>>VIC MICOLUCCI: SUICIDE AND MENTAL ILLNESS GO HAND-IN-HAND. 46% OF PEOPLE
WHO DIE BY SUICIDE EACH YEAR
HAD DOCUMENTED CASES OF MENTAL
ILLNESS. SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE
PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH.
AND TODAY, YOUTH SUICIDE
PREVENTION WEEK BEGINS IN
LIGHT OF THIS AWARENESS. THE
CDC RECENTLY RELEASED AN
ALARMING REPORT SHOWING THAT
SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY TEENAGE
GIRLS HAVE JUMPED BY 51%
COMPARED TO 2019. CLOSER TO
HOME. DUVAL COUNTY IS FAR FROM
IMMUNE IN 2019, MORE THAN
11,000 HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE
THE RESULT OF MENTAL
DISORDERS. SOME 117 PEOPLE
DIED BY SUICIDE. AND THESE ARE
AVOIDABLE DEATHS. JOINING US
THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT IT.
LAURA MINICH, THE CLINICAL
COUNSELOR FOR VOLUNTEERS IN
MEDICINE. GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: SO THESE ARE
STARTLING STATISTICS AND WE
TALK ABOUT SUICIDE REGULARLY.
BUT SOME PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
THOSE IN YOUR FIELD WOULD SAY
WE DON’T TALK ABOUT IT ENOUGH.
>> THERE’S STILL TIME TO BE A
STIGMA AROUND TALKING ABOUT
SUICIDE AND WANTING TO, YOU
KNOW, HAVING THOUGHTS OF
WANTING TO DIE OR PUT HIMSELF.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: AND LET’S
TALK ABOUT THE CONNECTION
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT
RESEARCHERS ARE FINDING IS
THESE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS
TURN INTO SUICIDE. SO THEY
HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED OR AT
LEAST SOMEBODY KNOWS THAT
SOMEBODY IS STRUGGLING BEFORE
THAT SUICIDE OR THAT SUICIDE
ATTEMPT.
>> RIGHT. THAT HIGH PERCENT TO
40 49% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OR COMMITTED
SUICIDE. A MAN HAD DIAGNOSED
MENTAL HEALTH. AND SO THEY
HOPEFULLY WILL BE RECEIVING
HELP. THAT, OF COURSE,
SOMETIMES THEY JUST YOU NEED
SOMEBODY ELSE TO TALK TO AS
WELL.
>> AND LAURA, IT VOLUNTEERS IN
MEDICINE DOES SO MANY AMAZING
THINGS. AND WE THINK ABOUT THE
MEDICINE RIGHT. WE THINK ABOUT
THE VACCINES, THE SHOTS, THE
TREATMENT FOR THESE ILLNESSES.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A STRONG
FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT
KIND OF SERVICES DOES YOUR
ORGANIZATION OFFER?
>> RIGHT. DOCTORS AND OFFERS
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING ON
THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH
FAMILY FOUNDATIONS. AND THEY
ALSO OFFER SOME TELECOM
TELEHEALTH COUNSELING THROUGH
A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U N AND
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO
CONNECTIONS WITH DIFFERENT
SPECIALISTS. AND REFERRALS IS
NECESSARY. AND WHAT KIND OF
PATIENCE?
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: DO YOU SEE
IT? VOLUNTEERS AND MESSAGES,
PEOPLE, WONDER WHO QUALIFIES
FOR THIS VOLUNTEERS IN
MEDICINE. IT IS. PROVIDES
HEALTH CARE FOR THE WORKING
UNINSURED. SO INDIVIDUALS WHO
MAY HAVE
>> JOB BUT ARE UNABLE THAT
DOESN’T OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE
OR THEY DON’T MAKE ENOUGH
HOURS TO GET THEIR HEALTH
INSURANCE. THOSE ARE THE
PATIENTS WHO COME TO
VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: AND LET’S GO
INTO THIS BECAUSE I THINK A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
STRUGGLING WITH THEIR SCARED
TO DISCLOSE THAT TO OTHER
PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY’RE GOING TO BE LABELED AS
UNSTABLE, AS LET’S JUST SAY,
AS SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORD
CRAZY. AND THAT’S NOT THE CASE
AT ALL.
>> YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT THE CASE
I THINK PEOPLE ARE FREE TO
TALK ABOUT IT WHEN THEY HAVE
THOSE FEELINGS AND PEOPLE ARE
ALSO AFRAID TO ASK BECAUSE
THERE’S A SENSE OF
HELPLESSNESS ABOUT WHAT YOU
CAN DO. BUT JUST ASKING IS
HUGE I’M HUGE STEP THAT OFFERS
COMFORT AND VALIDATION TO
INDIVIDUAL IN YOUR LIFE WHO
MAY BE EXPERIENCING. THAT’S OF
KILLING THEMSELVES AND HAVE
WANTING TO DIE AND IT OPENS
THE DOOR FOR CONVERSATION TO
SEEK ADDITIONAL HELP. ALL
RIGHT, LAURA, MC THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT
VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: ONE MORE TIME
IF WE CAN FOR OUR STUDIO CREW.
CAN WE GET THAT NUMBER UP
THERE? BECAUSE THAT IS THE
SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFE
LIFELINE, 1, 800, 273-8255. I
HAVE LOST FRIENDS TO SUICIDE.
IT IS HEARTBREAKING. I KNOW
YOU AT HOME HAVE BEEN
PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY THIS AS
WELL. YOU CAN ALSO TEXT THE
CRISIS LINE, TEXT HOME TO 7,
4, 1, 7, 4, 1, IT IS OKAY TO
TALK ABOUT IT. YOU WILL NOT BE
LABELED. YOU CAN GET HELP AND
MANY TIMES IT IS FREE. WE CARE
SOMEONE CARES. DO WHAT YOU CAN