Hampshire Police Officer calls for better mental heath support in the force
PC Hannah Briggs' mental health was severely affected after being sent to the murder scene of a girl she knew
A Hampshire Police Officer has shared with us her personal story on World Suicide Prevention Day.
PC Hannah Briggs was sent to the murder scene of a victim she knew in 2020.
The trauma left her struggling with her mental health.
She's now working with the Suicide Trauma Education Prevention (STEP) campaign, that aims to raise awareness.
Hannah said: "Having that connection and seeing what I saw was awful.
"It sent me spiralling and it has done for the past four and a half years.
"I would say it's only this past year that I'm really on the track to a real recovery.
"One thing I promised myself was when I got better, I would speak out for others and get that awareness out there because I know at the time, I didn't have the strength, and I didn't feel I had the support to speak out and say I'm struggling, this is wrong."
The STEP campaign aims to reduce the number of police officers who take their own lives and raises awareness of the trauma officers face in their jobs.
It aims to do this through offering one to one support with officers, and ensuring support is in place quicker than before.
Ms Briggs added: "My biggest advice would be don't give up.
"Don't let that dark cloud block out every bit of light that is still there.
"It's just hiding for a little while and it's okay to talk about it.
"You're not a burden because I know for a long time, I felt like a burden.
"Keep speaking out and just don't give up because you're worth so much more than you think."
If you need help, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or Hub of Hope for local mental health services.
If you're a Police Officer and you need support, you can find more information here.