Montana Mental Health Association

Suicide

Suicidal? Need help now?
Call 911 or 1-800-273-TALK

Never act on your thoughts of suicide

Suicide is never the answer

Suicide prevention is the answer.

Getting help is the answer.

Facts and Statistics

More people die annually from suicide than homicide.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people (15-24).

Women are three times more likely to attempt suicide than men. However, men are four times more likely to die from suicide.

Suicide by firearm is the most common method among both men and women.

In 2000, suicide was the 8th leading cause of death in men and the 19th leading cause of death for women.

In 2000, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.

Over 90% of people who commit suicide have been diagnosed as having depression or another serious form of mental illness.

The number of unsuccessful suicide attempts is proportionately greater than the number of suicide deaths.

Stigma & Suicide

If you had a broken leg, you would go to a hospital immediately. There would be no hesitation, and no consideration about what others would “think.” And after you left the hospital, you would not hide out in your house because you would be afraid of being discriminated against because of your “condition.” You would just go on with your life.

No big deal. A broken leg. A cast. And in a few months, a healed bone.

But what if a stigma was attached to having a broken leg? Then what? What if you could lose your job because of it? What if people would treat you differently because of it? What if people said that you were weak because of it? Weak? Yes. Only weak people get broken legs. So, you now you're weak! And what if people told you that your broken leg was all in you mind? That you just needed to be “strong”? That you were choosing to have a broken leg? And what if you lost friends because of your broken leg? Remember--you are a weak person for having a broken leg, and don’t forget it. And what if people whispered behind your back about you because of your broken leg? After all, only crazy people have broken legs. You didn’t know that? Well now you do. You are crazy! That’s right, crazy!

So you are ridiculed incessantly, become a pariah, lose your job, lose friends, and now you start believing that you actually are weak and crazy. And the pain of the broken leg is unbearable because you never sought treatment. How could you? The "broken-leg stigma" prevented you from getting help.

So you begin having suicidal thoughts. You want to end it all. You cannot go on.

Sound far fetched? Unfortunately this scenario unfolds every day. And it certainly could happen to you, except not with a broken leg, but with a mental illness.

Because of the stigma that still exists concerning mental illness, many people who need help do not seek it. Even though there is clear scientific data that indicates irrefutably that a physical connection exists with most mental disorders, many people still stigmatize others because they hold on to the misguided beliefs of yesteryear that people with mental disorders are weak or just lack will power.

So, again, many people who need help do not get it because of stigma. So they try to live their lives with untreated mental disorders, like depression.

Unfortunately, untreated mental disorders can lead to suicide.

So, what needs to be done? First, if you need treatment, get it now. It does not matter what other people think, what matters is that you get help for yourself. Period.

So, if you or anyone that you know needs help, get help now.

And remember that there are a lot of great people who are caring and compassionate that want to help you, if you just give them a chance. So, reach out for help. Call the crisis line. Get help now if you need it. Do not hesitate.

And if you do not have a mental disorder and are reading this out of curiosity, then I would ask you to examine your beliefs. Where do you stand? Are you helping perpetuate this stigma of mental illness, or are you helping to eliminate it. If you need to adjust your mindset because you may still be clinging onto old beliefs about mental illness, then you should do so. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

We all need to examine our beliefs, and try to purge any ignorance or insensitivities that we may have with regards to mental illness, because a mental illness is just like any other illness. It can be diagnosed and treated. And the person can get better.

If you are a compassionate, loving person who has eliminated any stigmas of mental illness from your thinking, then you should let your voice be heard and help reduce the level of ignorance about mental illness in our society.

The most important thing that we can all do for people who are mentally ill is to get them help as quickly as possible, while we show them as much love and concern as possible.

Immediate treatment, without stigma, should be our ultimate objective. Because when more people receive treatment for mental illness, there will be fewer suicides.

Risk Factors

Common risk factors that may contribute to suicide or suicidal behavior include:

Previous suicide attempts

History of suicide in the family

Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse

Substance abuse

Symptoms of Suicidal Behavior

Increase in substance abuse

Severe personality changes--becoming moody, depressed, withdrawn, irritable, tired, and apathetic

Changes in diet and sleeping patterns

Overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame

Lack of spiritual or religious faith

Lack of energy and motivation

Inability to concentrate

Obsessions with death and suicide

Lack of interests in former pursuits

SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS:

Appearing depressed or sad most of the time.
(Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.)
Feeling hopeless.
Expressing hopelessness.
Withdrawing from family and friends.
Sleeping too much or too little.
Feeling tired most of the time.
Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight.
Making statements such as these:
- "I can't go on any longer."
- "I hate this life."
- "There's no point to this stupid life."
- "Everyone would be better off without me."
- "Life is not worth living."
- "Nothing matters anymore."
- "I don't care about anything anymore."
- “I want to die.”
- --And any mention of suicide--
Writing notes or poems about suicide or death.
Acting compulsively.
Losing interest in most activities.
Giving away prized possessions.
Writing a will.
No sense of humor.
Facing a perceived "humiliating" situation.
Facing a perceived "failure."
Feeling excessive guilt or shame.
Acting irrationally.
Being preoccupied with death or dying.
Behaving recklessly.
Irritability
Frequently complaining about headaches, stomachaches, etc.
Neglecting personal appearance.
A dramatic change in personal appearance.
A dramatic change in personality.
Performing poorly at work or in school.
Abusing alcohol or drugs.
Inability to concentrate.

It should be noted that some people who die by suicide do not show any suicide warning signs. Many people hide their depression because there is still a strong social stigma against mental illness. Also, many people believe that they will be perceived as weak, so they also hide their depression.

But most people do show suicide warning signs, so we need to be aware of what the suicide warning signs are, and try to spot them in people. If we do see someone exhibiting suicide warning signs, we need to do everything that we can to help them.

If you or someone you know exhibits several of the suicide warning signs listed above, immediate action is required; so please take action by calling a crisis line. Always take suicide warning signs seriously.

1-800-SUICIDE Voices of Hope Crisis Line

LINKS ON SUICIDE:

American Association of Suicidology

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)

Montana Chapter Amer. Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Critical Illness & Trauma Foundation (CIT)

HOPELINE (1-800-SUICIDE)

International Association for Suicide Prevention

The Jason Foundation

Montana Suicide Prevention Plan

Prevent Suicide NOW

72 Hour Teen Wake Up Call