>> ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, SUICIDE RATES
ARE UP 30 PERCENT SINCE 1999.
I SAT DOWN WITH A SUICIDE
PREVENTION SPECIALIST WHO RECENTLY HELD A WORKSHOP IN
HAMPDEN FOCUSING ON PREVENTION.
SARAH GAER WORKS AT THE RIVERSIDE TRAUMA CENTER AND IS
THE CO-CHAIR OF THE PIONEER VALLEY COALITION FOR SUICIDE
PREVENTION.
SHE EXPLAINED Q-P-R GATE KEEPER TRAINING - QUESTION,
PERSUADE AND REFER.
>> THE QUESTION, PERSUADE AND REFER IT'S THOUGHT TO BE KIND OF
SIMILAR TO CPR.
TO SAVE A LIFE IN THE MOMENT OF DISTRESS.
IF THAT'S CPR, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY HAVING DIFFICULTY
BREATHING BUT IN A WAY SOMEBODY IS SERIOUSLY CONTEMPLATING THEIR
LIFE, THEY'RE HAVING ADDICTED BREA
DIFFICULTY /* -- DIFFICULT IN LIFE, AND WE WANT THEM TO KNOW
PREVENTING SUICIDE AND STAY ALIVE AND REACHING OUT FOR THE
LIFE THEY NEED AND HELPING THEM GET THAT HELP.
>> HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING A
BAD DAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT CROSS GUESS OVER TO SUICIDAL
THOUGHTS HOW DO YOU KNOW TO A PARENT IN PARTICULAR THE PARENT
IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN THIS.
>> THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IS TO TALK ABOUT IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT IT WHETHER IT'S HIV OR SUBSTANCE USE AND YET MANY
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO SAY THE WORD SUICIDE.
>> IT'S A DARK SUBJECT.
YOU DON'T SAY YOU'RE HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHT --
>> I DO.
>> THAT MUST BE AN OLD SCHOOL WAIVE THINKING.
>> IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN I WAS A KID AND PEOPLE WERE SCARED IF
YOU TALKED ABOUT BEING GAY THAT WOULD PUT THAT IN SOMEBODY'S
MIND AND WE'VE MOVED PAST THAT IDEA AND SAYING TALKING ABOUT
SUICIDE ISN'T GOING TO PLANT THE IDEA ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND
AGE WHERE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO THE TOPIC EVERYWHERE THEY GO SO
IT'S NOT LIKE SOMETHING THEY'RE BEING EXPOSED TO.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO TRY AND CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE AND
CULTURE THAT CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR
SOMEBODY TO TALK APPROXIMATE IT. >> IS IT CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU
WILL NOTICE THEM SAYING?
>> WELL, THERE'S SOME RESEARCH BEING DONE NOW, YOU KNOW,
LOOKING SPECIFICALLY LANGUAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND CERTAINLY LISTENING TO PEOPLE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL MAKE REALLY DIRECT STATEMENTS.
OFTENTIMES WHEN THEY DO MAKE THOSE DIRECT STATEMENTS WE DON'T
PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE WE JUST ASSUME THEY DON'T MEAN IT.
>> A DIRECT STATEMENT.
>> SOMEBODY SAYS IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF.
PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE BEING DRAMATIC AND THEY DON'T REALLY
MEAN IT, OTHERWISE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT.
SOMETIMES THAT CAN HAPPEN AND SOME THINGS PEOPLE SAY I'M
TIRED.
I CAN'T KEEP GOING I JUST WANT TO GIVE UP AND WE DON'T
NECESSARILY HEAR THAT FOR WHAT IT IS.
SO PART OF THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING IS FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW
HOW TO LISTEN FOR POTENTIAL STATEMENTS AND TO UNDERSTAND
THAT SUICIDE IS A MULTIFACTORIAL AFFECT SO THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PIECES TO COME IN TO PLAY.
SO HOW DO YOU LOOK FOR BEHAVIORAL CLUES OR LISTEN FOR
THE VERBAL CLUES THAT SOMEBODY MAY GIVE US AND HOW DO YOU LOOK
AT ENVIRONMENTAL THING THAT MAY BE HAPPENING OR COULD BE
HAPPENING AND IF YOU SEE ALL THOSE THINGS OR SEE ENOUGH OF
THOSE THINGS THAT YOU THINK SUICIDE MIGHT BE AN OPTION FOR
THIS PERSON, HOW DO YOU TALK TO THEM.
