Preventing Suicide--My Thoughts as Someone Who Has Lost a Loved One

September, National Suicide Prevention Month, is a painful reminder that more must be done to prevent suicide, a complex public health issue many psychologists now argue is a disease in its own right.     

 According to the 2020 statistics on suicide released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 12 million people seriously thought about suicide in 2020—approximately 3.2 million of those made a plan. Of the roughly 1.2 million suicide attempts, 45,979 resulted in death. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the United States. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html.  Unfortunately, these facts don’t surprise me. I lost my own brother to suicide 15 years ago. So, I understand the stakes of not talking about the importance of suicide prevention.

 Some Facts on Suicide

 We are losing someone to suicide every 11 minutes. It does not discriminate by age, race, gender, religion, or political ideology. However, we do know from the data that some groups have higher rates of suicide. For example, members of non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic white populations are more likely to die by suicide. Our nation’s veterans also have higher-than-average rates of suicide. People who live in rural areas where labor-intensive, hazardous industries and occupations are common have higher rates of suicide as well. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1005-rural-suicide-rates.html  Men make up nearly 80% of reported suicides, although they account for just 49% of the population. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html

 We shouldn’t assume that someone is “safe” from suicide just because that person doesn’t neatly fit into one of these high-risk categories. Many people who attempt suicide have “smiling depression” that causes them to appear in high spirits in the months, weeks, days, and hours leading up to suicide. Furthermore, researchers believe that Black Americans, especially young people, are often “hidden ideators,” people who are less likely than others to disclose thoughts of suicide. Everything from lack of access to health resources to a cultural legacy of simply pushing through rough circumstances without expressing anguish may be to blame.

 Suicide Is a Global Problem

 Looking at the statistics, it can feel like we’re moving backward on mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) shares that the suicide rate in the United States has increased by 31% since 2001. https://nami.org/mhstats While I’ve focused on suicide statistics in the United States, I want to reiterate that this is a global problem. The World Health Organization notes that roughly 700,000 people worldwide die from suicide every year. The WHO also reports that 77% of global suicides occur in low-income and middle-income countries. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide

 We Aren’t Powerless in the Face of Suicide

 I know I’ve presented a lot of grim facts. You may be wondering what you can do to help stop this global tragedy. I want to leave you feeling empowered to play a role in helping to prevent suicide. Here’s a summary of the CDC’s strategies for preventing suicide deaths:

 Strengthening economic supports: Stable housing and financial security are essential for helping people find the meaning, purpose, and dignity that enable them to face life’s challenges.

 Creating protective environments: People must be in environments with healthy organizational policies and culture.

 Improving access and delivery of suicide care: While the big thing with this one is covering mental health in health insurance policies, it also includes increasing provider availability in underserved areas and providing rapid response in high-risk scenarios.

 Promoting healthy connections: People need to feel connected and accepted! Loneliness is truly deadly.

 Identifying and supporting people at risk: People must be trained on how to respond to a crisis, provide therapeutic approaches, and follow up properly after an attempt.

 Teaching coping and problem-solving skills: This category lays the foundation for reducing a person’s lifelong risk of suicide by introducing social-emotional learning programs, resilience-building educational programs, and problem-solving skills. Prevention starts in our homes and schools.

 Reducing harm and preventing future risk: A previous suicide attempt is one of the most significant risk factors for a future suicide attempt. https://www.who.int/news/item/17-06-2021-one-in-100-deaths-is-by-suicide We need to make appropriate post-attempt interventions.

 Unfortunately, no one has all the answers to “fix” this problem. The truth is that we can still lose someone to suicide after doing everything “right.” One thing we can do is come together to recognize suicide as a global health risk to ensure that proper resources are dedicated to saving lives.

 If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or call someone and tell them how you’re feeling, or go to the emergency room of your nearest hospital. Preventing Suicide