The stigma of receiving psychological healthcare manifests itself in many forms within the military, needlessly keeping service members from getting help when they most need it.

A big roadblock can be an underlying fear that seeking professional help will negatively affect one’s career progression. It’s a fear that is decidedly overblown.

Consider the facts:

• All branches of the military have undergone a huge cultural shift in dealing with the mental health problems that have arisen from more than 11 years of combat and an exceptionally high operational tempo.
• In 2008, the Department of Defense issued revisions to question 21 on the Questionnaire for National Security Positions, Standard Form (SF) 86, regarding mental and emotional health counseling. The revised questions states:

  “Mental health counseling in and of itself is not a reason to revoke or deny a clearance. In the last seven years, have you consulted with a health care professional regarding an emotional or mental health condition or were you hospitalized for such a condition? Answer “No” if the counseling was for any of the following reasons and was not court-ordered: strictly marital, family, grief not related to violence by you or strictly related to adjustments from service in a military combat environment.”

• While naval policy dictates that patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – SSRIs, which are commonly known as antidepressants – shall not be issued firearms, waivers are routinely granted. “In considering waivers,” the policy states, “the psychiatric diagnosis, medication, other medical history and their effect on judgment and motor behavior shall be the primary considerations.”

It’s true that there still exist some dated attitudes that paint mental health issues with a broad brush, and there are still some leaders who view psychological disorders as a “weakness.” This viewpoint, though, is on the fast track toward extinction. All branches of the military now place as big a premium on mental health as physical health.

Psychological health issues are like any health issue – the longer the issue is left untreated, the more serious it becomes.

More and more resources are allocated to mental health as warfighters return home from deployment to – and in support of – combat zones. The Navy and Marine Corps also are now embedding mental health professionals into combat units, hoping to address issues in real time to prevent or lessen complications down the road.

Could mental health issues negatively affect your career? It’s possible. But failure to seek help for these issues is much more likely to damage your career. Psychological health issues are like any health issue – the longer the issue is left untreated, the more serious it becomes.

Acute stress, depression and PTSD often lead to alcohol and drug abuse, angry and reckless behavior, apathy and other career-damaging, and career-killing, issues.

So ask yourself, which is worse — suffering while your mental health deteriorates, or getting help now so you can be a complete, ready and effective warfighter?