‘One death by suicide is one too many’

(Letter to the Editor by Cecelia White, Cumberland River Behavioral Health Emergency Services Director)

To the Editor,

As a therapist and the Emergency Services Director at the local community mental health center, talking with people about suicidal thoughts is common. However, friends, families, churches, schools, physical health care organizations, and communities must also become comfortable talking about suicide to prevent suicidal thoughts turning into actions that are permanent and devastating to many.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide was the thirteenth leading cause of death for Kentuckians of all ages in 2020. Even more startling, it was the second leading cause of death in both the 10-24 age group and the 24-34 age group. In Kentucky, there were 801 deaths by suicide in 2020.

We must remember that even one death by suicide is one too many and that we must work toward preventing these deaths.

According to the Center for Disease Control, for every suicide death there are 275 people who think about suicide and 27 who attempt. The question becomes what can we do to prevent these attempts and deaths.

The first thing that all of us can do is educate ourselves on things that make it more likely and less likely that people will have suicidal thoughts and act upon these thoughts.

Factors that increase the risk for suicide include: social isolation, family or peer conflict, stigma related to receiving mental health care, substance use, previous attempts, self harming, bullying, access to lethal means, experiences of trauma, family history of completed suicide, and being a member of a marginalized group.

Protective factors that decrease the likelihood of attempting or completing suicide include: healthy relationships with family and friends, access to mental health care, healthy coping and problem solving skills, and limited access to lethal means.

Another thing that we can do is to know the warning signs. Some warning signs include: talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves, looking for a way to kill themselves, talking about having no reason to live, talking about feeling trapped or in pain, talking about being a burden to others, increasing drug or alcohol use, looking for means of killing themselves, sleeping too much or too little, withdrawing, giving away possessions, showing increased extremes in emotions, or other unexplained changes in behaviors.

Once we know the risk and protective factors and the warning signs, we must learn how to react when someone indicates that they may be having thoughts of killing themselves.

First, if you believe that someone is having thoughts of suicide, ask them. Make sure that you are willing and able to listen to their responses. If you are not willing or able, connect them with someone who is. This can provide an incredible relief for some.

Second, be there for them but do not promise to do something that is not possible. If professional help is needed, find those resources for them.

Third, find out if they have already done something to harm themselves or if they are about to do something. If so, make sure that they get the help they need and remove access to means to harm themselves.

Finally, be a support to a person after they have disclosed that they are having suicidal thoughts or have attempted to end their life. After they receive professional help, they will continue to need your support.

The following are crisis resources for individuals having thoughts of suicide:

988-Crisis Line – Can be called or texted-Trained responders will talk or text with people in crisis 24/7, if texting text Hello or Start to 988. 988 can also be called for the Veterans Crisis Line, when the recording starts press 1 to speak with the Veterans Crisis Line.

988lifeline.org/chat – Online chat with crisis responders, requires a short survey prior to chatting in order to learn about what the crisis is.

741741 – Text Home or Start to text with a crisis counselor.

Cecelia White

Cumberland River Behavioral Health