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PREVENTING SUICIDE a Preventable Public Health Issue WHAT IS SUICIDE? Suicide Rates Are Higher Among Young People and Those Older Than Age 65

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PREVENTING SUICIDE a Preventable Public Health Issue WHAT IS SUICIDE? Suicide Rates Are Higher Among Young People and Those Older Than Age 65 PREVENTING SUICIDE A Preventable Public Health Issue WHAT IS SUICIDE? suicide rates are higher among young people and those older than age 65. Suicide occurs when a person ends their life. It is the 11th leading cause of death RISK FACTORS among Americans, but suicide deaths are only part of the problem. More people Risk factors are characteristics that make it more survive suicide attempts than actually likely that an individual will consider, attempt, or die. They are often seriously injured and die by suicide. It is important to note factors need medical care. identified as increasing risk are not factors causing or predicting a suicide attempt. Risk factors for Suicide is recognized as a chronic suicide can include: epidemic. Despite the overwhelming Mental disorders, particularly mood disorders, numbers, the tragedy of suicide is hidden schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and certain by stigma, myth and shame. The stigma personality disorders surrounding suicide serves to restrict Alcohol and other substance use disorders prevention and intervention. Hopelessness Additionally, many people have the Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies mistaken notion that talking about History of trauma or abuse suicide causes it to happen. Today, Major physical illnesses experts agree that suicide is preventable. Previous suicide attempt Family history of suicide WHO IS AT RISK Job or financial loss Loss of relationship Suicide does not discriminate based on race, Easy access to lethal means gender or age. However, there is a higher risk of Local clusters of suicide suicide for those who have been diagnosed with a Lack of social support and sense of isolation mental illness. In fact, the risk of suicide is Stigma associated with asking for help increased by more than 50 percent in individuals Lack of health care, especially mental health affected by depression. Studies also show that and substance abuse treatment roughly 90 percent of individuals who die by Cultural and religious beliefs, such as the belief suicide have one or more mental disorders. that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal Also, some groups are at higher risk than others. dilemma Men are four times more likely than women to die Exposure to others who have died by suicide (in real life or via the media and Internet) from suicide. However, three times more women than men report attempting suicide. In addition, Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 217-558-4081 www.idph.state.il.us TTY 800-547-0466 PROTECTIVE FACTORS WARNING SIGNS FOR YOUTH Protective factors are characteristics that make it Suicide may be imminent, particularly if behavior less likely individuals will consider, attempt, or die is new or increased and related to anticipated or by suicide. Examples of protective factors include: actual painful event, loss or change. Warning signs Effective clinical care for mental, physical and include: substance use disorders Talking about or making plans for suicide Easy access to a variety of clinical interventions Expressing hopelessness about the future Restricted access to highly lethal means of Displaying severe emotional distress, sadness, suicide or pain Strong connections to family and community Showing worrisome behavioral clues or marked support changes in behavior, especially: Support through ongoing medical and mental o Significant withdrawal from social health care relationships connections/situations Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution o Increased agitation or irritability and handling problems in a non-violent way o Anger or hostility that seems out of Cultural and religious beliefs that discourage character or out of context suicide and support self-preservation o Changes in sleep (increased or decreased). WARNING SIGNS Individuals often do not seek help because of the The following signs may mean someone is at risk stigma associated with asking for help, limited for suicide. The risk of suicide is greater if a access to treatment, the shame they feel about behavior is new or has increased and if it seems having these thoughts or no one recognizes their call for help. related to a painful event, loss, or change. If you or someone you know exhibits any of these signs, seek LOOKING FOR HELP help as soon as possible by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK When a person encounters written, spoken, or (8255). other communication of suicide, they should take it seriously. They should be direct to the person in Talking about wanting to die or to kill distress and ask questions such as “Are you themselves thinking about killing yourself?,” “Are you Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as considering taking your own life?,” and “Do you searching online or buying a gun ever feel like things would be better if you were Talking about feeling hopeless or having no dead?” A person should not judge anyone they reason to live believe might be thinking of suicide and should Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable avoid acting shocked if a youth says he or she is pain considering suicide. In these situations, one should Talking about being a burden to others not be sworn to secrecy or make promises that they Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs won’t tell anyone. Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly Sleeping too little or too much Any suspicion that a youth is thinking about Withdrawing or isolating themselves suicide should be communicated to a mental health Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge professional or supervisor immediately. The person Displaying extreme mood swings who communicates suspicion to a mental health professional should stay with the youth until assistance arrives. One should not leave a suicidal Page 2 youth alone while they seek assistance for the National Center for Injury Prevention and youth. Control http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide Some behaviors may indicate that a person is at It Only Takes One – public awareness campaign immediate risk for suicide. The following three for Illinois – www.itonlytakesone.org behaviors are a prompt to immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273- Information compiled from the following TALK (8255) or a mental health professional, as sources: well as stay with the person while they wait for assistance, upon hearing or seeing a person that is: • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Illinois Department of Public Health Talking about wanting to hurt or kill • Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan themselves • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Looking for ways to kill themselves (such as • Youth consensus meeting on warning signs searching online or seeking access to pills, weapons, or other means) Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live Other behaviors may also indicate a serious risk – especially if the behavior is new, has increased, and/or seems related to a painful event, loss or change: Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain Talking about being a burden to others Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly Sleeping too little or too much Withdrawing or isolating themselves Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge Displaying extreme mood swings RESOURCES Information about suicide can be obtained from the following organizations: National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention - http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org Suicide Prevention Resource Center- http://www.sprc.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org; (800) 273- TALK (8255) Printed by AuthorityPage of 3the State of Illinois P.O. #3515776 100 03/15 SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AND YOUTH SUICIDE Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease WHAT IS SEXUAL ORIENTATION Control and Prevention‘s Youth Risk Behavior Sexual orientation refers to whom a person is Survey (YRBS) administered in Illinois in attracted to emotionally, physically and 2009 found when LGB youth are compared to intellectually. Gender identity is a person‘s their non-gay peers they are more than three sense or experience of belonging to a times more likely to report considering suicide particular gender category as a man or a in the past 12 months and to have made a woman and where a person feels they fit in suicide plan in the past 12 months. society‘s man/woman structure. Both the Additionally, they were almost five times more concepts of sexual orientation and gender likely to have attempted suicide in the past 12 identity are included in the acronym LGBT months. (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). Suicide Ideation Lesbian, gay and bisexual refer to types of sexual orientation lesbians are women A 2002 study of gay males ages 15-25 revealed 20 percent had contemplated attracted to some other women, gay men are suicide within the past month and 6 attracted to some other men and bisexual percent reported they still would ―like to kill people are those for whom gender is not the themselves.‖ first criteria in determining attraction. Transgender is an umbrella term for people Suicide attempts whose gender identity or expression does not match the cultural ―norm‖ for their biological Studies exploring the relationship between sex. This umbrella term includes identities suicidality and sexual orientation have such as transsexual, genderqueer and cross- found consistently high rates of suicide dresser. Sometimes, a ‗Q‘ is added on to the attempts, ranging from 20 percent to 42 ‗LGBT‘ acronym and stands for questioning. percent among LGBT youth. Questioning often occurs during adolescence, A statewide survey of junior and senior the development stage when many young high school students found that suicide people struggle with issues of sexuality, attempts were reported by 28 percent of gender and identity. This struggle can be LGBT males and 21 percent of LGBT especially difficult and prolonged for people females, compared to 15 percent of exploring LGBT sexual orientations and heterosexual females and 4 percent of gender identities.
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