Growing up in Silicon Valley near Palo Alto, which at the time of my adolescents had the highest rates of suicide among the age group 10-24 year olds in the county, drove me to study suicidality. The stress of growing up in an academically competitive community weighed on all of us, and unfortunately this stress leads some individuals to end their life. I think we all wonder at one time or another when these things happen in our communities what we can do to make a difference. Some of the questions that pop up for me are: what could have been done to help this individual; and, did anyone notice any changes to this individuals’ behavior, but didn’t know that was a sign of a bigger problem? Growing suicide rates among the adolescent population is a detrimental issue that many communities are struggling to address. According to data collected by the CDC (2016), suicide is the second leading cause of death for 10-34 year olds. On top of this, a report by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; 2018) indicated that the rates of suicide increased by 28% from 1999 to 2016. But what can we as communities do to help identify and refer individuals to the necessary resources?
One of the gaps that could be addressed in many communities is the lack of community gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are individuals within the community, like teachers and parents, that receive basic training in how to notice possible symptoms of suicidality among students. Studies have shown that gatekeeper training programs increase skills, attitudes, and knowledge around suicide (Isaac et al., 2009). Gatekeeper training generally involves five phases of preparing, connecting, understanding, assisting, and networking (Isaacs et al. 2009) that are designed to give participants a chance to express their own feelings towards suicide and practice gatekeeping skills like detection and referrals. Increasing knowledge around suicidal ideation can increase the feeling of comfort in having conversations about suicide. It is important that we, as a society, talk openly about suicidal ideation so that individuals do not feel stigmatized when they express these thoughts to others. Decreasing stigmatization around suicidal ideation would open-up a dialogue where individuals suffering from these thoughts have a safe space to express their feelings and seek treatment.
The lack of conversations around suicidal ideation and suicide cause individuals to feel as though they are outliers when they have suicidal thoughts. It is important that we increase education around suicidal ideation and suicide. Mental health education inside of schools could be a crucial prevention strategy for many students. In 2016, New York signed into law bill A03887B which stated that all school districts in New York needed to update their health education to include education around mental health. Psychologists agree that this is a monumental step in preventative education that could greatly impact students. The guidelines for creating curriculum around mental health include addressing the necessity and benefits of self-care; how to identify early signs of mental health problems and crises; and appropriate resources to turn to if you know you are facing a mental health problem. New York is on the cutting edge of preventative education with this initiative, and I’m excited to see the outcomes of this program in the future.
Unfortunately, not many communities, let alone states, are ready for big institutional changes like New York. Many communities are in the preplanning stage of taking preventative action against suicide (Cureton et al., 2018). The preplanning stage indicates that communities have “basic awareness” of the problem, but do not know what steps need to be taken to resolve the issue. That brings me to my final suggestion, increasing general awareness around the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide. Take the time to find out how prevalent suicide is in your community and what steps have been taken in an effort to prevent future suicides. Talk with the local school psychologist about what they have seen and how you can identify signs of potential suicidality. When opportunities arise for community discussion around suicide be apart of the conversation and change. We call all find some way to contribute to prevention strategies.
I encourage individuals to research, discuss, and ask professionals about suicidal ideation and how to become more aware of warning signs. Take the time to discuss the topic with friends and family to let them know you are an ally in times of need. Provide resources to those who are struggling and make yourself more aware of your local resources, like local counselors and crisis lines. Starting at the basics with just informing yourself and others of the available resources can help a lot. Lastly, do not be afraid to ask non-judgmentally about suicidality with family members and friends. One of the worst things we can do is make it seem like talking about suicide can cause suicide. Having an open dialogue is the only way we can be aware of how someone is truly feeling and help each other through these tough times.
References:
Center for Disease Control Prevention. (2016). Ten leading causes of death by age group, United States- 2016. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/index.html
Cureton, J. L., Clemens, E. V., Henninger, J., & Couch, C. (2018). Pre-professional Suicide Training for Counselors: Results of a Readiness Assessment. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-14.
Isaac, M., Elias, B., Katz, L.Y., Belik, S.L., Deane, F.P., Enns, M.W., Sareen, J., & The Swampy Cree Suicide Prevention Team (12 members). (2009). Gatekeeper training as a preventative intervention for suicide: A systematic review. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(4), 260-268.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Suicide. National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
By Sarah Munoz, PhD student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado
Sarah received BAs in psychology and sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Currently, she is a PhD student at the University of Northern Colorado studying counseling psychology. Her research interests include micro-expression detection, as well as suicidal ideation and substance abuse in the college population. Additionally, she subscribes to the theoretical orientations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, with a client-centered approach to therapy.