Weekly News Roundup Aug 5 – 11, 2023

Subscribe to receive the weekly news roundup straight to your inbox!

Suicide deaths reached a record high in the US in 2022, provisional data shows – CNN
August 10, 2023
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data recently indicating the highest suicide numbers on record in the US. The suicide rate in the US is now 14.9 per 100,000, up 5% from last year’s 14.2. The rate has increased 10% over 2 years. “I think it’s important to realize we’ve seen these increases for many, many years,” said Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer. “There was a slight decline in 2019 and 2020, but really over the past 15 years, we’ve been on this trajectory. And I know we can prevent this. I know we can intervene. There’s much that can be done, and I think it’s de-stigmatizing mental health issues, realizing that many people are at risk, and it’s not just mental health. … Not everybody who dies from suicide has a mental health issue. It could be a precipitating factor that led to it.”

Ontario family builds a refuge for farmers and first responders after losing son to suicide – CBC
August 9, 2023
Diane Bergsma lost son Dalles Bergsma, 27, to suicide in 2020. Since his death, Bergsma and her family have created a place where first responders and farmers can find refuge from the stresses of daily life, Three Oaks Respite Cabin in Lambton County, Ontario, set to open in November 2023. “We thought, if we have a 50-acre wood lot on one of our farms, and built a log home there so people can just take a little break before they get to crisis mode, that could help people,” said Bergsma. “If we can offer hope to other people and and healing to other people, then it gives purpose to our loss and pain.”

Former quarterback Johnny Manziel talks drug abuse, suicide attempt in new documentary – CNN
August 5, 2023
**Method warning** In a recent documentary about his life, former National Football League quarterback Johnny Manziel talks about having attempted suicide following his release from NFL team the Cleveland Browns in 2016. He had struggled with substance use and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Manziel’s father Paul Manziel says, “It’s been a long, long road… But we’re blessed. And he’s still with us. And we can mend all the fences still. I think Johnny’s got a lot better days coming than what he’s had.”

Disordered Sleep Linked to Increased Risk of Suicide in Youth – Psychiatric Times
August 7, 2023
A recent analysis has found that young people who experience disrupted or disordered sleep are more likely to have thoughts of suicide and to exhibit suicidal behaviours. “Being aware of the impact of sleep disruption gives us an avenue to try to address sleep issues as well as downstream consequences,” explained study co-author, Melynda Casement, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon. “Suicide is still stigmatized in many communities; sleep is less so. Identifying and treating sleep disorders could improve mental health and reduce suicide risk even if [individuals] are not comfortable opening up about their mental health challenges.”