>> BEHAVIORAL CLUES SO THEY'RE SPENDING MORE TIME -- I'M
TALKING PARTICULARLY IN TEAMS OR ADULTS SPENDING MORE TIME IN
THEIR ROOM, NOT SOCIALIZING -- >> ISOLATING ONE OF THE WORDS WE
USE IS THE EUSTIS, YOU KNOW, SHE USED TO LOVE TO PLAY SOFTBALL.
SHE USED TO TAKE DANCE CLUB AND SHE USED TO GO TO THE FOOTBALL
GAMES SO WE WATCH FOR PEOPLE NOT SEEMING TO ENJOY THE THINGS THEY
USED TO ENJOY, YOU KNOW, ISOLATING MORE, BEING MORE
IRRITABLE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES NOT BEING ABLE OR WILLING TO
TALK TO PEOPLE BUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE.
SOMETIMES IT COULD BE BEING SECRETIVE, INCREASES IN
SUBSTANCE USE SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AND SO THE IDEA IS
THAT WE WANT TO TEACH PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IT LIKE A PUZZLE AND
IF YOU SEE ENOUGH PUZZLE PIECES THEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO TALK
TO THAT PERSON.
>> SO SUICIDE RATES ACCORDING TO THE CDC IS UP 30% FROM 1999.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
>> I MEAN, THAT'S THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, AND ANY IDEA OF
SUICIDE IS A MULTIFACTORIAL EVENT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY MY GENERATION, EARLY
40s, I DON'T LIKE ADMITTING IT BUT OUR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS
SHORTER THAN OUR PARENTS AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT'S
EVER HAPPENED.
>> BECAUSE OF SUICIDE.
>> WELL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF 3 THINGS IS WHAT
THEY'RE SAYING THIS MAY CHANGE BUT THEY'RE SAYING IF YOU WERE
TO TAKE OUT OF OPIOID-RELATED DEATHS THE SUICIDE RELATED
DEATHS AND THE ALCOHOL-RELATED DEATHS WE WOULD LIVE AS LONG AS
OUR PARENTS GENERATION.
SOME ECONOMISTS ARE SAYING THIS DEATH BY DESPAIR SO THERE'S A
LOT OF PIECES AND I THINK AS A CULTURE I HOPE WE CAN START TO
REALLY LOOK AT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS DESPAIR BUT, OF COURSE,
PEOPLE THINK THE ECONOMY IS A STRONG INDICATOR.
WE SEE THAT GLOBALLY HOW IT CAN HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON SUICIDE
RATES BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES HAPPENING.
>> SO THE ECONOMIES IS BETTER NOW ARE PEOPLE MORE STRESSED?
ARE YOU TAKING ON MORE OR ARE THERE TOO MANY FACTORS WITH
WORK, FAMILIES AND WITH EXPECTATIONS OF WHERE IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE.
>> FOR SOME PEOPLE THE ECONOMY IS BETTER BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST LIKELY WHO ARE DYING FROM SUICIDE AND
THERE'S A VERY STRONG CORRELATION OF PEOPLE DYING BY
SUICIDE OR OPIOIDS, FOR THEM IT'S NOT YOU KNOW, WE SEE
FARMERS, FISHERMEN, FORESTRY, YOU KNOW, ALL HAVE ELEVATED
RATES ACTUALLY OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL, YOU KNOW,
FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES THEY'RE WORKING AS HARD AS EVER, AS HARD
AS THEIR PARENTS DID AND BEING ABLE TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO
COLLEGE IS BEING A BIGGER OBSTACLE AND CHALLENGE AND BEING
ABLE TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT IS BEING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT SO
THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO LOOK AT THE ECONOMY OF IT.
THAT'S JUST ONE THING.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS A FACTOR.
>> RIGHT, I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
>> SOCIAL MEDIA -- WE SEE BOTH THE PROS AND CONS OF IT.
WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE FEELING MORE ISOLATED.
YOU GO ON FACEBOOK AND YOU ALWAYS SEE HOW GREAT EVERYBODY
LIFE'S LIFE IS AND WE ALL KNOW EVERYBODY PUTS THEIR BEST FACE
FORWARD ON FACEBOOK.
>> IT DOES AFFECT YOUR PSYCHE YOU LIKE YOU LOOK AT EVERYBODY'S
LIFE IS PERFECT AND I'M NOT THAT GOOD.
>> PEOPLE AREN'T POSTING ABOUT ALL THE TERRIBLE THINGS THEY'RE
FACING SO -- I MEAN, THERE'S SOME QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, YOU
KNOW, THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL CONNECTED UNTIL SOCIAL MEDIA
HAPPENED BECAUSE IT WAS A WAY FOR LET'S SAY PEOPLE WHO ARE
STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS TO FIND
OTHER PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
>> SO I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED FIRST RESPONDERS AND I KNOW THAT
IS A TRAINING THAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATS AROUND FIRST RESPONDERS.
