Resiliency and CAP: Just how big IS the problem?

Started by Holding Pattern, September 03, 2019, 06:02:06 PM

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Ned

Quote from: Live2Learn on September 06, 2019, 05:07:29 AM
Not long ago school shootings [. . .]  After due consultation the lawyers at NHQ said

You know that there is a grand total of one lawyer that works at NHQ, right?

QuoteHow is a blanket suicide prevention program

What is a "blanket suicide prevention program?  I'm not sure that anyone has such a thing.  What we have is a Resiliency and Suicide Prevention Initiative that involves a single down day each year (and some slight modifications to classes we already teach).  If that is a "blanket program," then I guess we must have one.

Quoteconducted by untrained amateurs likely to benefit that very small minority of cadets (perhaps about as large, maybe smaller than potential active shooter affected)?

Well, you've got me that our dedicated volunteers are certainly not mental health professionals.  But they are respected authority figures in the cadets' lives, and to whom cadets often look for advice and wisdom.

And as we discussed near the top of the thread, the best data available indicates suicidal ideation and attempts are a problem for thousands of our cadets.


Spam

#21
How big is the problem?  Big enough that even one member is worth helping, since we swim in a difficult sea.


Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from a member here who read a post I'd made in a prior thread on this topic, and wanted to politely inquire about my own situation/mental health (which hasn't been great, I'll admit). He, an "untrained amateur", noted some observations I'd made and wanted to offer support in my case. While not a mental health professional, I truly appreciate his gracious and tactful call. *(Thank you, Brian). Living with depression and ideations and acting on them are not the same, but offering support is a gracious and kind act. That's true even (especially) when one might not get along well with, or might not know a fellow member closely, but are prepared to act out a core value (respect, service before self, etc.).


On the other hand, last night I saw that someone posted a vicious attack on another site referencing this Cap Talk thread in which he anonymously trashed Ned and other members here, insulted me, took cheap shots at CAP members who had suicided, and made unsupported wild allegations about deceased CAP members (the insults bother me less than the attacks on those who can't defend themselves). That sort of action obviously is cheap and small and easy to do anonymously, and is the ugly side of fallible human nature.


In 24 hours I experienced the humane and kind side of our volunteer group trying to address the problem, and read the dark ugly heart of it, on the same topic. I would think that at least having some sort of program would offer a bit of a counter balance to these vicious animals in our midst.


V/r
Spam



RiverAux

Quote from: Ned on September 05, 2019, 10:51:31 PM
Really.  As I'm sure you remember from your mandatory monthly safety education.  Heck, the last Beacon had an article on vehicle tires.  I'm confident you must have read that before telling us we were ignoring vehcile accident safety.

Seriously, there are classes on all manner of accidental injury prevention:  axes and knives, downed power lines, passenger van safety, hydration, winter driving, flooding, lightning safety, and a whole bunch of others.

We do those already.  Every darn month.

Exactly as I pointed out in this 5-year old thread -- http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=19082.0  CAP spends way too much valuable safety training time talking about non-CAP safety concerns. 

Incidentally, the last Beacon was from Feb/Mar (at least as far as what is posted on the NHQ web page at https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/members/cap-national-hq/safety/safety-newsletters-2248 ).  The last few issues weren't bad. 

Eclipse

Quote from: Ned on September 05, 2019, 10:51:31 PM
Seriously, there are classes on all manner of accidental injury prevention:  axes and knives, downed power lines, passenger van safety, hydration, winter driving, flooding, lightning safety, and a whole bunch of others.

We do those already.  Every darn month.

All spectacular wastes of precious contact time.

Quote from: RiverAux on September 08, 2019, 08:06:09 PM
CAP spends way too much valuable safety training time talking about non-CAP safety concerns. 

This.

"That Others May Zoom"

Live2Learn

#24
Quote from: Ned on September 06, 2019, 04:39:45 PM
Quote from: Live2Learn on September 06, 2019, 05:07:29 AM
Not long ago school shootings [. . .]  After due consultation the lawyers at NHQ said

QuoteYou know that there is a grand total of one lawyer that works at NHQ, right?


So, are you suggesting legal advice which was duly shared as NHQ's position was improper, incompetent, or to be freely ignored?

I get it that suicide is a serious problem.  I also understand that well trained health professionals staff suicide hotlines around the country.  Perhaps  CAP senior members might call on a cadet's behalf.  Engage a health care professional, or find another way to get help where it's needed.  The thought of Walter Mitty SM attempting an intervention is actually kinda worrisome.

etodd

Quote

I get it that suicide is a serious problem.  I also understand that well trained health professionals staff suicide hotlines around the country.  Perhaps  AP senior members might call on a cadet's behalf.

Underage Cadet?  Call the parents or guardians. Don't bypass them. They should be the first contacted, so THEY can handle it. About the only exception would be the Cadet claiming parental abuse, in which case the police should be called to handle it.
"Don't try to explain it, just bow your head
Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."

Live2Learn

Quote from: etodd on September 09, 2019, 03:40:36 AM

Underage Cadet?  Call the parents or guardians.  Don't bypass them. They should be the first contacted, so THEY can handle it.  About the only exception would be the Cadet claiming parental abuse, in which case the police should be called to handle it.

Best ideas of all offered in this thread.   What more needs said?

Johnny Yuma

Quote from: Live2Learn on September 09, 2019, 06:37:27 AM
Quote from: etodd on September 09, 2019, 03:40:36 AM

Underage Cadet?  Call the parents or guardians.  Don't bypass them. They should be the first contacted, so THEY can handle it.  About the only exception would be the Cadet claiming parental abuse, in which case the police should be called to handle it.

Best ideas of all offered in this thread.   What more needs said?

THIS!

It's a voluntary program, an unpaid professional hobby of sorts. If a member is under that much stress that we need a Resiliency program then the organization has much bigger problems than not having one.
"And Saint Attila raised the Holy Hand Grenade up on high saying, "Oh Lord, Bless us this Holy Hand Grenade, and with it smash our enemies to tiny bits. And the Lord did grin, and the people did feast upon the lambs, and stoats, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and lima bean-"

" Skip a bit, brother."

"And then the Lord spake, saying: "First, shalt thou take out the holy pin. Then shalt thou count to three. No more, no less. "Three" shall be the number of the counting, and the number of the counting shall be three. "Four" shalt thou not count, and neither count thou two, execpting that thou then goest on to three. Five is RIGHT OUT. Once the number three, being the third number be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade to-wards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuffit. Amen."

Armaments Chapter One, verses nine through twenty-seven:

TheSkyHornet

There are a lot of personal issues that I help with when it comes to the people that work under me, whether cadet or senior member.

Sure, we don't have a formal program for all of them. But I do it because it's my job, not as their boss, but as their friend and mentor. I put the effort in because I care about them. I can't help everyone, but if I can make a difference in just one...


I've faced peers with suicide and depression-related issues in the past. Haven't really come face-to-face with it yet in CAP (hope I don't). But there are a number of personal matters that I can help with. Sometimes the tools are provided for me, and sometimes not (usually not). I hope I'm doing it right.