I recently finished listening to an episode of “Voices of the Sea,” a Navy League podcast, and I was impressed with the guest’s message regarding suicide prevention, awareness and mental health. This ties closely with the theme of this month’s Seapower magazine and the urgent mental health needs of our men and women of the sea services. On the podcast, Dr. Nick Polizzi, senior program analyst with the Department of the Navy Office of Force Resiliency; Suicide Prevention Pillar Lead, mentions his team is constantly tackling the negative stigma surrounding suicide awareness that remains prevalent in society. This stigma must be changed, and this dire issue given the immediate attention it deserves. Whether within the military or in the civilian world, the idea of suicide and mental disorder is
still intimidating. Few people want to have the uncomfortable discussion about such a heavy subject. But therein lies the problem. Polizzi suggests “by not talking about it, it becomes tougher. By not bringing it to the forefront and having discussions about it
and primary prevention, what happens is — it seems insurmountable.”
How can we solve the problem unless we talk about it openly, free of harsh judgement? Raising awareness about suicide prevention and mental health means stamping out the harmful stigma attached to it and accepting those who struggle with these thoughts and issues. It is certainly easier said than done, but not impossible.
Another important step in promoting mental health is recognizing the problem well before it reaches the point of no return. Polizzi calls this “identifying stress enhancers.” Instead of waiting until the last minute to call for help, we need to identify early signs of anxiety in ourselves and our friends. They may not be obvious but taking the time to notice the stress points early on, and addressing them now, will go a long way in promoting your mental health in the future.
Of course, people can be oblivious to their own stress. Life can be chaotic, after all. The bills need to be paid, work issues build up, and the days never stop coming. Sometimes there is no time to think about your mental wellbeing. That is why looking out for others around you and noticing signs of stress is so crucial to suicide prevention. It could be a simple conversation or a direct approach, but no matter how you reach out, you can and will make a difference.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro established and held the Department of the Navy’s first Integrated Resilience and Mental Health Forum on March 15, 2024. The inaugural meeting aimed to foster meaningful discussion across DON stakeholders, enhance the visibility of ongoing and new Navy and Marine Corps initiatves, and cultivate an environment for dialogue centered on mental health and resilience practices. This type of visible support of our Sea Service leadership is critical to tackling this important problem.
Thank you for reading this month’s issue of Seapower magazine. May we all strive to be an emotional support for our sea service heroes.
