Suicide prevention information and resources
August 24th, 2005
Beverley Britton (member of the URI of Washington, D.C.), asked me to share the following information about suicide and tips about suicide prevention, saying “Suicide, especially among the young, soldiers returning from warzones,the indigenous,the elderly, and refugees, is on the increase in the US. Please share this pertinent list of symptoms, guidelines and resources with groups, including URI-NA and NAIN.” It is certainly an issue that all faith groups should pay attention to.
To help prevent suicide, follow these tips suggested by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the National Depressive and
Manic-Depressive Association.
For Individuals:
- Know that help is available. Call 1-800-SUICIDE or a local crisis
center to talk to a counselor if you feel suicidal. Express your feelings
to trusted friends or relatives. - Avoid drugs and alcohol. Most deaths by suicide result from sudden,
uncontrolled impulses; drugs and alcohol contribute to such impulses. Drugs
and alcohol also interfere with the effectiveness of medications prescribed
for depressive disorders. - Recognize the earliest warning signs of a suicidal episode. There are
often subtle warning signs your body will give you when an episode is
developing. As you learn to manage your illness, you will learn how to be
sensitive to these signs. This is a signal to treat yourself with the
utmost care, as opposed to becoming angry or disgusted with yourself. - Write down your thoughts. Each day, write about your hopes for the
future and the people you value in your life. Read what you've written
when you need to remind yourself why your own life is important.
For Families and Friends:
- Be a good listener. If people express suicidal thoughts or feel
depressed, hopeless, or worthless, be supportive. You may encounter
negative reactions from the individual who believes that his or her
condition is hopeless and will never get better. Let them know you are
there for them and are willing to help them seek professional help. Never
issue challenges or dares. - Many people find it awkward to put into words how another person's
life is important for their own well-being, but it is important to stress
that the person's life is important to you and to others. Emphasize in
specific terms the ways in which the person's suicide would be
devastating to you and to others. - Express empathy and concern for people who express thoughts about
committing suicide. Suicidal ideation is frequently accompanied by a
self-absorbed, uncommunicative, and withdrawn state of mind. When you try
to help, the individual may be reluctant to discuss what he or she is
thinking. At such times, it is important to acknowledge the reality of the
individual's pain and hopelessness. If the person is not comfortable
talking with you, encourage him or her to talk with someone else. - Describe specific behaviors and events that trouble you. Noting
particular ways in which a person's behavior has changed may help to
get communication started. - Familiarize yourself with suicide intervention resources such as mental
health centers, counseling centers, and hotlines. - Restrict inappropriate access to firearms.
For Communities:
- Build support for families, communities, and neighborhoods.
- Ensure accessible and effective clinical care for mental, physical, and
substance abuse disorders. - Expand suicide prevention efforts for youths, emphasizing nonviolent
handling of disputes, conflict resolution, and skill-building in problem
solving. - Promote awareness of suicide intervention resources such as mental
health centers, counseling centers, and hotlines.
The Problem
Who Is Affected?
Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all Americans. Suicide
rates are the highest among people age 65 and older, and suicide is the third
leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24. Among youths 10 to 14 years
old, suicide rates increased 100 percent from 1980 to 1996.
Suicide affects many populations. From 1979 to 1992, suicide rates for
Native Americans (including American Indians and Native Alaskans) were 1.5
times the national rates. Young males ages 15 to 24 accounted for 64 percent
of all suicides among Native Americans. Suicide rates are higher than the
national average for some groups of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. In
Hawaii, the suicide rate for this group is 4 percent higher than the rate for
the rest of the population. Asian American women have the highest suicide
rate among women age 65 and older. While the suicide rate among young people
is greatest among white males, from 1980 to 1996 the suicide rate increased
most rapidly (and more than doubled) among black males ages 15 to 19.
Hispanic students were more likely than white students to have reported a
suicide attempt.
Nationwide in 1997, 21 percent of high school students had seriously
considered attempting suicide within the past year, and 8 percent had
attempted suicide within the past year. Although females are more likely than
males to attempt suicide, males are more likely to die in their first attempt
than females.
