FORT CARSON, Colo.---The Department of Defense has worked for a number of years trying to eliminate the perceived stigma associated with seeking and receiving behavioral health treatment throughout the military.
"There are two types of stigma Fort Carson is actively addressing," said Capt. Samuel Preston, 4th Infantry Division psychiatrist.
"The first stigma; internal stigma, occurs when a Solider views him or herself as weak because of seeking behavioral health care. The second is external stigma. This type of stigma is associated with Soldiers who are afraid of seeking behavioral health care because others will ridicule them."
Preston said that neither of these situations is unique to Fort Carson and the Army is addressing these issues through both command and medical channels.
"Behavioral health must be viewed as a medical condition with a treatment plan, prognosis, and a potential cure," Preston said. "Soldiers must understand that seeking help for behavioral health is a sign of strength and commanders and supervisors acknowledge that."
Soldiers at Fort Carson spoke out about the stigma they see on post.
"I think there may be some stigma in seeking or receiving behavioral health treatment because people do not want anyone to know they have a problem," said Sgt. 1st Class Saleem Salloum, human resources noncommissioned officer in charge, 10th Combat Support Hospital. "Some may live with the problem rather than have others know about it".
Salloum said as a leader, "I would try to make seeking the behavioral health professional a little more confidential."
During the re-deployment screening, Soldiers are schedule appointments with a behavioral health professional based off of the answers to questions asked, added Salloum, who has been stationed at Fort Carson for about a year. Everyone knows that servicemembers are seeing someone and that may cause Soldiers to answer the questions falsely.
"I would either make it mandatory for everyone to see the behavioral health professionals during the Soldiers Readiness Program or not have the person get singled out and sent to see the behavioral health professionals during SRP," Salloum said.
Staff Sgt. Charles Temple, battalion aid station noncommissioned officer in charge of treatment, Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, said procedures for asking for and receiving behavioral health treatments have changed, but it has a way to go.
"I do not know why the stigma surrounding mental health still exists on Fort Carson," said Temple, who has been stationed at Fort Carson for about eight months.
"Things have gotten better, but it has not been dramatic," he said. "Soldiers are less hesitant to seek treatment than in the past."
Although Soldiers are reaching out more, Temple said those who ask for help are still being labeled as weak by some.
"Whenever something is wrong and people do not understand the reason, the problem or condition, they think you are broke," he added. "The only thing that could change the stigma is through education."
Education, like the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, combat stigma through the Real Warriors Campaign Web site, http://www.realwarriors.net started in 2007.
According to the site, the program was setup to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning servicemembers, veterans and their Families.
Sgt. Nathan Wilson, acting platoon sergeant, Company D, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., said he may seek help if something was wrong but he would not go right away.
"I would try to handle it myself first," he said. "If it was too much to handle, I would find someone to talk to."
Wilson, who has been stationed at Fort Carson for approximately two years, said that most Soldiers would not want anyone to know something was wrong with them and that is why they do not seek help when they need it.
"They are afraid of the reaction from their friends because the stigma is still present," he added. "Soldiers have certain thoughts or opinions regarding seeking help and if you do get help, they think you are different."
Many Soldiers get into trouble and then realize they need help when they are command referred to get help Wilson said.
"I would support my Soldiers if they sought treatment and hope they would ask for help if they needed it," said Wilson. "As a leader, I hope my other Soldiers would support him or her as well because that Soldier is still a part of the team."
Another tool the Army began to aid in eradicating the stigma that surrounds behavioral treatment is the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. The CSF program helps equip and train Soldiers, Family members and Army Civilians to maximize their potential and face the physical and psychological challenges of sustained operations, according to the CSF Web site, http://www.army.mil/csf.
The CSF, which is comprised of two parts, teaches Soldiers the warning signs of rising problems and how to deal with them.
The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training program is another tool used to educate Soldiers on how to recognize when their battle buddy may need help and provides information on how to access that help at Fort Carson, said Preston.
In comparison to two years ago, Preston said that there has been a significant reduction in stigma associated with behavioral health care and also a reduction in barriers to access to behavioral care at Fort Carson.
"Stigma reduction is no different than any other task our leaders face," Preston said. "Leaders should tackle this problem by example. A leader taking the time to take care of his or her own behavioral health concerns may relieve some internal stigma, in turn preventing them from exhibiting external stigma."
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