To Save Life : Warnings Signs and Help For Suicide Prevention

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain in one week has sparked a conversation about mental health and suicide awareness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control: 

Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death for Adults and the 2^nd leading cause of death for ages 10-34.

Between 1999 and 2016, the rate of suicide increased in nearly every U.S. state and rose in Florida 10.6 percent. Experts say there is no clear reason why.

According to Dr. Jayme Hodges at Lee Health's Behavioral Health Center, there are usually a multitude of risk factors that play into someone's death by suicide, not just one. "There are risk factors that include things like prior mental health history, maybe a family history of mental health or suicides, stressors relating to jobs, financial insecurity, maybe losing one's job," she said. "Reach out to a receiving facility, inpatient hospitalization, SalusCare, Park Royal, if you need to, call 911."

4 In Your Corner also sat down with Dr. Abbe Finn, Clinical Mental Health and Counseling Program Director at FGCU, to talk about some of the ways she's helped people during her career. "Some of the coping mechanisms can be journaling, writing, it could be yoga, it could be exercise," she said. "This is an illness, and it's treatable. We just have to talk about it from that perspective." 

Seeking counseling is a great step. Dr. Finn said family members can also help by recognizing warning signs.

Warning signs of suicide include:

• Talking about wanting to die or kill themselves
• Plans or research to kill themselves
• Feelings hopelessness, lack or purpose, or like a burden on others
• Increase use of alcohol or drugs
• Withdrawing from support systems
• Saying goodbye to friends and family, giving away valuable possessions

Resources are available to those in need, including:

• The phone number of a trusted family member or friend
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-TALK (8255), or for the deaf and hard of hearing via TTY at 1-800-799-4889 -  available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• The Crisis Text Line:  741741
• The non-emergency number of your local law enforcement
• Call 911 for those in immediate risk of harm to self or others and request a CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Officer, as they have had additional training in working with those in crisis

More information about Suicide Prevention and Awareness, or other Mental Health Conditions can be found at:

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• National Institutes of Mental Health:  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  https://www.cdc.gov/
• National Alliance on Mental Illness:  https://www.nami.org/
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center:  http://www.sprc.org/