The warning signs of suicide ideation in light of Suicide Prevention Month
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Suicide numbers for both adults and children are on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"In 2022, 49,000 people took their life by suicide," said Andrea Tolaio, program director of Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast. "It really is a mental health crisis and those numbers nationally are increasing."
According to the CDC, suicide rates have increased about 36% between 2000 and 2022. They say that one person dies by suicide every 11 minutes and that suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 25 to 34 years old. Additionally, the CDC says that suicide is the third leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 24, and the fourth in people ages 35 to 44.
"We're seeing a large increase in seniors, actually," said Tolaio. More than one-third of people 55 years and older die from suicide, according to the CDC.
Tolaio's group at the Suicide Prevention Services goes through rigorous training in order to meet the needs of their Central Coast clients, according to Tolaio. And, there are certain groups who are at a higher risk for suicide than others.
"That's actually a pretty high risk group--folks who have lost someone to suicide as are LGBTQ+ folks," said Tolaio. "Veterans actually have a high risk as well. The most at-risk, actually, are Hispanic American-Indian."
Suicidal risk factors can include the loss of a job, a loved one, health issues, an accident or a relationship ending, said Tolaio.
According to the CDC, 90% of people who have died by suicide were diagnosed with a mental health condition at the time of their death.
"Often times, it's a depression or anxiety disorder that's not being treated, or not being treated adequately," said Board President for American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Silvia Kaminsky.
Kaminsky said that it's not only adults who struggle with mental health and suicide ideation. Brian Boles, a prevention therapist with Ohana, agrees.
"Everyday more than 5,400 kids are attempting suicide and taking their lives... each day... in our country alone," said Boles. "Suicide rates have risen and are pretty much at their highest point."
"[Kids] don't have the coping skills that adults do, so they will typically experience hopelessness a lot more intensely," said Kaminsky. "They don't have the developmental age to be able to temporize problems. They internalize problems so that makes them very high risk."
There are warning signs, especially in children, that Boles says people should be on the lookout for: "Especially in child and adolescents, something common that I've heard them speak about is in less direct terms rather than, 'I want to die' or 'killing myself,'" he said. Instead, Boles hears a lot of: "'I no longer want to wake up... I don't want to exist anymore.'
"I think those are signs and cues that a child is in distress," continued Boles.
Experts say that approaching someone who may be experiencing suicidal ideation is usually very challenging. They suggest checking in with the person and simply seeing how they're doing.
Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast is asking anyone experiencing suicidal ideation--or if you know someone experiencing suicidal ideation--please reach out by dialing or texting 9-8-8 from your mobile home, or visit https://988lifeline.org/.
