Anyone Can Help Prevent Suicide
The risk of suicide among young people ages 10 to 24 rose 56 percent over a ten-year period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Among Latinos in Washington State, while suicide risk remains low compared with non-Latinos, the risk of suicide among Hispanics increased 50 percent.
For Hispanic children, teens and young adults, the rate of suicide rose from 5 per 100,000 people in 2007 to 7.5 in 2017, the most recent year with data available.
Among black children, teens and young adults nationally, the rate of suicide rose from 4.3 per 100,000 people in 2007 to 7.35 in 2017, the most recent year with data available.
Experts say the reason for this increase is unclear, but research has identified ways families can help protect loved ones who might be considering suicide.
Suicide-prevention researcher Christopher DeCou, a former core member at UW Medicine’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, says the thought process that leads to suicide attempts can be understood in a way that promotes prevention.
“Suicide is an inherently complex and fearsome behavior. A suicide attempt is typically preceded by many decisions and actions, and involves tremendous physical and psychological pain and discomfort. Suicide risk is a process that unfolds over time. The good news is that there are opportunities to intervene and change the trajectory of suicide risk,” he said.
Warning signs that someone might be thinking about suicide include: talking about or researching ways to die; feeling hopeless, trapped, or burdensome; exhibiting changes in personality and sleep; showing rage; or withdrawing from friends and activities.
The University of Washington’s Forefront Suicide Prevention program teaches the following steps:
DeCou, who is also a researcher at Forefront, said it’s especially important to ask directly about suicide, and then remove or lock up potentially dangerous objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, such as firearms or medication.
“If you are concerned someone is thinking about suicide, it’s OK to ask them directly. Research has found that direct questions about suicide don’t harm the individual. Your question may be the first time they have permission to share the secret they haven’t been able to tell anyone in their life,” DeCou said. “If they say yes, you should also ask specific questions: Do you have a plan? What can I remove to prevent that plan?”
DeCou noted that research has found that individuals considering suicide tend to focus on a specific method. If they cannot access the method they have focused on, they will rarely substitute a different one.
“Above all, preventing suicide is about ensuring that people at risk receive the best possible care, rather than focusing on predicting the future,” he said. “Imagine if we tried to prevent house fires by predicting which homes were likely to burn down – and parked fire trucks in front of those homes. That would be a poor strategy for reducing house fires.
“In the same way, focusing on efforts to predict someone’s ultimate risk of death by suicide may distract all of us from offering care and concern, safer environments, and suicide-specific care that can reduce anyone’s risk of hurting or killing themselves.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-888-628-9454. In King County, you can also call Crisis Connections at 211. More information is available from Forefront and from the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center.
For more a complete toolkit including suicide prevention resources, visit UW Forefront Suicide Prevention.