Local News
Suicide Prevention Month: shift perspectives, raise awareness
September is Suicide Prevention Month, an important time to shift perception, spread hope and raise awareness of this urgent crisis. The goal of the National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI) during September is to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to get help.
Suicidal thoughts, like any mental health condition, can affect anyone regardless of demographic. Though common, suicidal thoughts should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues. The community impact of suicide makes it a serious public health issue. Unlike many other leading causes of death, suicide continues to claim more lives each year.
In 2022 in the U.S., more than 49,000 people died by suicide and another estimated 1.6 million people attempted suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This amounts to one death by suicide every 11 minutes. Utah’s suicide rate has been consistently higher than the national rate for more than a decade. Utah had the fourteenth highest suicide rate in the U.S. in 2021, according to the Utah Department of Health & Human Services.
Suicide is preventable. Recognizing the warning signs can help prevent it. Research shows that certain behaviors may indicate someone is thinking about suicide, including but not limited to:
● Talking about wanting to die.
● Expressing great guilt or shame.
● Feelings of hopelessness, emptiness or having no reason to live.
● Feeling like a burden to others.
● Feeling extremely sad, anxious or full of rage.
● Experiencing unbearable emotional or physical pain.
● Change in behavior, such as taking risks or increased drug or alcohol use.
● Withdrawal from friends and family, saying goodbye or giving away important items.
“Risk factors for youth suicide include things like having an important relationship end, a perceived failure at school, a sudden loss of personal freedom, the death of a loved one, receiving a serious health diagnosis, an unwanted move or depression,” said Chelsea Frost, prevention coordinator at Lehi Cares Coalition.
Caitlin Thomas—a graduate of Lehi High School, Miss Lehi 2015 and an assistant drill team coach for the Pionettes—is a mental health counselor at Serenity Recovery and Wellness. She spent her year of service as Miss Lehi advocating for suicide prevention, and now it has become her profession. She feels that suicide ideation differs from person to person, but one of the best ways to prevent suicide is to stay connected and take the time to check in with each other.
“The signs of suicidal ideation and suicide vary and can differ from person to person. The best thing we can do for those in our communities is check in and not be afraid to ask uncomfortable and sometimes scary questions,” said Thomas. “If someone you know is struggling, it’s ok to ask them if they have an active suicide plan. Help them recognize there is no shame for having thoughts and that you will be there to help them. If someone does disclose that they have an active plan, seek immediate help from a trusted adult or a professional.”
Studies show that asking someone if they are having thoughts of suicide does not increase the likelihood of a completed suicide, nor does it increase suicidal thoughts.
As a mental health counselor, Thomas feels that we should challenge our personal biases regarding depression and suicide if we want to reduce suicide rates in our communities.
“The greatest thing we can all do is work on our own biases and ideas about what depression and suicidal ideation look like. It is also important for us to challenge our discomfort on these topics so that we can be a true safe space for someone who is struggling. Individuals who struggle with suicidal ideation already believe themselves to be a burden to those in their lives, so becoming distressed when someone discloses to you their feeling could potentially result in them further isolating. It’s important that we validate their feelings without judgment and seek help when necessary. Remember, it is not on you to solve their struggles, but rather to sit with them and help them remember that they are not alone,” said Thomas.
Helen Gardner of Lehi lost a brother to suicide. She is an advocate of suicide prevention and shares her story in hopes of spreading awareness of suicide.
“I will never forget the morning of June 13, 2012. My kids were just 7, 4, 3, and 1 years of age. It was summer, and we were just hanging out at home. My phone rang, and I was excited to see my mom’s name as the caller. As soon as I heard her voice, I knew something was wrong. She told me my brother Anthony had passed away. I didn’t believe it,” Gardner shared.
“Anthony was my big brother, and in my eyes, he was always indestructible. He was my best friend. I finally had the courage to ask my mom how he passed away, and she told me he took his own life. I dropped the phone and just sobbed. I couldn’t believe it. Anthony was a successful actor and model and appeared to be very happy. He was living in Florida at the time, and I lived in Utah. None of my family lived near him, so we were completely unaware that he had been struggling. I wish so badly that I had known that he was having a tough time. I wish I had asked him more how he was really doing and what he was experiencing. I wish I could have helped him,” she continued.
Parents should not be afraid to have hard conversations with their children about suicide.
“Talking about suicide with your child is important for many reasons, but most important, it helps dispel misinformation,” said Thomas.
According to Kristin Francis, child and adolescent psychiatrist, “Suicide impacts almost everyone, directly or indirectly. Hearing about it from a trusted source, like a parent or caregiver, will assist your child with the right information so they can speak to others about it accurately.”
