now hidden factors an investigation into
tragedies that are tearing thousands of
families apart in one group in
particular is proving to be more
vulnerable than others white middle-aged
men News 4 Jax reporter Scott Johnson
takes a closer look into why more of
them are taking their own lives and the
signs loved ones need to watch for
before it's too late
consider the show Netflix put out a few
years ago called 13 reasons why it
discussed problems with teenage suicide
but if you talk to people who study this
and deal with the hidden factors of
suicidal patients they find the group
that's most vulnerable middle-aged white
men the tragedy was roughly two years
ago how did it happen
how did it happen that he took his life
yeah well he took his life in the car in
the garage with the exhaust with the
exhaust correct when this man who were
not naming how's your granddaughter
doing to essentially protect the
innocent the first thing she said was I
didn't know I could lose a daddy well
it's really hard to hear yeah sure died
at age 52 he even made a little
recording that said he'd lost all hope
and he love you guys
sorry so those were the words he ended
it with exact last four words love you
guys sorry but his father-in-law were
just calling Bob did want to open up
I've looked back hard to try to figure
out what's the message you could say to
the community to recognize that this is
on the way for somebody because this
middle aged dad is not alone we've come
to learn that more men are successful on
their first try than women it's
middle-aged white men who were taking
their own lives in increasing numbers so
consider some of the things middle-aged
men are going through they near
retirement the kids grow up and move on
maybe they're getting older perhaps it
can seem like life is shattering what
can replace it a loss of purpose
loneliness maybe depression
I got the idea to cover this story I
think just knowing that this is a group
that's vulnerable is a great first step
after sitting down with Lori Oh Sachi I
think retirement are not being able to
retire they both are triggers a
counselors at the body imaging
Counseling Center it's hard to reimagine
your whole identity
she opened my eyes to the fact that
families need to realize this group is
as vulnerable as any a lot of times men
have trouble asking for help in general
or admitting they're in pain take this
study from 2015 by the National Academy
of Sciences this graph shows white males
between 45 and 54 are dying more
frequently than us Hispanic men and men
in other countries too big contributors
drug use and suicide they tend to use
methods that succeed I hate to use that
word but they tend to use guns more
where women tend to use pills or and
it's easier to be found and be brought
to the hospital when you've used pills
then when you've shot yourself so what
to do so to look for other signs that
aren't verbal osaki says watch saying
you know I'm feeling suicidal and don't
be afraid to recommend counseling when a
person is suicidal they're not rational
or even intervention you have to be very
directive with someone who's thinking of
killing themselves so the first thing
you do is make sure that find out if
they have a specific plan he came up
with a long-term solution to a
short-term problem it's the way I look
at it and passed his pain on to his
family and that pain hasn't stopped I'm
sure absolutely not now he didn't mean
to do that all he was thinking about I'm
sure was his own pain Bob only wishes
they had known about the pain healthy
people don't take their lives how do we
tell he was going to and somebody else
isn't going to I don't know but
eventually it was too late so sad
while some signs of suicide can be more
obvious like talking about wanting to
die there are more subtle ways subtle
signs to watch for as well if someone
gives away important possessions behaves
recklessly has dramatic mood swings
changes eating or sleeping habits talks
about feeling guilt or shame or
withdraws from friends and family if
you're concerned about a loved one or
you need help immediately call the
National Suicide Prevention lifeline its
1-800 273 8255 again that's a 24 hour
number 1-800 273 8255