Weekly News Roundup Feb. 17-23, 2024

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The Finnish miracle: how the country halved its suicide rate – and saved countless lives– The Guardian
February 22, 2024
Thirty years ago, Finland had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, but since then, the country has implemented national initiatives and interventions that have effectively halved the suicide rate. Timo Partonen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare says, “(1990) was the darkest year in the history of Finland regarding suicide mortality… There are some years that it goes up a bit, then the next year it goes down a bit, then it goes downwards, downwards, downwards, then it stops again. But of course we want to have better rates, so lower rates.” A heavy drinking culture, stigma, and gender inequality all contributed to the higher rates. Greater gender equality, the arrival of antidepressants, lower drinking rates and breaking down stigma have all contributed to a lower rate. Harri Sihvola, a suicide prevention trainer, says he’d like to see widespread implementation of safety planning systems for people who have attempted suicide, more comfortability in talking about suicide and asking directly if someone is thinking about suicide, and the teaching of active listening skills. “If you ask questions you only hear answers; you don’t hear the story,” says Sihvola. “It’s not rocket science. It’s basic skills that everybody should have when they face difficult situations.” 

AI Is Turning Social Media Into the Next Frontier for Suicide Prevention– TIME
February 22, 2024
This article discusses how AI is being used to identify and contact social media users who are thinking about suicide. The limitations of using AI to prevent suicide are also discussed. John Pestian, director of the Computational Medicine Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital notes that connecting social media users through AI with human support can be effective, however, “If you had a friend, they might say, ‘Let me drive you to the hospital,’ the AI could be the car that drives the person to care.” Pestian says that “let[ting] the AI do the care,” on the other hand, for example by performing interventions, is much more risky. 

More than Half of LGBTQ+ Young People in Mexico Seriously Considered Suicide in the Past Year– The Trevor Project
February 21, 2024
The results of the 2024 Mexico National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People have found that over 50% of young LGBTQ+ people in Mexico considered suicide in the past year, and 1 in 3 attempted suicide in the past year. The survey is the first of its kind in Mexico, and was done in collaboration with Trevor Project, researchers at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and two other partner organizations. Dr. Ronita Nath (she/her), Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project says, “These findings reveal that there is an urgent mental health crisis among LGBTQ+ young people in Mexico – and it must be addressed… These data underscore the immediate need for targeted and systemic prevention efforts across the country. We urge mental health care providers, policymakers, educators, and other youth-facing adults to take action, show support for LGBTQ+ young people, and approach any interventions through a truly intersectional lens to help LGBTQ+ young people in Mexico lead the happy, healthy lives they deserve.” 

‘What kind of man cries?’: The country with the highest suicide rate in the world– The Telegraph
February 20, 2024
**Method warning** Lesotho, a country in southern Africa, has the highest suicide rate in the world, with a rate of 87.5 per 100,000 people. Stigma, mental illness, loss, loneliness, financial challenges, chronic pain, and abuse are some of the factors that may contribute to this heightened rate. Liau Mochaba has been a psychotherapist in Lesotho for 10 years, and adds, “Traditionally men are providers in our country, so if they don’t have a job, and they have a wife and children and they cannot provide for them, it causes psychological problems.” He says, “The awareness is very low about mental health issues. When people have mental health problems, they would rather see traditional doctors.” Lisema Pinyane, 24, says he struggled with thoughts of suicide, but didn’t feel he could reach out for help, “I thought what kind of man would be crying, saying he’s going through these white people’s diseases: depression and stress.” One evening, Pinyane posted to his Facebook saying that he tried to overcome his thoughts, but could not go on. The next morning, two friends woke him up, “They were saying: ‘What are you doing?’ It was then I saw that these people still cared about me.”

Suicide risk is higher in certain phases of the menstrual cycle – here’s what we know about this link – The Conversation
February 20, 2024
Men are more likely than women to die by suicide, but, beginning from the age of puberty, women are more likely to attempt suicide. The author of this article says this implies that menstruation could play a role in  increased risk, however, menstruation and its connection to suicide is an under-researched area of suicide prevention. New research has found that suicide risk is higher during certain phases of the menstrual cycle, however, they’re not sure why. Some suggested factors include hormone sensitivity as well as social and cultural factors. The author of this article says, “While the past few years have seen more being done to address women’s health issues, many questions still have not been fully answered. These include why women are more likely to die by suicide during certain phases of their menstrual cycle, what other social and cultural factors put women at greater risk of suicide and how can health professionals better assess those who may be most at risk.”

Opinion: What not to ask the loved ones of those who have died by suicide – LA Times
February 18, 2024
This opinion article was written by Sloane Crosley, who lost her close friend to suicide in July 2019. Crosley talks about her interactions with others following the death, and suggests how we might better be able to communicate with those who have lost someone to suicide. Crosley says, “In the wake of his death, people asked if I knew it was coming, if there were signs, if I could work the whole thing in reverse. Perhaps they’d grown accustomed to asking… “ She suggests “eliminating ‘did you know?’ as a reaction to suicide” as this question “induces dread for those left behind, compounding grief with feelings of futility.” Crosley says, when speaking to someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, “Focus instead on what you did not know. There you will find the most generous condolences, the ones that can pierce through the veil of mourning. Say you wish you’d known the person who died. Say how extraordinary their lives must have been, how big their story. Say that we never really know what goes on behind the closed doors of someone’s mind but that it’s worth it to keep trying. We miss the people we loved so much, and we have not stopped. I promise we’ll thank you.”