Published: September 12, 2023
By: Kali Hoffman
It’s an unfortunate reality that the bravest among us, our veterans and active service members, often wage a silent war against mental health issues. This fight, unlike their outward battles, is invisible, isolating, and tragically lethal at times. The stark rise in suicide rates within our military community is a sobering reminder that we must do more. The “Combat the Silence” campaign, spearheaded by the Blue Star Families, with its innovative “Blue Star Support Circles”, is a crucial step towards the urgent and necessary change we need.
At the heart of this issue is the powerful yet harmful stigma associated with mental health in the military. A culture that emphasizes resilience and strength can often unintentionally create an environment where seeking help is perceived as a weakness. This stigma not only erects barriers to accessing help but also exacerbates feelings of isolation among those struggling.
For many service members, the fear of being seen as unfit for duty, the potential impact on their careers, or the misconception that their struggles reflect personal failure, dissuades them from seeking help. It’s this silence, amplified by stigma, that we need to combat.
The Blue Star Support Circles are our attempt to break down this stigma. By creating safe spaces for family members and friends of veterans, these circles allow for open and supportive dialogues on mental health. These peer-based, virtual cohorts facilitate a community-centered approach that emphasizes the role of loved ones in recognizing signs of mental distress early and providing intervention before a crisis escalates.
Furthermore, by focusing on empowering non-clinical support networks, the initiative sends a powerful message: mental health is not solely a clinical issue to be addressed behind the closed doors of a therapist’s office. It’s a communal concern that we all have a role in addressing.
This community-focused approach serves another important purpose: it normalizes conversations about mental health. When family members and friends are openly discussing mental health issues, it sends a signal to our service members that it’s okay to talk about their struggles. It sends a message that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a testament to their courage and resilience.
The Blue Star Support Circles, a core component of the Combat the Silence campaign, are truly a step in the right direction. However, it’s vital to remember that the responsibility of combating the stigma around mental health doesn’t solely lie with initiatives like these. It’s a societal task that requires a collective effort.
As individuals, we can contribute to this cause by fostering open discussions about mental health in our own circles, educating ourselves about mental health issues, and providing support to those around us who might be struggling. As communities, we can advocate for policies that support mental health, and as a nation, we can work to ensure that our veterans and service members have access to the resources they need.
Our veterans and active service members have made enormous sacrifices for our safety and freedom. It’s our duty to ensure that they never have to combat their internal battles alone. Let’s all take a stand, break the silence, shatter the stigma, and give back to those who have given so much for us.
Posted In: Caregivers, Mental Health, Veterans