September is Suicide Prevention Month

Suicide is a taboo topic in our culture in the United States surrounded by much stigma. I have heard the words such as, “weak, selfish, mentally disturbed, crazy,” and many other words to describe people who have attempted to or committed suicide. It is very easy for those of us who do not understand the underlying sources of pain, hopelessness, helplessness, lack of a positive support system, apathy, and no ability to seriously consider that ending their pain in such a permanent way will have life-long negative impacts on the people who care about them. These impacts include, but are not limited to, never-ending grief and self-blame for questioning what they could have done to prevent this life-altering event from even occurring.

There is a term that is referred to as “survivors of suicide.” This term has a two-fold meaning. Generally, when discussing survivors of suicide, the consensus is that the definition refers to those who have lost someone close to them to suicide. But this term can also be used to describe survivors of suicide who have lived through their suicide attempts. With both groups, there are often unresolved feelings of shame and guilt.

While it can be triggering to know that September is Suicide Prevention Month, it is also valuable to rely on your support systems and create self care strategies to help cope with this difficult time. One such self care and effective coping strategy may involve reaching out to a therapist. If you have thought about this but feel unable to tackle this task on your own, it is perfectly okay to ask for help from your support team. While asking for help from others may make you feel vulnerable, this does not make you weak. It is one of the strongest things you can do for yourself and your family. I am here to help you put the pieces together.

Let’s begin by looking at some definitions and statistics.

Definitions

*General Definitions of Suicide by the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH).

Suicide is a major public health concern. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the United States. Based on recent nationwide surveys, suicide in some populations is on the rise.

Suicide is defined as death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.
A suicide attempt is a non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior. A suicide attempt might not result in injury.
Suicidal ideation refers to thinking about, considering, or planning suicide.

Additional information about suicide can be found on the NIMH health topics page on Suicide Prevention.

Statistics & Facts:

General Statistics (USA)

-Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the US for all ages. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-Suicide takes the lives of over 44,965 Americans every year. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, American Indians and Alaska Natives.

-Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment. (NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness)

-80% -90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. (TADS study – The Treatment for Adolescents with Depression research study funded by NIMH – The National Institute on Mental Health)

-An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors (AAS).

-There is one fulfilled suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

-There is one completed suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

More specific statistics:

Gender Issues Related to Individuals identifying as the biological sex assigned to them as birth

Gender non-conforming, gender non-binary, transgender icons

Suicide among males is 4x’s higher than among females. Male deaths represent 79% of all US suicides. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)
Firearms are the most commonly used method of suicide among males (51%). (CDC – Center for Disease Control)
Females are more likely than males to have had suicidal thoughts. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)
Females experience depression at roughly 2x’s the rate of men.(SMH – Screenings for Mental Health)
Females attempt suicide 3x’s as often as males. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)
Poisoning is the most common method of suicide for females. (CDC – Center for Disease Control)

Age disparities

– 1 in 100,000 children ages 10 to 14 die by suicide each year. (NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health)

– 7 in 100,000 youth ages 15 to 19 die by suicide each year. (NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health)

– 12.7 in 100,000 young adults ages 20-24 die by suicide each year. (NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health)

– The prevalence of suicidal thoughts, suicidal planning and suicide attempts is significantly higher among adults aged 18-29 than among adults aged 30+. (CDC)

– Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year old Americans. (CDC)

– Suicide is the 4^th leading cause of death for adults ages 18-65. (CDC)

– The highest increase in suicide is in males 50+ (30 per 100,000). (CDC)

– Suicide rates for females are highest among those aged 45-54 (9 per 100,000). (CDC)

– Suicide rates for males are highest among those aged 75+ (36 per 100,000). (CDC)

– Suicide rates among the elderly are highest for those who are divorced or widowed. (SMH)

Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

– Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.

– LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.

– LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.

– Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth.

– Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.

– In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.

– LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.

– 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) seriously considered suicide in the past year.

– Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.

Preventing Suicide

– Suicide is more than a mental health concern. A recent CDC study showed that a range of factors contribute to suicide among those with and without known mental health conditions. However, suicide is preventable.

– States and communities, including, public health, healthcare, schools, the media, and community organizations can do a lot to prevent suicide. Research has uncovered a wealth of information about the factors that contribute to suicide risk and prevention strategies. CDC has released a technical package, Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices, to help inform decisions about prevention strategies that are based on the best available evidence.

Everyone Can Learn How to Look for the Warning Signs and Get Help

– Suicide has warning signs, such as expressing hopelessness, threatening to hurt oneself or talking about wanting to die, increasing alcohol and drug use, and withdrawing from friends and family.

– If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Learn the steps you can take to help someone at risk by visiting BeThe1To. You can also check out a link on my Facebok page where I shared an article recently featured on NPR about some simple things you can de to check in on your loved ones, friends, care workers, family, and strangers. We have a lot of organizations in the Chambana area which offer great free and low-cost services.

– I know it is scared to reach out, but try to find someone you trust to help you get started. Talking about suicide to someone who is already feeling suicidal is not going to give them any ideas except that you care. Opening up this conversation sends the message, “I, as well as many others, appreciate you are here. How can I help?”

If you have any further questions or comments, please contact me at stacipoecounseling.com via email at either staci@stacipoecounseling.com or info@stacipoecounseling.com or by phone at 872-205-0960. You do not have to walk this journal alone.