UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 272137Z MAY 10 BT UNCLAS PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// UNCLASS/06520// 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(AT)NAVY.MIL. 13. RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.// BT #0001 NNNN