“The best way to help teach children about mental health, specifically suicide, is to be direct and compassionate while also being developmentally aware. A 4-year-old may not be able to comprehend the idea of death by suicide, but we can begin allowing them to recognize their big emotions and create space for them. Eliminating the stigma around emotions is a great place to start with children. As they get older, the conversations can become more expansive,” said Thomas. “You do not have to be perfect or exceptionally astute when having these hard conversations. It will feel scary and a little messy—this is OK. Have the conversation anyway. Model to your children that sometimes being alive means being uncomfortable, but that you are willing to sit with them through it.”
The vast majority of people who have depression do not attempt or die by suicide, but depression is linked to a greater risk of suicide. NAMI reports that “in 2021, 40.9% of adults in Utah reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. 26.4% were unable to get needed counseling or therapy.” Also according to NAMI, “51,000 Utahns aged 12-17 have depression.” Based on these statistics, it is important to work to build a stronger mental health system that provides the care and support needed to help people build better lives.
Gardner said, “I truly believe that there are more people struggling with mental health and depression than we know. I personally dealt with depression four years ago following some medical issues, and it was the hardest thing I’ve gone through. I felt so hopeless and numb, I had no idea what was going on because I had never been through it before. Depression is so scary to experience.”
“While I do feel we have made great progress in recent years eliminating stigma and opening up conversations, there is still more to be done. We can all do our part by educating ourselves and seeking our own level of care when needed,” said Thomas.
There are many resources available within the community to help those struggling with their mental health. One effective and life-saving resource is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 988 was launched in 2022 and is a federally-mandated service that has been a lifeline for those struggling with behavioral health crises by connecting them to local crisis workers and community-based resources through a simple three-digit call. 988 is available 24 hours, seven days a week in Spanish and English.
“Anyone can call or text 988 at any time and be connected to a professionally trained and certified counselor. They will help talk you through your experience, whether it is your own or your child’s, and help to connect you with local resources for care,” said Thomas. “Another great place to seek help is the SafeUT App. SafeUT is a crisis chat and tip line that provides real-time crisis intervention for students, parents and guardians, and educators through live chat and a confidential tip line—right from your smartphone. The website, safeut.org, offers resources to educators, parents and students in need of support and care.”
The SafeUT app became available to Utah’s middle and high schools in early 2016. The program was developed with state funding, and the original app was designed and donated by a private company. After seeing its success, the University of Utah redesigned the SafeUT app to ensure its future capabilities to respond to mental health and school safety crises. Starting in 2018, SafeUT expanded its services to Utah elementary schools, higher education institutions and colleges, the Utah National Guard, and Utah’s first responders and their families.
“While we’re still in the early phases of building out our action plan for Lehi youth, we currently provide resources from Live On Utah at our booths that we hold at local events throughout the community. We absolutely recommend that everyone in the community go to liveonutah.org and go through the Suicide Prevention Playbook. It breaks down exactly how every person can play a role in checking in on those around us and what resources we can access for support,” said Frost.
Additional protective factors include frequent contact with providers and effective mental health care.
Thomas said, “Oftentimes we make the mistake of seeing therapy as the last line of defense. However, as a clinician, I see therapy to be much more helpful when sought out before the major crisis. Think about your car—if you do routine maintenance and upkeep, the life of your car is extended. Is routine maintenance sometimes expensive and often inconvenient? It certainly can be, but if we fail to do it, we face much bigger repairs down the line. Therapy can be helpful for anyone at any time. Making time for yourself and your own care is crucial and something each one of us deserves.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention and it identifies several strategies that communities can undertake. These include such measures as “teaching coping and problem-solving skills to help people manage challenges, expanding options for temporary assistance for those in need and connecting people at-risk to effective and coordinated mental and physical health care.”
Suicide can have lasting effects on individuals, families and communities. The good news is that suicide is preventable. Anyone can help prevent suicide by learning the warning signs, promoting prevention and resilience, and utilizing community resources.
“I am so grateful for those in the community who share their experiences with mental health struggles and share information and resources. I definitely feel like my experience with my brother has made me more aware of those around me. I know that someone can look fine on the outside but be facing the biggest battle on the inside,” Gardner said. “I wish so bad my brother would have had someone to turn to. I can’t change the fact that he didn’t, but I will do everything in my power to take his experience and help those around me.”
“Working as a clinician, I get to witness individuals choose every single day to do the hard work and reclaim their lives. There is so much hope, but it takes each of us to look inward and choose to sit with people in their discomfort compassionately. Remember, you are not alone and there is much more to learn and experience. Please reach out and seek help,” said Thomas. “We are not able to eliminate suffering and hardship, but we can continue to expand our empathy and create a world that is safer for everyone.”
Suicide Prevention Month is more than an important time to shift perception: it is a time to spread hope and awareness throughout the community and remember that you are not alone.
