Suicide Rates on the Rise: How Can You Help?

We learn about suicide through news reports and from our neighbors, and these stories have become increasingly more common. Notable celebrities, such as fashion designer Kate Spade and actor Robin Williams, committed suicide, and stories about their deaths were made very public. However, it is important to remember that suicide also affects the average person. Unfortunately, it’s been the cause of death for our friends and relatives.

Dr. Jeffrey Shelton, chair of Middlesex Hospital’s Psychiatry Department, says the suicide rate in the United States has gone up significantly over the past several years. Statistically, he says we are all at higher risk for suicide than we were 10 years ago, and he says the celebrities who have committed suicide bring attention to the fact that feeling suicidal is a serious and debilitating state. Even those who appear to have everything can become a victim.

As a caring community, how can we help?

What we can do

Dr. Shelton says concerned friends and relatives should ask their loved one about suicide and listen to their response. There is a misperception that asking about suicide may somehow implant the idea and increase the risk, but the opposite is true. It is also important to seek professional help, and this includes seeking outpatient mental health treatment, or if you concerned that the person at is an acute risk for suicide, go to the nearest emergency department.  

It might be understandably tempting to deny that a loved one is considering suicide and want to minimize the risk. People often accuse someone of being manipulative if they talk about suicide, and while this can be true, Dr. Shelton says it is still best that the person be evaluated by a mental health professional.

In addition, removing guns from the home has been shown to reduce suicide. While this can be a challenging intervention, it may ultimately save lives, and your local police department can help by taking temporary custody of any guns while a person is receiving psychiatric treatment.  

What are the signs?

Dr. Shelton says no one sign specifically indicates the intent for suicide. However, some warning signs may include:

• Withdrawing from usual activities
• Saying they feel they are a burden on others
• Making comments about suicide or that they would be better off dead

General risk factors for suicide include:

• A history of prior suicide attempts
• Depression
• A history of bipolar disorder
• A history of substance abuse, particularly alcohol
• Age (If you are older than 55 and younger than 25, you are at greater risk.)
• Gender (Men more commonly die from suicide due to using more lethal means, but women are more likely to attempt suicide.)
• Divorce
• A family history of suicide
• A history of trauma/post traumatic stress disorder

It is important to know that while having a history of prior suicide attempts is a risk factor, not having a prior history doesn’t decrease your risk. Noteworthy statistic: About 40 percent of people who die from suicide have a history of prior suicide attempts – 60 percent do not.