September: Suicide Prevention Month

According to the World Health Organization, 703,000 people attempt to take their own life every year. And a percentage of that 703,000 people are people who we’ve lost for good. Suicide is something with a strong stigma around it, and because of it, so many people can’t get the help they need because of it.

Suicide, by definition, is the act of someone killing themself for any given reason. Most of the time, it’s by people in a poor mental state. The WHO says that “over 77% of global suicides are in low-and middle-income countries in 2019.”

Suicide has increasingly become a problem in not just in certain areas of the USA, but everywhere in the country, by people of all social classes. And while more of us, especially now, have faced a dark mental state before, it’s more important to remember National Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide Prevention month runs throughout the month of September, and during that month, millions of people spread awareness to mental health and suicide, and encourage those with suicidal ideations to talk to a trusted person before taking their life.

Causes for suicide can be almost anything: loss, family history, even stress. However, according to the Boston Children’s Hospital, “research shows that up to 90 percent of people who have died by suicide suffered from a mental illness.” Things like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder all fall into this umbrella. And when someone is already internally struggling like this, and has been for a while, suicide seems to be the only way to let themselves out from the pain of living. But, as many people say, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

In America, the statistics for suicide are even higher than they are worldwide. It’s the leading cause of death for 13-year-olds, 2nd leading cause of death for adolescents and children 13-19 years old, and the 10th leading cause of death in America itself.

The statistics for suicide are so large mostly because of the stigma around suicide and mental health as a whole. Dr. Richard Martini, a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of Utah, said in an interview with NPR that “‘[people might be] in a position where they feel they can't talk to anybody, even their parents...and as the number of solutions for that situation dwindle, they may begin to think that [they’d] rather be dead than sort through this.’”

This is an extremely dangerous mindset to have for both the victim and the people around them. Marc Orr, whose son took his own life in August 2020, also had some things to say about the lack of mental health awareness. “‘At work, we have all these tools — hard hats, gloves and glasses’ to safely work with electricity... ‘We have nothing for mental health. ... It's not talked about. Everybody turns a blind eye to it because it's taboo, it's icky.’”

Marc also wondered “why schools don't have mental wellness checks for students. ‘They get well-checks, you know,’ he says. ‘Insurance pays for a well-check. But there's not any mental [health] screening that's done or emotional screening.’”

And while in 2019, the statistics for suicide were high, they seem to be getting even higher now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research showed the rising suicide rates of Black people in Minnesota, which went up by a shocking 94% in spring to summer of 2020.

According to a paper done by SpringerLink, “Studies have reported that the spatial distancing, self-isolation, quarantine, social and economic discord, and misinformation (particularly on social media) are among the major contributing factors towards unusual sadness, fear, frustration, feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and nervousness. In extreme cases, it may trigger suicidal thoughts and attempts and, in some cases, actually result in suicide.”

That’s only a fraction of the effects, and for the general population. Numerous studies show that teenagers and children in particular get hit hard by the effects COVID-19 had on their life. With the amount of social distancing, staying at home, and lack of interaction in general, it’s hard to cope with the big changes.

According to NPR, “many suicidal children have been showing up in hospital emergency departments, and more kids are needing in-patient care after serious suicide attempts.

‘Across the country, we're hearing that there are increased numbers of serious suicidal attempts and suicidal deaths,’ says Dr. Susan Duffy, a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Brown University.

[The CDC also said that] between April and October 2020, hospital emergency departments saw a rise in the share of total visits that were from kids for mental health needs.”

It turned out to be only the beginning. As the pandemic continued, more people were speaking out about mental health and the impact of suicide. People made more awareness to the fact that September was National Suicide Prevention Month. They encouraged people that it was okay not to be okay. They talked about how therapy was something life-saving, and that mental health was not something to be romanticized or taboo. It was a struggle that millions went through, and although it was painful to live, killing oneself was not the answer.

