Weekly News Roundup August 20 – 26, 2022
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Langdon hosts first annual “Do Better” tournament for suicide prevention awareness – Strathmore Now
August 25, 2022
Regan Turner, who lost brother Adam to suicide 7 years ago, hosted the first annual ‘Do Better’ softball tournament with family last week to raise funds for the Centre for Suicide Prevention. Turner says, “(Suicide is) not talked about. A lot of people, when I tell them my brother passed by suicide they clam up, and they think that we don’t want to talk about it. But talking about it heals, and talking about it spreads education that you can still get help and you don’t have to take that way out. Because all that pain and all that darkness that you feel, that the world is just better off without you, that pain is transferred off into your loved ones who are left behind.”
Doctors Need to Learn to Talk about Suicide – Scientific American
August 26, 2022
Many people who die by suicide have seen a primary healthcare provider in the year leading up to their death. Psychiatrist Leonard M. Gralnik and psychologist Rodolfo Bonnin say, “In our experience, as well as that of others, doctors in many specialties have difficulty asking important questions about suicide because of the long history of stigma, stereotypes and misunderstandings about this topic. This must change.” Gralnik and Bonnin have developed a suicide prevention training program which is being offered at the Florida International University’s school of medicine. The program is embedded in all four years of the curriculum and Gralnik and Bonnin say, “Our long-term objective is to prepare all doctors and other medical professionals to discuss suicide openly with their patients, paving the way to better patient care and safety.”
More Canadian doctors reported burnout, considered suicide over the past year: CMA survey – Global News
August 25, 2022
A survey by the Canadian Medical Association, conducted from October to December 2021, has found that over half of the 4,121 physicians and medical learners who responded experienced symptoms of burnout in the past year and a significant number said they had considered suicide in the same time frame. “There are much more people who are coming in need of more urgent and acute care…. (There are) longer wait-lists and the longer patients have to wait to receive care,” Dr. Alika Lafontaine, president of the CMA, says. Survey results were noted in a recent report which found “heavy workloads, demanding standards of training and practice, and complex practice environments are just some of the factors that can put any physician at higher risk of personal and professional dissatisfaction, burnout and depression.”
Why suicide loss stories on TV matter: What ‘The Bear’ and ‘Reservation Dogs’ got right – Mashable
August 24, 2022
This article explores two recent TV shows that address suicide – The Bear about a man who returns home to run the family restaurant after the suicide death of his brother, and Reservation Dogs, about a group of young friends living in an Indigenous community in Oklahoma. Of The Bear, Corrie, who experienced the suicide loss of her son 2 years ago, says, “It does matter when (the topic of suicide is) handled well. When it’s depicted in a way that isn’t so shaming and stigmatizing…I watch it, and I don’t feel so alone, or I don’t feel like my kid was so messed up.”
Nearly Half of Multiracial LGBTQ+ Youth Seriously Considered Suicide in the Past Year – Everyday Health
August 24, 2022
A new report (link opens download) by LGBTQ+ suicide prevention non-profit Trevor Project has found that nearly 50% of LGBTQ+ people ages 13 to 24 who are multi-racial reported having experienced thoughts of suicide in the past year. “Suicide prevention, intervention, and ‘post-vention’ programs and initiatives must be tailored to be based in cultural humility. We are long past the point where it is acceptable to simply identify that one model works for the majority,” said Nicholas E. Grant, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the president of GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality).
Suicide rates reveal the silent suffering of Australia’s ageing men – The Conversation
August 23, 2022
Men over the age of 85 have the highest suicide rates in Australia. Contributing factors include chronic pain, bereavement, and financial issues. Researchers Rhys Mantell and Adrienne Withall note, “The silent challenge among men aged over 85 who take their own lives is psychological and existential distress, which can reinforce feelings of loneliness and worthlessness. Older men at risk of suicide may feel they are ‘no longer needed’ or perceive themselves as ‘burdensome’ to family and community.” In order to prevent suicide in older men, Mantell and Withall say, “This group must be seen as a priority population for suicide prevention. We must start listening and work together to find solutions so older men can access the help they need in a way that suits them.”
Children’s Risk of Suicide Increases on School Days – Scientific American
August 22, 2022
This article, written by psychiatrist Tyler Black, who sees children in a children’s hospital emergency department, discusses school as a major stressor for some children. Black suggests reducing or eliminating homework, adding a mental health curriculum, taking bullying seriously, restoring funding for playtime, music, and art, starting school later, and recognizing and addressing child abuse in schools as a few ways to mitigate young people’s school-related distress. A UK study found that 82% of school leaders reported increased mental health issues during examinations among primary school children. Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a “significant elevation of suicide deaths in children” on weekdays and during school months. “School comes with many things, good and bad. School can be wonderful, with learning experiences, social successes and a sense of connection to others. But it can also be incredibly stressful because of academic burden, bullying, health- and disability-related barriers, discrimination, lack of sleep and sometimes abuse,” says Black.
How drama can help open up conversations on suicide for young people in post-pandemic times – The Conversation
August 19, 2022
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 29 in the UK, and many have experienced mental health challenges during the pandemic. Researcher and lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland, James Layton, carried out a drama research project in suicide prevention. The project sought to change attitudes and open up conversation about suicide. In the project, a short play depicting a teen thinking about suicide was presented to an audience of young people. The play subject is supported by a friend and recovers from her thoughts of suicide. Layton, the article’s author, goes on to explore the role of drama as a powerful tool for change, “Drama can produce meaningful and productive dialogue about suicide and the mental health issues around it.”