54 3 CHAPTER 3 not seek treatment belonging to lower age categories; moreover, those who did not seek treatment reported significantly higher symptom severity (Z = -3.69, p < .001). Among personnel without mental illness, there were no significant differences in sample characteristics between personnel with or without intention to seek treatment. For a full overview of the sample’s characteristics, see Table 1. Attitudes, beliefs, and needs of military personnel who do not seek treatment Personnel believed treatment was effective (84.9%with mental illness, 95.5%without mental illness); however, they also reported a high preference to solve their own problems (70.4%with mental illness, 63.4%without mental illness). Personnel also reported high stigma-related concerns, such as perceiving one’s self as weak for seeking treatment (52.2%with mental illness, 26.4%without mental illness), fear of social rejection (38.0%with mental illness, 17.0%without mental illness), and fear of negative career consequences (36.4% with mental illness, 23.8% without mental illness). Finally, high importance was given to advice from others about seeking treatment (57.7% with mental illness, 82.0% without mental illness). For personnel with mental illness, over half (55.6%) indicated that they had denied their symptoms at first and 68.7% of those who sought treatment indicated that they had no choice, and their symptoms were too severe. Regarding needs in relation to possible future treatment-seeking, most weight was given to having a clear indication of where to go to for help (95.7%), mental health professionals with military experience (88.3%), and a discrete location to seek treatment (83.6%).
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