Suicide Prevention Begins with Ending the Stigma

Submitted by Good Therapy

Suicide is a worldwide public health concern that crosses all economic, race, religious, gender, and sexual orientation barriers. According to the most recent data available, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States. The numbers are even more concerning in Washington state, where suicide is the eighth-leading cause of death for residents of all ages, and the second-leading cause among residents ages 15-24.

In 2009, the suicide rate for the U.S. was 12 suicides per 100,000 people. In the same year, Washington experienced a rate of 14 suicides per 100,000. In Thurston County, the rate was even higher than the state average at 15 suicides per 100,000. All of which begs the question: how can we work to effectively prevent suicide?

GoodTherapy.org, an online therapist directory and leading psychology resource located in downtown Olympia, and several other local organizations—including The Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties and the Youth Suicide Prevention Program (based in Seattle)—are working diligently to reduce the high rate of suicide affecting our community.

The Key to Preventing Suicide Is Understanding Risk Factors and Warning Signs

Suicide prevention starts with the family and friends of those contemplating suicide. Identifying the risk factors and warning signs of suicide is the first step in getting the person experiencing suicidal ideation the help he or she needs. According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Stop A Suicide Today!, these are common risk factors that make it more likely for an individual to consider, attempt, or die by suicide:

• Studies show that more than 90% of people who die by suicide were experiencing a mental health issue at the time of their death.
• Approximately 25% of people who die by suicide are abusing alcohol or are dependent on alcohol.
• Approximately 50% of people who die by suicide had alcohol in their system at the time of death.
• A history of trauma or abuse increases the risk of suicide.
• Nearly 20% of people who commit suicide have made at least one prior attempt.
• Clusters of suicides locally increase the risk of suicide because of a “copycat” effect.
• A friend or family member experiencing job loss, a relationship ending, or the loss of a family member or friend can increase the risk of suicide, especially if coupled with a mental health concern.
• Approximately 70% of people who commit suicide communicate their intent before going through with the act.

Many of suicide’s biggest risk factors can be mitigated or removed with a combination of support, compassion, and seeking the help of a qualified mental health professional. Mental health intervention helps individuals work through and overcome many of the underlying concerns that contribute to a person’s decision to end his or her life. Why, then, do approximately half of those who commit suicide go without seeking psychiatric help?

A Resource in Our Community Working to End the Stigma of Mental Health Treatment

GoodTherapy.org launched its website in 2007 with a mission of reducing harm from unethical therapy practices and helping communities overcome the stigma surrounding mental health treatment.

GoodTherapy.org hosts an online therapist directory that carefully vets its members to ensure they meet certain ethical criteria. In addition to being able to find therapists on the site, visitors can call GoodTherapy.org’s member support team for assistance finding a therapist to meet their individual needs. The site also hosts a popular blog that releases content daily about therapy news, stories submitted by readers, and articles written by practicing therapists.

In addition to helping people find qualified mental help, GoodTherapy.org participates in several community events each year. For example, GoodTherapy.org sponsors Love Our Local Fest and recently participated in and was the largest local donor to the Olympia Out of the Darkness Community Walk hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

A recent study shows that people are 12 to 20 times more likely to commit suicide if they are experiencing a mental health condition that affects their mood, such as depression or bipolar. Yet studies also show that depression is one of the most treatable mental health concerns, with approximately 80% to 90% of people reporting relief after seeking mental health treatment. Despite the fact depression increases the risk of suicide and evidence suggests it’s a highly treatable condition, the Public Broadcasting Service estimates that 80% of people experiencing depression never receive mental health treatment.

In the U.S., the problem is not a lack of therapists or counselors or a lack of resources. The problem is a stigma that surrounds mental health treatment, keeping many people who would otherwise benefit from treatment from seeking help. GoodTherapy.org is working to combat that stigma and, in the process, help people contemplating suicide to find the help they need.

**Click here to read a story about local advocate Olivia Salazar de Breaux making a difference in the fight for Suicide Prevention and Awareness.

References:

1. 2010 Washington Healthy Youth Survey. (n.d.). Washington State Department of Health. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/160-193-HYS-AnalyticReport2012.pdf
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). An estimated 1 in 10 U.S. adults report depression. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdepression/
3. FastStats: Leading causes of death. (2014, July 14). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 20, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
4. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. (n.d.). Suicide risk factors. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/learn/riskfactors.aspx
5. Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). Depression out of the shadows. Retrieved from http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/depression/pdf/dep_stats.pdf
6. Stop A Suicide Today! (n.d.). Suicide facts. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from http://www.stopasuicide.org/facts.html
7. Suicide. (n.d.). Washington State Department of Health. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.doh.wa.gov/portals/1/Documents/2900/DOH530090Suic.pdf

About GoodTherapy.org:

• Founded and launched in 2007 by Noah Rubinstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist, GoodTherapy.org is an association of therapists, counselors, and mental health professionals from more than 30 countries working to promote ethical therapy practices and reduce harm in therapy.
• GoodTherapy.org individually verifies each new member to ensure they meet strict educational, licensure, and philosophical guidelines.
• GoodTherapy.org is approved by American Psychological Association to provide online continuing education for mental health professionals. This service is offered at no extra charge to members.
• Visitors use the website to search for a therapist more than 1.5 million times per month.
• The website provides educational content for consumers about mental health topics that are written by practicing therapists. On its popular blog, GoodTherapy.org also publishes reader-submitted stories, mental health news, and an index of information pertaining to psychology called PsychPedia.