Suicide prevention: What can we do & can dogs help?
September was suicide prevention month— A topic that is close to my heart. Suicide is a global epidemic that impacts all continents, countries, cultures, races, and individuals. Anyone can feel suicidal at any time. Some reasons people may feel suicidal include mental health problems, bullying and racism, chronic pain or physical illness, substance abuse, financial problems, bereavement, sudden life changes including pregnancy, end of a relationship, childbirth, retirement, or loss of a job. We see here so many reasons that can lead someone into a space of desperation and it can affect people across the board.
In this blog post, I will go over statistics and facts about suicide, what can be done to reduce these figures, how dogs can be a preventive factor against suicide, how you can personally help someone affected by suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and finally my personal story.
When discussing this topic it is important to start with the figures:
Every year 800 thousand people die by suicide, which is twice the homicide rate.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young people
Suicide rates are higher in older individuals
The suicide rate for men is 2x as high than for women
60% of firearm deaths are suicides in the U.S
Pesticide poisoning is the most common method of suicide
The countries with highest rates of suicide are across Eastern Europe, South Korea, Zimbabwe, Guyana and Suriname
Countries with the lowest suicide rates are across North Africa, the Middle East, Indonesia, Peru and some Mediterranean countries.
There are many ways to interpret these numbers— for example suicide rates in older adults may be the highest due to terminal illness, loneliness, and major life shifts such as retirement. Pesticide poisoning is the most accessible lethal means in many poorer countries. Firearm deaths in the U.S may be particularly high because of lenient gun laws. Men may be more likely to die by suicide because they choose more lethal means or they suffer from shame because of not living up to cultural standards. The countries with lower suicide rates may also be a result of religious values. Understanding these statistics is vital in reducing suicides in order to target specific groups, ages, genders and cultures with higher suicides.
The good news is that there are many things we can do on a political, community, familial, and individual level to prevent suicides. It starts with education about risk factors, warning signs and stopping the spread of stigma against mental illness and suicide. We can also reduce access to lethal means on a policy level such as restrictions on gun control and pesticides. In general, one of the most important ways to prevent suicides is to eliminate the taboo around talking about it— we need to be asking and listening to people we are worried about.
Sterling K Brown said,
“We all have our struggles & fears, but no one should fight them alone. Let’s remember to be kind to each other, there for each other & ask for the help we need because everyone deserves to live free, happy, & healthy”.
We don’t know what people may be going through. Suicidality can look very different from one person to another. People who go to work, have friends, and a smile on their face are also susceptible to suicide. Connecting with someone who is struggling can literally save their life. Many people fear saying the wrong thing, but if you are coming from a place of authenticity, empathy and vulnerability, I can assure you that that will come through even if you stumble over your words. Here are some ideas on how to support people contemplating suicide:
Directly ask: “do you feel like killing yourself”
Reflect what you hear: “what I’m hearing is you feel there is no way out”
Suspend judgment, criticism, and blaming
Empathize: “I can’t imagine what you must be feeling, I would like to understand”
Listen with an open mind and open heart
Encourage to take one step at a time
Can dogs protect against suicide?
Dog companionship can be a protective factor against suicide.
The kinds of feelings that lead people to feel suicidal include worthlessness, loneliness, and a burdensome to others. Dogs can help alleviate these experiences through giving a sense of purpose, responsibility and belonging.
How much a dog can prevent people from acting on suicidal thoughts has to do with the nature of the relationship and fostering of the emotional bond.
As we have mentioned before, dogs also have an impact on reducing symptoms of mental illness, which are directly linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
We also mentioned above that older adults are the population that completes suicide most often. Research has been conducted to see the benefits of animal assistance therapy for this vulnerable population as a way to protect against suicide and have found promising results.
Veterans are also a very vulnerable population. Their suicide rate is 50 % higher than the general population. Studies are finding that service dogs have a promising affect on the reduction of suicides in veterans.
Dogs offer an intimate connection; something we sometimes struggle with in our modern day culture. Also dogs give us a sense of purpose by taking care for them.
I personally owe my life to Duchess— I experienced a massive life shift that sent me into a clinical depression. It was the type of depression that getting out of bed in the morning felt impossible almost fatal. It was like a bag of rocks sat on top of me while cement glued me to my bed. It was heavy, dark, and lonely. The only reason I had to get up was to take Duchess out so she wouldn’t go potty in the house.
During these times, I often thought to myself
“just kill yourself”
This thought would grow louder at times to the point that it was unbearable. My solution was always to take Duchess for a walk, get some fresh air, and sometimes call a friend. I also would think,
“If I kill myself, then who will take care of Duchess?”
She kept me alive.
It was this experience that helped me understand the power of my relationship with Duchess.
