What is Social Connectedness?

Warriors often make friends and stay connected with other warriors throughout their military career. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines connectedness as “the degree to which a person or group is socially close, interrelated, or shares resources with other persons or groups.” The military community by default is a very close-knit and connected environment.

What is Ostracism?

Ostracism occurs when someone is excluded or left out of activities by others. Ostracism can be a painful experience and can contribute to mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts.

Role of Connectedness in Preventing Harmful Behaviors

Connectedness and social support are key protective factors to prevent suicide. Supportive social relationships and positive community connections can help buffer the effects of stress and other risk factors in the lives of service members. Programs and practices that promote social connectedness and support are one element of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.

Research on understanding and preventing the mental health impact of ostracism within the military community is still in the nascent phase. However, there is evidence indicating that help-seeking behaviors and social integration, including connectedness, may reduce the risk of suicidality in veterans by nearly 30%. Eliminating ostracism and cultivating a culture of inclusiveness requires efforts at the individual, peer, unit, leadership, and community level.

Taking Action to Promote Connectedness and Counter Ostracism

We are all stronger when we BELONG. Follow these tips to promote connectedness and counter ostracism.

1. Be aware: watch for team members who appear to deliberately exclude others. Spread the word about ostracism and its negative impact. Share the 6 Tips to Combat Ostracism infographic and this blog about deliberate connection with your peers.
2. Engage: connect with teammates and prevent subtle forms of ostracism before they start. Combatting ostracism is a joint effort.
3. Learn: explore research about ostracism as it continues to emerge, and equip yourself with skills to recognize and prevent ostracism. The Department of Defense and the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently awarded a grant to research how to reduce ostracism in the military. The research will focus on:
   • Developing interventions to create more inclusive environments
   • Understanding ostracism and its outcomes
   • Teaching bystanders how to address ostracism
4. Offer support: provide and encourage others to seek social support. Leadership matters. Consider the tone command leadership sets for the unit. Lead by action and be a role model for your team for high quality inclusive communication to foster a healthy and connected team of service members. Ensure all supervisors avoid abusive supervisory behavior (such as ridicule or scapegoating) which can be a risk factor for ostracism.
5. Notice conflict: observe and act. Address ostracism immediately if observed in a public setting, or engage your supervisor or chain of command. Prevent harmful or abusive behaviors and promote a climate of mutual dignity, respect, and connectedness.
6. Get help: if you are dealing with the effects of ostracism, help is available. See the resources below.

Resources

• Infographic: 6 Tips to Combat Ostracism 
• Infographic: Preventing Harm from Ostracism 
• Infographic: Can We Talk? 
• Infographic: Staying Connected
• Military OneSource: Military and Family Support Centers
• Military OneSource: Mental Health Services for the Military
• inTransition

If you or a loved one needs additional support, contact the Psychological Health Resource Center 24/7 to confidentially speak with trained health resource consultants. Call 866-966-1020 or use the Live Chat.

Remember, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. For the Military/Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and press 1 or text 838255. You can also chat online.

Are you calling the Military/Veterans Crisis Line from overseas? The country code to reach the United States will be required for each of these numbers, depending on your location.

• Europe, call: 844-702-5495 or DSN 988
• Pacific, call: 844-702-5493 or DSN 988
• Southwest Asia, call: 855-422-7719 or DSN 988

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Strategic direction for the prevention of suicidal behavior: Promoting individual, family, and community connectedness to prevent suicidal behavior. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/resources/prevention.html
• Elbogen, E. B., Molloy, K., Wagner, H. R., Kimbrel, N. A., Beckham, J. C., Van Male, L., ... & Bradford, D. W. (2020). Psychosocial protective factors and suicidal ideation: Results from a national longitudinal study of veterans. Journal of affective disorders, 260, 703-709.
• Hoffmire, C. A., Borowski, S., & Vogt, D. (2023). Contribution of veterans' initial post‐separation vocational, financial, and social experiences to their suicidal ideation trajectories following military service. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, 53(3), 443-456. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12955. Epub 2023 Mar 15.
• McGraw, K. (2016). Gender differences among military combatants: Does social support, ostracism, and pain perception influence psychological health? Military Medicine, 181(suppl_1), 80–85. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00254
• Wyman PA, Pickering TA, Pisani AR, Cero I, Yates B, Schmeelk-Cone K, Hendricks Brown C, Gibbons RD, Simonson J, Pflanz SE. Wingman-Connect Program increases social integration for Air Force personnel at elevated suicide risk: Social network analysis of a cluster RCT. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Mar;296:114737. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114737. Epub 2022 Jan 22. PMID: 35131614.
• Rudert, S.C., Janke, S., & Greifeneder, R. (2021). Ostracism breeds depression: Longitudinal associations between ostracism and depression over a three-year period. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 4, 100118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j/jjadr.2021.100118
• Chen, Z., Poon, K, DeWall, C. N., & Jiang, T. (2020). Life lacks meaning without acceptance: Ostracism triggers suicidal thoughts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes, 119(6), 1423–1443. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ pspi0000238

Updated January 2025