Support and Safety

It's ok to talk about suicide
September is designated as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is aiming to change mindsets when addressing the topic of suicide. Often seen as taboo, the organization hopes to shift perspectives; to let people know that it’s OK to talk about suicide. Vital, and often lifesaving information can be shared when communities come together to advocate for better mental health care.
 
“Suicide is a tragic outcome that we are all tasked with helping to prevent,” said Dr. Kevin M. Gray, a Daniel Island resident and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at MUSC.
 
Dan Freemyer, senior pastor of Providence Church, is a local leader who is ready to lift the veil and address the stigma of suicide head-on. 
 
“As a community, we need to normalize open public discussion about suicide and factors that increase risk,” he said. “Suicide prevention is occasionally addressed directly in sermons from the pulpit. For example, the sermon planned for this Sunday deals with a passage in the gospel of Mark where Jesus’ disciples did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Being afraid to ask for help continues to endanger lives today.”
 
He continued, “But, the Church’s responsibility doesn’t stop there. I believe many in churches have unfortunately played a significant role in increasing the risk of suicide specifically among LGBTQ youth by perpetuating theologies that are hostile toward them. We need to evaluate how our own attitudes and prejudices make others feel rejected and stigmatized.”
 
Suicide doesn’t discriminate by age. 
 
“Among adolescents and young adults, suicide is the second leading cause of death. Rates of suicide are highest in the 45-64 years old age range, and rates have increased in the last decade across all age groups,” Gray noted. 
 
The overall suicide rate in the United States has increased by 31% since 2001. Each year more than 34,000 individuals take their own life, leaving behind thousands of friends and family members to navigate through tragic loss. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), there’s no single cause for suicide.
“Suicide most often occurs when stressors and health issues converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair. Depression is the most common condition associated with suicide, and it is often undiagnosed or untreated.” 
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wrote, “Suicide is preventable, and everyone has a role to play to save lives and create healthy and strong individuals, families, and communities. Suicide prevention requires a comprehensive public health approach.”
 
What are the warning signs?
 
AFSP outlines the warning signs on its website: “Something to look out for when concerned that a person may be suicidal is a change in behavior or the presence of entirely new behaviors. This is of sharpest concern if the new or changed behavior is related to a painful event, loss, or change. Most people who take their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.” 
 
Local resources for prevention
 
“We have several resources at MUSC for individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts, as well as a number of related conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance use,” said Gray, add that MUSC’s psychiatry services can be accessed at muschealth.org/medical-services/psychiatry.
 
He continued, “In addition, MUSC has partnered with the Beemok Family Foundation in developing ‘Modern Minds,’ an innovative mental wellness program. I serve as chief medical officer of Modern Minds, where we provide comprehensive evidence-based services for individuals struggling with stress, depression, and/or anxiety and
interested in achieving mental and physical wellness via an integrated person-centered program.” More information is available online at modern-minds.com.
 
Primary care providers are active in addressing the community’s mental health needs. Palmetto Primary Care Physicians (PPCP) refers patients to their team of behavioral health specialists – Erin Cobb, LISW-CP for the Lowcountry, and Antoinette Davis, LMSW for the Columbia area. Vivian M. Walton, executive director of marketing, said the behavioral health specialists “provide phone assessments to help determine what service and level of care is needed. They coordinate referrals to community resources such as therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, caregiver support programs, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, inpatient programs, support groups, and other social services for basic needs.” 
 
For patients experiencing a mental health emergency, including thoughts of suicide or self-harm, PPCP directs them to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health’s Statewide Crisis Response Team at 833-364-2274. The Statewide Crisis Response Team is available 24/7/365 and can quickly assess patients’ needs.
 
Teens need a safety net
 
Suicidal thoughts are common among teens. In fact, nearly 20% of high school students have had serious thoughts about suicide and 9% have reported an attempt, according to NAMI. A staggering 48% of young adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have contemplated suicide. 
 
Dr. Amy Dietrich, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine at Sweetgrass Pediatrics, advised, “I encourage your child to keep this number in his/her phone contacts: Suicide Hotline, 800-273-8255. Hopefully, it is never needed. The concern is that teens are by nature, impulsive, and so this is just another part of the safety net which first and foremost includes you, the parents.”  
 
Dietrich encourages the following habits for parents to decrease risk factors for adolescent depression: establish strong family connections, arrange family meals, provide healthy nutrition, encourage sexual abstinence, decrease use of social media, find ways to volunteer in the community, participate in religious activities, be sure your teen is getting enough sleep, exercise, and time outdoors, and practice gratitude. 
 
For teens, she suggests the following: make and keep healthy friendships, stay active by participating in sports or a part time job, ask for help when life seems overwhelming, have realistic expectations — it’s OK not to be perfect, simplify life – choose obligations carefully, keep a private journal, connect with other teens who struggle with depression, and stay healthy with diet and sleep patterns. 
 
At Philip Simmons High School, Principal Chris Buchholz said that the smaller academic environment is helpful when supporting teens and their mental health. Teachers and coaches have opportunities to get to know their students well and build relationships. The school plans to host several activities to promote awareness, such as
Red Ribbon Week in October, a visit from the College of Charleston counseling department, and a Wellness Day sponsored by Berkeley County. 
 
Buchholz agreed that social media escalates teen depression and magnifies bullying issues at school. “It causes 99% of our problems,” he said. “We have to shift the way we deal with social media in school and focus on digital citizenship; to urge students to think before they post.”
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Warning signs
If a person talks about:
● Killing themselves
● Feeling hopeless
● Having no reason to live
● Being a burden to others
● Feeling trapped
● Unbearable pain
 
Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss or change:
● Increased use of alcohol or drugs
● Looking for a way to end their lives, such as searching online for methods
● Withdrawing from activities
● Isolating from family and friends
● Sleeping too much or too little
● Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
● Giving away prized possessions
● Aggression
● Fatigue
 
People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:
 
● Depression
● Anxiety
● Loss of interest
● Irritability
● Humiliation/Shame
● Agitation/Anger
● Relief/Sudden Improvement
 

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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