” I want to say as loudly and clearly as I can: it is okay to ask for help.
"To every member of the NYPD, please know this: it is okay to feel vulnerable. It is okay if you are facing struggles. And it is okay to seek help from others," O'Neill said. "You may not know this, and it may be hard to imagine, but you are not out there all by yourself. More people than you know, who wear the same uniform as you do, share the same doubts and fears and struggles that you do. Seeking help is strength. Talking about your problems is strength. Acknowledging you need a place to turn is strength. There is no shame here — only a promise to provide you with the help and support you need and deserve."
(MORE: Video: NYPD announces new policy after 4 recent police suicides) De Blasio echoed O'Neill's statement.
“I want to say as loudly and clearly as I can: it is okay to ask for help," de Blasio said. "If you or a loved one is in need, ask. Your whole city stands in support of you ready to answer the call.”
A recent white paper commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization, found that police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
In 2017, there were at least 103 firefighter suicides and 140 police officer suicides nationwide, researchers said. In contrast, 93 firefighters and 129 police officers died in the line of duty.
"Police officers experience trauma on a regular basis -- not just what is on the front line of nightly news," Miriam Heyman, a researcher with the Ruderman Family Foundation, told ABC News in April.
If you or someone you know has talked about contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Kaynak:Abcnews