Nearly 60 percent of all suicides in the United States are committed with
a firearm. Because firearms are particularly lethal, these people usually do
not have another chance.
The people most at risk for committing suicide are those who have several
of the following characteristics:
- have attempted suicide in the past
- have a family history of suicide
- have a firearm in the home
- consume alcohol and/or abuse other substances
- are depressed (changes in sleeping patterns and appetite, feeling
worthless) - have experienced violence (physical, sexual, domestic, or child
abuse) - are experiencing unusual stress due to adverse life events, such as
separation or divorce - have spent time in jail or prison
- have a medical condition
- move frequently from one location to another
- experienced poor parent/child communication
- feel socially isolated
Safety Resources
In an emergency, call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433), the national suicide
hotline.
- American Association of Suicidology
- Their web site, www.suicidology.org, provides information on current
research, prevention, ways to help a suicidal person, and surviving
suicide. A list of crisis centers is also included. Their phone number is
202-237-2280. - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Their web site, www.afsp.org, provides research, education, and current
statistics regarding suicide; links to other suicide and mental health
sites are offered. Information and help is also available by calling
1-888-333-AFSP (2377). - American Psychiatric Association
- Call 1-800-852-8330 for information and referrals to psychiatrists in
your area. Or visit their web site at www.psych.org. - American Psychological Association (APA)
- APA's web site, www.apa.org, provides information about who is at
risk, suicide warning signs, and steps toward suicide prevention. Call APA
at 1-800-964-2000 if you have questions about their web site or any other
mental health issues. - Boys Town
- Boys Town is an organization that cares for troubled
childrenóboth boys and girls and for families in crisis. Their
hotline staff is trained to handle calls and questions about violence and
suicide. Call 1-800-448-3000 (crisis hotline) or 1-800-545-5771. Or visit
them on the web at www.boystown.org. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control Division of Violence Prevention - Visit their web site, www.cdc.gov/ncipc/ for links to suicide
statistics, the SafeUSA web site, and safety information. Or call
770-488-4362. - The Center for Mental Health Services
- Visit their web site, www.mentalhealth.org/highlights/suicide to learn
more about Suicide Awareness Week, May 7-13, 2000. - National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
- NAMI's toll-free number, 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), provides
information about family support and self-help groups. Their web site,
www.nami.org, includes links to information about teen suicide, child
suicide, brain biology and suicide, as well as general suicide information
links. - National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (NDMDA)
- Call NDMDA at 1-800-82-NDMDA (63632) for information on local patient
and support groups. Their web site, www.ndmda.org, provides information
about biological causes for suicidal feelings, what to do if you or someone
you know is suicidal, and possible suicide therapies. - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Call NIMH Public Inquiries at 1-800-421-4211 for information on
depression and other mental illnesses. Or visit www.nimh.nih.gov. - National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
- Call NMHA at 1-800-228-1114 or 1-800-969-NMHA (6642) for information on
depression and its treatment and for referrals to local screening sites.
Their web address is http://www.nmha.org. For TTY, call
1-800-433-5959. - The National Mental Illness Screening Project Suicide Division
- Their hotline can help you locate a free, confidential screening near
you. Call 1-800-573-4433 or visit www.nmisp.org. You can also send them a
free fax at 1-888-803-7447. - Suicide Awareness-Voices of Education (SA\VE)
- SA/VE's web site, www.save.org, provides suicide education, facts,
and statistics on suicide and depression. It links to information on
warning signs of suicide and the role a friend or family member can play in
helping a suicidal person. SA/VE's phone number is 612-946-7998. - Suicide Information & Education Centre (SIEC)
- SIEC is a special library and resource center providing information on
suicide and suicidal behavior. Call 403-245-3900 or visit www.siec.ca. - Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network (SPAN)
- SPAN is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating an effective
national suicide prevention strategy. SPAN links the energy of those
bereaved by suicide with the expertise of leaders in science, business,
government, and public service to achieve the goal of significantly
reducing the national suicide rate by the year 2010. Call 1-888-649-1366 or
visit http://spanusa.org.