There are things to do if you or someone you know is suicidal. First of all, it’s important to find help as soon as possible. Whether it be talking about it to a trusted person or immediately finding a therapist, the extra support you get from these people have been proven to lower suicide rates.

Secondly, react appropriately if someone decides to open up to you. Chances are, that person has been bottling up those feelings, and it takes an immense amount of trust for them to confide about those feelings with you. If you decide to react harshly or overreact, that trust can easily be lost. Instead, tell them that you’ll support them, no matter what. Ask them what is going on that makes them feel that way. However, if they ask you not to tell anyone else, disobey that order. Tell someone, like a counselor or trusted family member, or contact a suicide helpline. They can also help support you or your loved one and give better help.

Third, talk to the people you trust. If you decide to open up to someone, be sure to continue talking to them. It helps the person understand that this is a serious situation, not a one-time thing. In addition, talking to them can help them help you. Have conversations with them. That doesn’t mean they all have to be about a mental health situation. If anything, that’s probably worse. The only thing you have to do is to periodically talk about it to them when things get bad.

Fourth, and maybe one of the most effective steps: Find a therapist. This has been repeated a lot, but therapists are trained to help people struggling emotionally. They know how to help and will always be there for you. If you find a good therapist, they can be more than just someone to talk about your problems with, but instead they could be a friend you can trust. If you talk to a therapist, they can understand what’s going on and how to help you better than an inexperienced individual.

Fifth, take care of yourself, and make sure others are doing the same. Drink water, exercise, and clean yourself up. Eat healthy and be productive. It sounds like a lot to do, but it keeps you healthy and your body will thank you. But make sure that others are also taking care of themselves. Even a periodic text of “did you drink water and sleep well?” can make the person feel so much better. It reminds them that someone does care for them, and that someone makes time out of their day to make sure they’re okay.

Suicide is not a joke. And it’s not a joke that so many people feel like they need to do it. There’s so much more out there for those struggling, and while it doesn’t seem like it now, things do get better. If someone you know is struggling with a mental illness and has made comments on suicide, make sure they’re okay. You’ll never know otherwise, until it’s too late. And if you are struggling, then make sure you talk to someone about it. It may not seem like it, but there are people out there who do care about you.

Most importantly, spread the word about suicide prevention and mental health awareness. The more people educated about these topics, the safer and happier our world can be. It isn’t a taboo topic anymore: it’s a real thing. So give that safe space to someone, find help, and remember that those struggling are not alone. You can leave the battle stronger than before.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: dial 711, then 1-800-273-8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

SOURCES:

Khan, Kiran Shafiq, et al. “The Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic across Different Cohorts.” International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 9 July 2020, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-020-00367-0, 10.1007/s11469-020-00367-0. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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Mental Health. 2021, www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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Shrestha, Roshana, et al. “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicide and Self-Harm among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department of a Teaching Hospital in Nepal.” PLOS ONE, vol. 16, no. 4, 30 Apr. 2021, p. e0250706, journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0250706, 10.1371/journal.pone.0250706. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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“Suicides Rise in Black Population during COVID-19 Pandemic.” Hopkinsmedicine.org, 2020, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/suicides-rise-in-black-population-during-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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Rhitu Chatterjee. “Child Psychiatrists Warn That the Pandemic May Be Driving up Kids’ Suicide Risk.” NPR.org, 2 Feb. 2021, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/02/962060105/child-psychiatrists-warn-that-the-pandemic-may-be-driving-up-kids-suicide-risk. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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Rhitu Chatterjee. “Make Space, Listen, Offer Hope: How to Help a Child at Risk of Suicide.” NPR.org, 2 Feb. 2021, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/02/962185779/make-space-listen-offer-hope-how-to-help-a-child-at-risk-of-suicide. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.

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“Suicide Risk in the COVID-19 Pandemic | Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide.” Hopkinsguides.com, 2019, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787393/all/Suicide_Risk_in_the_COVID_19_Pandemic. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.