>> YEAH, WE ARE SEEING -- WE'RE ACTUALLY LOSING MORE
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS TO SUICIDE THAN LINE OF DUTY
DEATHS SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE
WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE CODE 9 PROJECT, WHICH IS REALLY
TRYING TO DRAW ATTENTIONAL TO THE TRAUMA THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
IS FACING.
WHAT THEIR NEEDS AREN'T BEING MET AND WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS CAN
DO TO TRY TO HELP THEM AND FOR FIREFIGHTERS THERE'S AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED THE FIREFIGHTER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ALLIANCE THAT'S DOING SIMILAR WORK FOR THEM.
WE ALSO KNOW CORRECTIONS OFFICERS ACTUALLY HAVE AN EVEN
HIGHER RATE, UNFORTUNATELY, THINK BOTH FIREFIGHTERS AND
POLICE OFFICERS SEE.
>> IT'S WHAT THEY SEE THE TRAUMA AND THE ENVIRONMENT THEY'RE IN
IS SOLVE LIKE A PRESSURE COOKER SO I COULD ONLY IMAGINE THE
PRESSURE COOKERS THEY DEAL WITH EVIDENCE?
>> I CERTAINLY THINK THE TRAUMA IS A FACTOR LIKE I SAID, SUICIDE
IS A MULTIFACTORIAL EVENT AND OFTENTIMES WE SEE THE SAME
UNDERLYING THINGS HAPPENING FOR THEM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES
HAPPENING FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, MARITAL DIFFICULTIES OR DIVORCE
HAPPENING FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, FAMILY HISTORY OF SUICIDE IS NOT
UNCOMMON ALSO THE EXPOSURE TO SUICIDE IN THEIR WORK.
>> ESPECIALLY IN A PRISON.
>> YOU KNOW, WE TRY REALLY HARD NOT TO MINIMIZE IT TO ANY ONE
THING BUT SORT OF REALIZING ALL THE PIECES BUT THE OTHER REALITY
IS IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER AND YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH A
TRAUMA FROM YOUR WORK, YOU MIGHT BE AFRAID TO SEEK HELP.
>> RIGHT.
>> YOU MIGHT BE AFRAID OF LOSING YOUR JOB OR THAT PEOPLE FEEL YOU
ARE NOT STABLE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AND SO IT MIGHT BE A BIG
BARRIER.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TEEN RATE.
I KNOW SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR 15 TO
19 YEARS OLD SO AS A MOTHER, THAT'S HORRIFYING.
>> IT IS.
IT'S REALLY SCARY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BUNCH OF WAYS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THESE
RATES IN ONE SENSE WHEN WE HEAR THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH IT CAN GIVE THE IMPRESSION THEY'RE THE MOST VULNERABLE
WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
THE BULK OF SUICIDES IN THE UNITED STATES IS HAPPENING IN
THE MIDDLE-AGED BRACKET SO I THINK 35 TO 54 WHICH
IS -- THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NEW SINCE 1999.
HISTORICALLY IT WAS OUR ELDERLY POPULATION THAT HAD THE HIGHEST
RISK BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT YOUTH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A
LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT TAKE YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES SO THAT
PUTS SUICIDE HIGH UP BUT THERE'S REAL TRAGEDY IN THE LIFE LOST.
THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO'S HAD THEIR ENTIRE LIFE AHEAD OF THEM AND
WE, YOU KNOW, OUR RESEARCH IS INDICATING THAT IMPULSIVITY IS A
BIGGER FACTOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAN IT IS FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND
SO THAT REALLY DRIVES HOME FOR US THE BELIEF IF WE HAD BEEN
ABLE TO GET THAT YOUNG PERSON THE HELP THEY NEEDED --
>> THEY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THAT CHOICE.
>> THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THAT
CHOICE.
>> YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT --
>> YOU HAVE TO BE LISTENING AND WE TALK ABOUT, I THINK, PEOPLE
MOVED AWAY FROM THE TERMS OF UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS, RIGHT,
BUT THE IDEA THAT JUST ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY HAS EVERY
BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGEN FIRST RESPONDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THAT IDEA AND EVERYONE YOU INTERACT IS STRUGGLING ON SOME
LEVEL.
IF WE DO THAT TREAT EVERYONE WE COME ACROSS ON SOME LEVEL
THERE'S SOME SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT IN THEIR LIFE I THINK
WE COULD CREATE A MUCH SAFER COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.