St. Lawrence Health (SLH) has a team of trained Behavioral Health
specialists available to assist individuals who are facing a personal or inner
crisis. In addition, multiple resources throughout St. Lawrence County are
available for 24/7 assistance.
“I encourage everyone to reach out no matter how
small they think their problem is. We will never think of you as a bother or
a burden; unfortunately, many feel this way and it becomes a barrier
to them when reaching out for help,” she added.
The St. Lawrence County
Suicide Awareness Coalition (https://stlawco.gov/Departments/CommunityServices/24HoursCrisisServices) is a great resource
for learning more about suicide awareness; they offer training for
community members and have informational materials available. One of SLH’s
counselors is part of the Coalition, and she provided information on suicides
in the County over the recent past.
Year Total
Male Female
2019 12 11 1
2020 15 12 3
2021 18 14 4
2022 12 7 5
·
Men die by suicide more often than women.
·
Women attempt suicide more often.
·
Working men between
the ages of 35 –
65 die by suicide more often.
·
For every life lost
to suicide, 25 people will attempt.
·
For every suicide,
135 people are exposed.
·
Firearms are the
most common method used.
Friends and family members are not trained to look for “signs” in their loved ones to see if they are in danger of trying to harm themselves. However, Ms. Rich pointed out the best thing we can do for those we care about is to truly ask them how they are.
“Don’t just accept ‘I'm fine’ as an answer. We are quick to gloss over honestly checking in with each other due to the fast pace of life. There are societal pressures of gauging how successful we are by how busy or productive we are. We need to truly stop and see each other. We all have our struggles, and it really is okay to let others know that it's safe to share those struggles. Each of us wants to be seen, heard, and accepted by others,” Ms. Rich said.
“If you truly believe someone is struggling with
suicidal thoughts, do not be afraid to come right out and ask them ‘are you
thinking about ending your life?’ If they answer yes, be ready to
support them and lead them to professionals who are available in your
community,” she said.
While it is difficult to actually attribute the
impact that COVID-19 has had on suicides, it is evident there have been many
areas of our lives that were impacted. The pandemic undoubtedly affected the
mental and overall health of the youth, young adults, and adults of our region
and world.
As children had to “attend” classes from home, and
many adults were told to leave their office and work from home, the support
they were used to receiving from those surroundings were withdrawn, leaving
them isolated.
“For
many kids, schools are their safe haven for food, shelter, and emotional
support. In having to isolate at home, that put many children in an unhealthy
environment for longer periods. The same is true for adults who felt work was
their safe haven from an abusive partner. In both cases, their support system
was taken away,”
Ms. Rich said.
“We
have seen an increase in stress and anxiety for many adults who had to juggle
working from home, and/or support their children who were remote learning. With
all of this, it has been difficult for many
adults to regain their supports, or feel safe as a whole,” she added.
Factors which may lead to suicide include a
relationship in crisis, loss of freedom, illness, being fired or expelled, or suffering
from a major loss. Other factors include:
·
Biological - sexual identity, race, age
·
Personal - child abuse/bullying, loss of parent, drugs/alcohol
·
Environmental - season, geography, urban/rural
St. Lawrence Health provides outpatient Behavioral Health services in Gouverneur, Massena, and Potsdam.
