New approach

The recently-launched Suicide Prevention Program signals a shift in the ADF approach to improve on the chance of recognising the warning signs before it’s too late. Photo by Pte Shannon Joyce, Army newspaper

By Andrew Stackpool

THE ADF’s new Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) was launched on September 10, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

Suicide is the third-highest cause of deaths in the ADF – about seven or eight each year and since 1996 there have been 462 reported cases of non-fatal related behaviour.

Director General Defence Health Service Air-Cdre Tony Austin said that while suicide in the ADF was very low in “absolute number terms”, it had an enormous impact on men and women in the ADF, as well as the ADF’s reputation.

“They can blame him ... feel he has betrayed them ... they could have done something for him. As a consequence of that one act, the reaction can go on for many years,” he said.

“If we can make just the tiniest bit of difference then we have done something very, very good for our colleagues.”

The ultimate aim of the program is to prevent people at risk being undetected, and a range of help is available to aid this. This goal is particularly important because international research during the current conflict in Iraq and after the 1991 Gulf War has found that depression and disorders – such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – can emerge years or even decades after the event, coupled with significant increases in alcohol and substance abuse.

In the ADF, the most common issues that lead to suicide are depression and personal stresses including relationship problems, financial problems, legal/disciplinary problems and problematic use of alcohol.

Previously, it was believed that pre-recruitment screening would identify people at possible risk. In the future, mental health screening will be incorporated into routine health assessments to identify and offer intervention to those at risk.

Lt-Col (Dr) Stephanie Hodson and Ms Lisa Congdon, both from the ADF Directorate of Mental Health, said it was imperative that suicide must be embraced and confronted by all levels of the ADF without any stigma attached to the person.

Director of Psychology Col Tony Cotton said the key message was one of increasing awareness and confidence through education.

“We are about a concept of building a community where people are aware of the issues that affect suicide, both the risk and protective issues so that we can better help out mates,” he said.

“It is really about people helping each other rather than the health system. Engendering a sense that it is okay to seek help. We’re not good at doing that, military men in particular.

“If people can do the training, they can then use that to make people aware that these things do happen and that they shouldn’t be frightened to talk about it.

“We should encourage people to seek help and we should ourselves go and seek help if we’re feeling stressed.”