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Abstract
Background: US research suggests that military personnel suffering from mental health problems are reluctant to seek help because of stigma.
Aims: First, to identify the prevalence of mental health stigma beliefs in a UK military sample. Second, to investigate whether distressed personnel report more stigma than those who are not distressed.
Method: A survey of 1599 naval personnel was undertaken as part of a larger trial prior to examining the effectiveness of a novel trauma support program.
Results: The presence of internal stigma was substantial and significantly higher for distressed personnel. The prevalence of stigma about other people's mental health problems was low. Junior personnel reported being more uncomfortable in discussing emotional issues with their peer group than senior staff.
Conclusions: Internal stigma remains a significant barrier to help seeking within the Royal Navy, especially for distressed personnel. This may be especially problematic for junior personnel who are known to be particularly vulnerable to developing mental health problems.
Declaration of interest: The study was funded by the UK Ministry of Defence. Neil Greenberg is a full time active member of the Royal Navy. Simon Wessely is partially funded by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust/Institute of Psychiatry NIHR (National Institute of Health Research) Biomedical Research Centre. The authors' work was independent of the funders, and we disclosed the paper to the Ministry of Defence at the point we submitted it for publication.