Suicide - Illinois editorial

Talk, listen and help prevent death by suicide

Editorial view published in the Illinois newspaper Journal Star newspaper in Peoria IL:

He had a bright future. He had everything going for him. 

Why did he kill himself?

Odds are you know someone who died by suicide and asked those questions. There is an average of 123 suicides a day, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. However, that’s not the whole story. 

For every suicide, there are 25 attempts, although that number probably is higher because so many attempts go unreported.

The questions persist and the answers are few.

No suicide is inevitable. People want to live, they just don’t see alternatives.

There is help, there is hope in reaching out, both for the people at risk and for those who care about them.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States with 44,965 people dying every year.

Men die by suicide almost four times more often than women. White males, mostly middle-aged, accounted for 70 percent of suicides in 2016. Young people take their own lives far too often. Young adults aged 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 13.15 per 100,000 individuals.

Most suicidal individuals give signs, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
If a loved one has been talking about taking his or her life; has a preoccupation with death; a loss of interest in things he or she cared about; or has been giving things away or making statements about hopelessness, helplessness or worthlessness, seek help immediately. 

Urgent! The person needs to see a doctor or psychiatrist immediately. Nine out of 10 people who die by suicide have a mental health condition that contributed to their death.

Be aware of signs of depression, including lethargy, disinterest in personal appearance and loss of appetite.

Some people with depression suffer from such intense symptoms of hopelessness that they come to believe the only solution is death. People around them grapple to understand such depth of despair, how to arrest a downward spiral, how to inject a redeeming bit of hope and light into a dark worldview. Watching it is painful; enduring it personally is unimaginable for many of us.

Encourage and help the person get appropriate clinical care for mental, physical and substance abuse disorders. Talk and listen. Each of us has a role in this effort. We need to know who is at risk and what the warning signs are. 

Then, we need to know how to help.

Distressed people may ask you to keep their pain a secret. Don’t. People who contemplate suicide feel isolated. They feel a sense of inevitability about taking their own lives.

He or she can’t face that feeling alone; you can’t help all by yourself and you need to convey that seeking treatment is not a sign of weakness. Involve a professional in the situation. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

All calls are confidential. There also is a crisis text line at 741-741.

As noted above, mental health issues and suicide are related. Each must regularly be given the attention they deserved. Raising awareness after the latest celebrity death is not good enough. We must be aware of the vulnerabilities of our friends and neighbors and be there to help them.

Suicide Prevention Week was earlier this month. Awareness weeks help raise the profile of important causes like prevention of suicide — but the conversation about how to address it cannot be limited to that time each year.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says “suicide prevention starts with everyday heroes like you.” Provide help. Provide hope and may your friends live long, happy and healthy lives.