal. I wish I could have done more, which is why I volunteered to be the suicide prevention coordinator at NHP. I want everyone to know the signs of suicide so maybe they can save a life.”
According to Black, if you suspect someone is contemplating suicide, the best thing to do is confront them and ask them if they are OK, which is the first part of ACT. If the person says they are thinking of committing suicide or you suspect they are, there are resources available to both individuals contemplating suicide and bystanders. Those resources include command chaplains, Fleet and Family Support Centers, physicians and social workers. Individuals can also call the Military Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text 838255, or visit www.militarycrisisline.net for confidential, free support, 24/7.
“We need to make sure we are taking care of each other,” said Capt. Sarah Martin, commanding officer, Naval Hospital Pensacola. “We need to listen to find that one incident when some needs help. Together, we can save one life at a time.”
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2015 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 176770 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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