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Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resources Provide Help: You Are Not Alone

Image of Military personnel posing for a picture. Spc. Andrea Stevenson, a Baltimore, Maryland native and Army food service specialist assigned t o115th Quartermaster Field Feeding Company, 4th Division Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, poses for a photo, March 11, 2022, at the Wolf Dinning Facility, Fort Carson, Colorado. On Feb. 28, Stevenson's best friend in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, called to say she was going to commit suicide. Due to her quick reaction, Stevenson was able to save the life of her close friend. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Joshua Zayas).

Life is full of ups and downs. But sometimes life events—financial strain, relationships, isolation, emotional or sexual abuse, stress, and misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs—can lead to depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide for some. It’s important to remember that you are not alone. If you or a loved one need immediate help, you can call the Military & Veterans' Crisis Line by dialing 988 and selecting Option 1. Or start a chat online. The crisis line is free and available 24/7 to help you and connect you with the resources you need.

MentalHealth.gov defines mental health this way: “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.”

However, life’s challenges can affect how we think, feel, and act. And our mental health may also be affected.

Mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, may interfere with your life and overall physical health. You can have symptoms that are mild and brief or more serious and persistent.

According to Dr. Krystyna Bienia, clinical psychologist and senior policy analyst at the Defense Health Agency, mental health disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible.

“TRICARE beneficiaries are urged to seek help as soon as they can when they notice something doesn’t feel right, or symptoms begin to present themselves,” Dr. Bienia said. “Early intervention is key, but help at any point is best. It’s okay to not be okay. But be sure to ask for help.”

What are some early signs of possible mental health problems that are interfering with your (or a loved one’s) daily routine?

  • Eating or sleeping too much or too little.
  • Pulling away from people and usual activities.
  • Having trouble concentrating.
  • Having low or no energy. 
  • Feeling numb or like nothing matters. 
  • Having unexplained aches and pains.
  • Feeling helpless or hopeless. 
  • Smoking or drinking more than usual. 

Do you think you or a family member could benefit from mental health services? TRICARE provides a number of resources. If you need help finding a provider, including a mental health provider, you can use the Find a Doctor tool. You can also reach out to your primary care provider or your TRICARE regional contractor.

You don’t need a referral or pre-authorization for any outpatient mental health (except for psychoanalysis) and substance use disorder care. This includes services like individual or family therapy. For example, if you have TRICARE Prime, you don’t need a referral to see a network provider for office-based outpatient mental health services. If you have TRICARE Select, you can see any TRICARE-authorized provider. But you’ll lower your out-of-pocket costs if you choose to see a network provider.

If you have TRICARE For Life, Medicare is the primary payer for your mental health services. You only need a referral or pre-authorization from TRICARE if your Medicare benefits are exhausted.

Are you an active duty service member? You should first seek nonemergency mental health services at your military hospital or clinic. You need to get a referral and pre-authorization for all civilian mental health services. You can go to the TRICARE website to learn more.

Keep in mind, you don’t need a referral or pre-authorization for emergency care. If you think you have a mental health emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. Or go to the nearest emergency room. You need immediate help if you’re experiencing any of these signs:

  • Thinking about hurting or killing yourself.
  • Looking for ways to hurt yourself.
  • Talking about death, dying, or suicide.
  • Self-destructive behavior, such as drug abuse or risky use of weapons.

Non Emergency Mental Health Services

Depending on your needs and diagnosis, many treatment levels may be available to you. How do you get nonemergency mental health services? It depends on the level of care you need, your health plan, and your sponsor status. Some nonemergency mental health services TRICARE covers are:

Did you know telemental health services are also a part of your TRICARE benefit? With your computer, or phone, you can connect securely with your provider. Go to the TRICARE website to for more on these mental health resources.

Additional Services

The Military Health System has additional mental health resources that are available 24/7:

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Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 7)

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4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 6)

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4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 8)

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4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 9)

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4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 11)

Infographic
4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 12)

Infographic
4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 13)

Infographic
4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 14)

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4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Social Media Graphic: Mental Health is Health (Option 15)

Infographic
4/21/2023
Mental Health is Health

The Military Health System has many resources available to help any service member, families, or veteran beneficiaries who are struggling with mental health challenges. Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse. These factors combined with changes we've experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic may weigh on many.

Aerospace Medicine Branch Enhances Airmen Psychological Performance

Article Around MHS
4/14/2023
From left: Aeromedical and Operational Clinical Psychology, or AOCP, branch members Dr. Ivan Colin-Rivera, Lt. Col. Kristen Galloway, Dr. Rachael Martinez, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Thompson and Somtirtha Bag at a team event in the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, at High Bay at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.  (Photo by Jeremy Ward, U.S. Air Force)

The office of Aeromedical Operational and Clinical Psychology, or AOCP, offers aerospace and operational clinical consultation for units throughout the U.S. Air Force and has done so for over a decade.

Austin Presses Ahead with Recommendations from Suicide Prevention Committee

Article Around MHS
3/27/2023
Suicide Prevention_NATMHS

Months of research and planning ways to prevent suicide in the military comes to fruition. Find out about phase one of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee's recommendations to promote the wellness, health, and morale of military personnel.

Army Restoration and Reconditioning Centers Help Soldiers with Deployment Stress and Optimize Unit Readiness

Article Around MHS
2/15/2023
Military personnel during mindfulness training

Yoga and mindfulness for the warfighter? We take a look inside an Army program's "whole person" approach to help soldiers cope with stressful or traumatic events in combat and other military operations.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Continues Expanding Mental Health Options in Pilot Program’s Second Year

Article Around MHS
2/10/2023
Naval Branch Health Clinic Bahrain sign at Naval Support Activity Bahrain

A two-year pilot program expanding mental health treatment options for military and family members hit its halfway mark. Find out how it's been successful so far, and what's next in advancing services to warfighters and their families experiencing acute mental health problems.

Sesame Workshop Rolls Out Self Care Content for Military Families

Article Around MHS
2/3/2023
A video still shows the Muppet Elmo and his father looking toward the camera.

Sesame Workshop has launched new digital resources for military parents and children that offer simple strategies for mental health and self-care. The resources include videos demonstrating the importance of finding the little wins, being flexible with routines, meal planning and even learning how to be still and quiet.

inTransition - Connecting, Coaching, Empowering

Video
1/31/2023
inTransition - Connecting, Coaching, Empowering

The Defense Health Agency inTransition program is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active-duty service members, National Guard members, reservists, veterans and retirees who need access to mental health care when: relocating to another assignment; returning from deployment; transitioning from active duty to reserve component or reserve component to active duty; preparing to leave military service; any other time they need a new mental health provider or need a provider for the first time. inTransition coaches are skilled counselors who understand military culture and who maintain privacy and confidentiality. inTransition services are available to ALL military members regardless of length of service or discharge status and there is NO expiration date to enroll. Learn more: https://health.mil/intransition

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Last Updated: August 17, 2022
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