Suicide Prevention

I hope you've had a great week and that you've been taking care of yourself. I felt compelled to speak on suicide today because, whether in my personal life or in my professional one, the topic seems to be unavoidable as of late. I know that you may have been there yourself or you may know someone that has been. Regardless, this is an experience that many don't always feel comfortable discussing.....aaaaaand that's the problem, in my opinion. This problem is even worse once you start breaking things down by categories and statistics. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that "suicide deaths further increased in 2022, rising from 48,183 deaths in 2021 to an estimated 49,449 deaths in 2022, an increase of approximately 2.6%". The CDC goes on to state that between 2021 and 2022, there was a 3.8% increase in suicides with women (while men still overwhelmingly make up the majority of suicides, increasing from 38,358 to 39,255), a 15.9% increase in Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, a 5.7% increase amongst Asians, and an 8.1% increase in people 65 years old and older (2023). 

An encouraging statistic, however, is that between 2021 and 2022, there has been an 8.4% decrease of suicides amongst people between the ages of 10-24 (2023). One of the contributing factors to this decrease may be education and prevention measures that are being taken in our schools. There is no doubt that the younger generation appears to be more comfortable with discussing their emotions and seeking help, compared to previous generations. Is it easy to do? No, but it clearly works. 
"The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline suggest 5 steps to help safeguard people from the risk of suicide and support them when in crisis" (2023):

1. Ask: Sometimes the easiest and best thing that we can do is simply ask and have discussions about the topic. Don't play around with it. 'I'm worried that you're going to hurt yourself and I don't want to lose you' or 'I'm really hurting and I'm scared that I don't want to keep going anymore' are great starting points. Just say SOMETHING.   
2. Help keep them safe: It's hard to ask someone what they are thinking of using to hurt themselves, but this is necessary information so that we can help make the environment safe. Belts, rope, sheets, obvious weapons, pills, and razors are all the usual suspects but don't be afraid to think outside of the box. But sometimes the best way to make the environment safe is to...
3. Be there: Isolation and suicide are besties. The less isolated we are, the less likely we are to act on suicidal thoughts. If you THINK someone might be suicidal, don't just assume that they'll be ok. The best rule of thumb is that if they seem like they shouldn't be alone, they probably shouldn't be. 
4. Help them connect: There's lots of information out there on resources to find help. Educating ourselves or simply reaching out for help greatly increases the likelihood of surviving the wave of suicidal thoughts. Find a therapist. Call a hotline. Seek out bridges to life instead of barriers. Oh look! There's a resource coming up soon! If we slowly move the mouse towards it, we might be able to sneak up on it and click it. Go ahead and give it a try.... http://988lifeline.org/
5. Follow up: People like to know that others care. That's normal. If that friend or family member told you they need help, don't just stop being present after they get their help. These feelings resurface. Life still happens and people will ALWAYS need to know they're loved. The cool part is, once we give that gift of follow up, it tends to come back to us when we need it. A 'check-in' has never hurt anyone.  

If you are someone you are concerned about is experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 988 in order to be connected to a suicide hotline. 

Resources
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023).  Provisional Suicide Deaths in the United States, 2022 | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC.