By Kristen Rogers, #CNN
Myths about #suicide can exacerbate #stigma, preventing those affected from sharing their stories and getting help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with #suicidalthoughts or #mentalhealthmatters, please call the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at 988 or 800-273-8255 to connect with a trained #counselor, or visit the NSPL site.
(CNN)Sometimes people who die by suicide get branded as selfish, depressed or attention-seeking.
Such myths contribute to the #stigma that can prevent those who are suicidal from seeking the help they need and falsify understanding of the motivations behind #suicide, according to the #NationalAllianceonMentalIllness, or #NAMI.
#Suicide is a leading cause of death among #children and #adults, with nearly 800,000 people worldwide dying from #suicide yearly, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, cited by the online scientific publication Our World in Data. In 2020, there were 1.2 million attempts globally, the #AmericanFoundationforSuicidePrevention says.
People considering #suicide might show signs early on. Here’s what to watch for
Awareness of the realities of #suicide can help people view these deaths with more understanding and compassion, realize the importance of helping others get help and address their own #mentalhealthproblems if they are struggling, #NAMI says.
If you or someone you know is at risk, trained #counselors with the 24/7 #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline can help. To increase access to the lifeline, every state is rolling out 988 as its new phone number, starting Saturday. The number 800-273-8255 (TALK) will remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, according to the #SubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministration.
#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Below, experts dispel common myths about #suicide.
Myth: Everyone who attempts #suicide has a #mentalhealthcondition
One myth is “that only certain people experience #suicidalthoughts, people with #mentalhealthconditions,” said clinical psychologist Michael Roeske, senior director of the Newport Healthcare Center for Research and Innovation.
“A lot of people don’t necessarily fit criteria for a #mentalhealthdisorder, but in very stressful situations, they lose an important job, they find out about an infidelity with a long-term marital partner, and they go, ‘Oh, my gosh. I don’t know how I’m going to go forward living.'”
Other factors can include life stressors such as criminal or legal matters, persecution, eviction or home loss, grief, a devastating or debilitating illness, trauma, or other crises, according to #NAMI.
Myth: People who attempt #suicide are selfish
“There’s a derogatory connotation that comes with the word selfish, as if somebody is making this decision typically for a pleasurable reason,” Roeske said. “Maybe nearsighted is a better way of saying that their focus becomes really limited down to what’s immediately in front of them. And they’re not able to see the larger context of the history of their life, the relationships and the dimensionality of things.”
How to support your #LGBTQ child’s #mentalhealth
People who attempt or die by #suicide more often want to end their struggles or see themselves as a burden on loved ones, according to Roeske.
“It’s not a selfish piece in the sense of someone making a decision for their own benefit,” he added. “It’s a decision based on the idea that ‘I don’t know how to get out of this moment. I feel so overwhelmed. I feel so stressed. I feel so sad that this opportunity to escape is what I need, and I don’t feel I have any other choice.'”
Myth: People who threaten #suicide are seeking attention
Some people think that those who express #suicidalthoughts are attention seekers, or that they are aware of the sympathy they might engender but don’t intend to die.
“Regardless of how you respond to it,” Roeske said, “you still have to take it seriously that within there is a kernel of truth — that this person really feels this (and) is struggling this much.”
Myth: #Suicide is a choice
Some experts contend that #suicide isn’t an autonomous choice, according to the #AmericanFoundationforSuicidePrevention.
“That’s a pretty big philosophical question: Where does free will come in? Are we the consequence of our experiences?” Roeske said. The mindset of a person who is suicidal is similar to that of someone with #substanceabusedisorder and chronic relapses, he said.
How 15 minutes of #mentalhealth hygiene can change your whole day
“They are not willfully choosing substances over their #children. They are not making the decision to harm their physical health or to be a poor employee or a poor citizen or engage in illegal #behavior,” Roeske said. Because of neurochemical changes, such persons have a limited capacity for full choice in terms of what they think is possible and what they can do.
There is some volition in #suicide, but suicidal thoughts can be so overwhelming that they crowd out everything else, Roeske said.
Myth: Talking about it will lead to or encourage #suicide
One myth “is the fear that if you talk about #suicide, it’s going to encourage it, and so people shy away from it,” Roeske said. Asking someone about warning signs you have noticed might feel awkward, but “it actually does not lead to increased completed suicides,” he added.
Having honest conversations about #suicide can help reduce the #stigma and empower people to seek help, rethink their options and share their stories with others, according to #NAMI.
Myth: Improved mood means the risk of #suicide is gone
If someone attempts #suicide but then seems to be doing better in the days or months afterward, you might think that their risk is gone. But the reality might be the opposite — the three months following an attempt is when someone is most at risk of dying by #suicide, according to the Nevada Division of Public and #Behavioral Health’s Office of #SuicidePrevention.
“The apparent lifting of the problems could mean the person has made a firm decision to die by #suicide and feels better because of this decision,” it says.
#Mentalhealth groups express concern about readiness of new #suicidepreventionhotline
The biggest indicator of risk for subsequent attempts is past #suicideattempts or having had family members or friends who attempted #suicide, Roeske said.
How loved ones and experts respond to a person’s #suicideattempt might provide temporary relief or set in motion support efforts, he added. But what initially drove the person to attempt #suicide might still be at play.
Additionally, there is sometimes “an escalation in the lethality of means,” Roeske said.
Myth: You can’t stop someone from attempting #suicide
Sometimes people think asking someone about #suicide is pointless because they’ll do it anyway, said Justin Baker, clinical director of the #Suicide and Trauma Reduction Initiative for #Veterans at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
But Baker added that some research has found people can perceive interrupted or survived attempts as a “new lease on life.”
A similar myth is “once an individual is suicidal, he or she will always remain suicidal,” according to #NAMI’s website.
But there are factors that can influence the level or probability of #suicide risk, Baker said. A history of self-injurious #behavior and genetic makeup are fixed factors, whereas dynamic factors change constantly because they are situation-specific, #NAMI says.
#Suicide “is often an attempt to control deep, painful emotions and thoughts,” the #NAMI site says. “Once these thoughts dissipate, so will the #suicidalideation. While #suicidalthoughts can return, they are not permanent. An individual with #suicidalthoughts and attempts can live a long, successful life.”
“People typically do what they want to do,” Roeske acknowledged.
“But there are things that we can do along the way that help mitigate some of the issues that are happening for them,” he said. “Having that sense of various signs of #suicide potential is helpful.”
Forthcoming 988 suicide prevention hotline plans pilot program specifically for #LGBTQ community
TrevorLifeline, a #suicideprevention counseling service for the #LGBTQ community, can be reached at 866-488-7386.
Befrienders Worldwide connects users to the nearest emotional support center for the part of the world they live in.
Crisis Text Line is an international service that provides a live, trained crisis #counselor via a simple text for help. The first few responses will be automated until they get a counselor on the line — which typically takes less than five minutes.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
