Suicide and Depression

1. Suicide and Depression Rebecca Mataya Clayton Johnson Adam Bibbs

2. Why is suicide an important topic? • Over the past 60 years, the overall rate of suicide among 15-24 year olds has tripled, making it the the third leading cause of death • Among college age students (18-24 years), it is the second leading cause of death • The suicide rate peaks among young adults • One in 7 college students contemplate suicide, and one in 12 students make a plan • Every 2 hours and 2.5 minutes, a person under the age of 25 completes suicide

3. Suicide Statistics • Among 20-24 year olds, for every female who completes suicide, 6.2 males complete suicide • Firearms are the most commonly used method accounting for about three out of five completed suicides. • White suicide rates are approximately twice those of non-whites • Risk of attempted(nonfatal) suicide is greatest among females • Females have been found to make 3 to 4 times as many attempts as males • 8 out of 10 individuals who are suicidal often display warning signs

4. Why do People Commit Suicide? A suicide attempt is a clear indication that something is gravely wrong in a person’s life. It is true that most people who commit suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. People who kill themselves see this as the only remaining solution to their problems. People differ in their ability to handle the troubles that cause such desperate feelings. Some suicides are the result of impulsive decisions based on a situation that seems hopeless Reasons for suicide are not the actual causes of suicide, rather they are triggers.

5. Warning Signs • Emotional, behavioral, physical, and verbal • Verbal suicide threats • Expressions of hopelessness and helplessness • Previous suicide attempts • Risk-taking behavior • Personality changes • Aggressive behavior or frequent expressions of rage • Withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities • Unusual neglect of personal appearance • Presence of a psychiatric disorder or a mental health condition

6. Types of Depression • Major Depression- most serious type, do not fell suicidal, don’t have a history of hospitalizations • Dysthymic- low moderate level of depression, persists for 2 years and often longer, symptoms not severe as major depression • Unspecified- this includes people chronic, moderate depression, which has not been present long enough to diagnosis of a Dysthymic disorder • Adjustment disorder, with Depression- this occurs in response to a major life stressor or crisis • Bipolar Depression- includes both high and low mood swings, also a variety of other significant symptoms not present in other depressions

7. Clinical Depression Symptoms • Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood • Sleeping to little or sleeping to much • Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increase appetite and weight gain • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed • Restlessness or irritability • Persistent physical symptoms that don’t respond to treatment{ such as headaches, chronic pain, or constipation and other disorders} • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

8. Cont’d symptoms • Fatigue or loss energy • Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless • Thoughts of death or suicide • Clinical depression is one of most treatable of all medical illnesses. In fact, more than 80 percent of people with depression can be treated successfully with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of both.

9. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s 8 Suicide Prevention Strategies • School Gatekeeper Training • Community Gatekeeper Training • General Suicide Education • Screening Programs • Peer Support Programs • Crisis Centers and Hotlines • Restriction of Access to Lethal Means • Intervention After a Suicide

10. Recommendations for Suicide Programs • Ensure that suicide prevention programs are linked as closely as possible with professional mental health resources in the community. • Avoid reliance on one prevention strategy. • Incorporate promising, but underused, strategies into current programs where ever possible. • Expand suicide prevention efforts for young adults. • Incorporate evaluation efforts into suicide prevention programs. • ( The effectiveness of suicide prevention programs has not been demonstrated. The lack of evaluation research is the single greatest obstacle to improving current efforts to prevent suicide among adolescents and young adults. Without evidence to support the potential of a program for reducing suicidal behavior, recommending one approach over another for any given population is difficult.)

11. Treatments for Suicide • Hospitalization • Treatment at Home • Antidepressants • “Therapeutic contract for safety • Anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic agents

12. Someone you know… • Stigma associated with depressive illnesses can prevent people from getting help. Your willingness to talk about depression and suicide with a friend, family member, or co-worker can be the first step in getting help and preventing suicide. • Never keep a plan for suicide a secret • Don’t try to minimize problems or shame a person into changing their mind.

13. Where to get help • Brainerd - St. Joseph’s Medical Center, 523 N. 3rd St.;Mary Stegora 218-829-25614th Thursday each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Burnsville - Mary Mother of the Church, 3333 Cliff Rd., Rm. 12Toni Wetzel 952-890-01222nd Tuesday of each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Coon - Rapids Mercy Hospital, 4050 Coon Rapids Blvd.;Gail Noller 763-785-8111, ext. 10Mondays, 7-9:00 p.m. • Duluth - St. Mary’s Medical Center, 407 E. 3rd St.;Ben Wolfe, Jane Hovland or Mary Alice Carlson 217-786-44023rd Monday each month, 7:30-9:00 p.m. • Edina - Men’s Breakfast Group @ Pearson’s Restaurant, 3808 W. 50th St., Edina;Larry Turner 612-922-5830, Don Sandberg 763-544-73152nd Saturday each month, 8:30 a.m. • Golden Valley Oak Grove Church, 5920 Golden Valley Road;Mary Sodergren 763-682-9073, Bev Chipman 763-323-3178 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Mankato - Immanual St. Joseph’s-Mayo Health System, 360 Pierce Plaza, Rm. 372Tom or Marilyn Tiggelaar 507-387-63702nd & 4th Tuesday each month, 7:00 p.m.

14. Where to get help • Minneapolis - Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, 5440 Penn Ave. S., Larry Turner 612-922-5830, JoAnne Dunstan 952-944-2478, Faye Bland2nd & 4th Tuesday each month, 7:00-9:00 p.m. • New Prague - The Catholic Workman Building, 1201 1st St. NESally Schmid 952-758-47354th Tuesday each month, 7:00 p.m. • Princeton - Fairview Northland Hospital, 919 Northland Dr.Lisa Dentz 320-493-8518Every Monday, 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Rochester Evangel United Methodist Church, 2645 N. Broadway, Rm. 221Nancy Clarey 507-281-5588, Cally Vinz 507-287-82673rd Thursday each month, 7:00 p.m. • Sauk Rapids - Suicide Loss Support Group, 201 2nd Ave. N.Roxann Storms 320-529-04272nd & 4th Tuesday each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. • Center for Grief - 1133 Grand Ave., St. Paul - 651-641-0177; Grief therapy for individuals and families and consultation and critical incidentresponse for schools, organizations and businesses.

15. Group DiscussionQuestions • Why do men commit suicide more often than women do? • Is suicide related to impulsiveness? • Is there such things as “rational” suicide? • How does depression increase the risk for suicide? • Is it possible to predict suicide?

16. Precede/Proceed • Assignment • Write a 2-3 page paper applying this model to a suicide intervention in the St. Peter area. Include all the stages in detail.