Weekly News Roundup Feb 5-11, 2022
Suicide attempts among children and teens rose 77% in Poland last year – Notes from Poland
February 11, 2022
A newly released report, compiled by ‘Life is worth a conversation,’ an initiative of the Polish Association of Suicidology, has found that suicide attempts among people 18 and under in Poland increased by 77% in 2021 compared to 2020, and the number of deaths increased by 19%. Halszka Witkowska, project coordinator of ‘Life is worth a conversation’ said, “These data show that many young people cannot deal with their problems, which were only made worse by the pandemic, and that they are not receiving adequate help from the adults.” Witkowska says that young people need to be supported by not trivializing or doubting their problems, and not leaving them to solve their problems on their own.
Black Mental Health Coach Says Asking Someone if They’re Suicidal Could Save Their Life — Here’s Why – People
February 9, 2022
**Method warning** Mental health coach Paige Gaines has shared her experience with suicidality and surviving a suicide attempt on ‘A Different Cry,’ a documentary about Black youth and suicide. “That’s what led me to this. African American men, African American boys are more likely to attempt suicide than white men and white boys. African American females and African American young girls are attempting higher as well. So, it’s been a continuous rise in numbers,” said Gaines, explaining why she became involved with suicide prevention in the Black community. “I want people to know that it is okay to have a conversation about mental health.”
MARTA CEO Jeffrey Parker’s Wife Speaks Out to Raise Suicide Prevention Awareness After His Death – People
February 9, 2022
Jeffrey Parker, CEO and general manager of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority died by suicide in January. In this article Parker’s widow, Erin Harlow-Parker, opens up about her grief journey. “There is so much I will miss about Jeff. Most importantly, I will miss spending my life with him.” She says it’s “human nature” to think about “what I could have done – what I could have seen.” To others going through a similar experience, Harlow-Parker says, “Avoid looking for the way or some dark secret that answers why it happened. We can only accept the person’s complexity and use our platforms to save future people… The only way to reduce the stigma related to mental illness is for us to talk about it and not see it as someone’s weakness or fault.”
Why talking about suicide with my son was so important, even though it was difficult – NBC News
February 9, 2022
In this first-person perspective by Debby Waldman, whose son attempted suicide four years ago, Waldman talks about the importance of openly discussing suicide with loved ones. This perspective was written in response to the suicide death of Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin’s son Tommy Raskin, 25, who died in December 2020. In an interview Rep. Raskin said, “I fault myself for, among many other things, not using the word suicide and [not] forcing conversations about suicide in our household. Not talking to somebody who’s depressed about suicide is like not talking about sex to a teenager. You may think that you’re somehow suppressing the possibility of its emergence later, but you’re not.”
Suicide prevention hotline consultation drags on – Prince George Citizen
February 8, 2022
It’s been over a year since the House of Commons unanimously approved the implementation of three-digit access to the national suicide prevention line, currently accessible at 1-833-456-4566. The CRTC’s public consultation into the implementation of the line opened on June 3, 2021 and closed October 1, 2021. However, in August 2021, advocates for the deaf and hard of hearing asked the CRTC to provide the notice of consultation in sign language and allow video responses to be collected. The CRTC agreed and the new deadline for responses is March 17, 2022. 254 comments were submitted by the first deadline of October 1. The federal Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions said that the government is still committed to “fully funding” the initiative and have so far dedicated $25 million. The ministry said, “We continue to monitor the CRTC’s progress and ongoing work to make this service accessible, including for Canadians with disabilities. We understand the urgency of implementing this crisis line and we will ensure we get it right.”
Ketamine May Be Emergency Deterrent for People at Risk of Suicide – WebMD
February 7, 2022
A new clinical trial has found that among 156 adults hospitalized for severe suicidal thoughts, 63% of those who were given two doses of ketamine were in full remission compared to 32% who were given placebos. Dr. Paul Kim, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said that follow-up care is also required for people who have experienced severe thoughts of suicide.