1-800-273-TALK (8255)  SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP LINE

Having worked in community mental health for three decades, I see a pattern each year.  Beginning in early February we get more calls and more people presenting with suicidal thinking.  Research shows that spring, rather than winter,  is the time that most people attempt suicide.  That is the bad news.  The good news is that people are coming to us for help.  Because of this important trend, I felt it important in this week’s post to share some information about suicide prevention.  Given that at any time approximately 25% of the population is suffering from depression, someone you know and love may be at risk.

According to Diane Sprice, the director of Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast, “The myth is that Christmas is the most high risk time for people to become suicidal, but it is actually springtime.”  Brice cites relationship troubles as the most frequent reason people call the suicide help line, followed by financial insecurity.  A Missouri hotline reported roughly 200 more calls on Valentine’s Day each year.  Once we get through the stress of winter, and the holiday, Brice says, “February comes and you’re supposed to be in love and you’re supposed to feel better…that’s when it gets really difficult for people, because of the expectation to feel better.”

For those who are lucky enough to have never experienced depression or suicidal thinking, it is very hard to understand why someone would think this way.  Especially when people externally seem to have success and so much to live for.  But depression has a way of distorting people’s thinking, bringing about a severe sense of hopelessness and despair that seems unending.  Thoughts of suicide are not a way of getting sympathy or attention, but a desire to end physical or emotional pain.  Most people who attempt suicide do not really want to die, they just don’t see any other way out of their suffering.  They actually convince themselves that others will be better off without their burden.

Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness.  They may be too hopeless, fear the stigma, or not have easy access to care.  The good news is, however, that 80 to 90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication.  (This is what makes my work so rewarding!)  Therapy can help people find new ways to approach their problems and give people a sense of agency again while giving them a safe place to talk about their feelings.  Antidepressant medication can work on brain chemistry that has been affected by chronic stress or depression.

Some of the warning signs that someone is considering suicide are:  expressions of hopelessness, risk taking behavior, substance abuse, personality changes such as withdrawal, a lack of interest in the future, giving things away, lack of interest in future planning, and statements such as “you’d be better off without me.”  If you think someone is at risk, trust your instincts.  Talk with the person about your concerns, listening with empathy and a non-judgmental attitude.  Ask direct questions, such as if they have thoughts of hurting themselves and if they have a specific plan.  The more detailed the plan, the greater the risk.  Remove any means of carrying out the plan, such as medication, guns, or knives.  Never swear to secrecy or act in a punitive manner.  Even if the person resists, get professional help.  Remember and remind the person, suicidal thinking is a symptom of depression, not a personal failure.

Some Statistics:

• Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 1% of all deaths
• More years of life are lost to suicide than to any other single cause except heart disease and cancer
• 30,000 Americans die by suicide each year; an additional 500,000 Americans attempt suicide annually
• Suicide rates are highest in old age: 20% of the population and 40% of suicide victims are over 60. After age 75, the rate is three times higher than average, and among white men over 80, it is six times higher than average
• The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are among Whites, American Indians, and Alaska Natives
• Females attempt suicide three times more often than males, but males are 4 times more likely to die by suicide, as they tend to use more lethal methods such as firearms.
• An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors.