BRATTLEBORO — On Friday, Feb. 14, the Vermont Suicide Prevention Coalition and State Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Washington, sponsor a luncheon event, “Supporting Suicide Prevention and Positive Mental Health Strategies in Vermont,” with support from Rep. Joanna Cole, D-Chittenden.
Lunch and a brief panel presentation are set for noon to 12:30 p.m. in State House Room 10. All are welcome, and there is no charge.
During the luncheon, panelists will present Vermont suicide data, perspectives of suicide survivors, and prevention efforts of the Vermont Suicide Prevention Coalition (VSPC) and the Vermont Suicide Prevention Center.
The VSPC consists of representatives from public health, education, state agencies, suicide prevention advocacy groups, youth leadership, Vermont 2-1-1, mental health services, and survivors throughout the state.
“On Valentine's Day, traditionally celebrating love and friendship, we will take time to recognize how many loved ones have been lost to suicide,” Nicole Miller, mental health program specialist with the Center for Health and Learning (CHL) in Brattleboro, said in the event's invitation.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an organization composed of scientists, survivors of suicide loss, people with mental disorders and their families, and a network of business and community leaders, more than 80 percent of people are on track to have been personally touched by suicide loss.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and approximately 922,725 Americans attempt suicide each year, the organization says.
Miller noted: “The large numbers and percentages of deaths and attempts can make it difficult to grasp the heart of this issue. … The message that can strike home the hardest is that in the United States one suicide occurs on average every 14 minutes.”
Miller added that more than 90 percent of people who take their own lives have had an underlying mental health disorder at the time of their death that is often unidentified, which is why cultivating strong mental health early and throughout the lifespan, and removing the stigma from mental illness, is essential to prevention.
Vermont is taking the necessary steps to bring suicide prevention beyond watching for warning signs after they occur, she said, and called for greater awareness of the warning signs, so immediate action can be taken as needed.
Know the signs
The warning signs of suicide can appear in anyone and at any age, Miller said. Depression, mood swings, and intense anger are strong indicators, but signs are often subtle: an abrupt apparent emotional lift after a period of sadness and withdrawal can signal concern.
As well, loved ones should be alert to repeated statements of hopelessness, isolation, failure, feeling trapped, or increased talk about death or dying.
Miller said that a common myth, that people who talk about killing themselves won't do so, is untrue. “Many attempts are preceded by references to death, suicide, and wanting to die,” she said.
Vermonters at risk
JoEllen Tarallo-Falk, executive director of the Center for Health and Learning (CHL), and a key coordinator of the Vermont Suicide Prevention Center, says Vermont's suicide rate is higher than the national average.
CHL, the Vermont state recipient of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, helps coordinate suicide prevention efforts statewide, including training of schools and communities in its Umatter Suicide Prevention program.
Belonging is key
Tarallo-Falk said in the event invitation that research indicates a primary contributing factor in suicidal thoughts and behaviors is an ongoing, or sometimes sudden, lack of a sense of belonging.
“Depression and anxiety, substance use and abuse, and other mental health challenges are not well understood, nor are the contributing factors to these circumstances, and how best to support people who are struggling,” she added.
“Our task with suicide prevention is to refocus the discussion on what is good mental health and what are signs that someone needs support, intervention or treatment, and how to respond.”
Here is help
• Anyone feeling suicidal or who is concerned about a loved one is asked immediately to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org to chat. Anyone may contact the Lifeline at any time.
• Veterans also have the confidential Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255, option 1. Chat is available at www.veteranscrisisline.net.
• If you and/or your loved one are part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning community, specific and immediate help is available at the confidential Trevor Lifeline, 866-488-7386 and through online chat at www.trevorspace.org.
• For mental health assistance, contact your local mental health agency or provider, ask your general physician for a referral, or visit www.UMatterUCanGetHelp.com.
• For training information on suicide risk factors, warning signs, and prevention, write [email protected] or visit www.healthandlearning.org.