Let's Talk About It

Warning Signs

Talking about:

• Wanting to die
• Great guilt or shame
• Being a burden to others

Feeling:

• Empty, hopeless, trapped or no reason to live
• Extremely sad, anxious, agitated or full of rage
• Unbearable emotional or physical pain

Changing behavior, such as:

• Making a plan or researching ways to die
• Withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important items, or making a will
• Taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast
• Displaying extreme mood swings
• Eating or sleeping more or less
• Using drugs or alcohol more often

Source: National Institute of Mental Health

Let’s Talk About It

Suicide is complicated and tragic, but it can be preventable. If someone you know is suicidal, follow the following steps to help them:

Talk about it:

Asking someone if they are thinking about killing themselves is not an easy question, but studies show that asking at-risk individuals if they are suicidal does not increase suicides or suicidal thoughts.

Keep them safe:

Reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal items or places is an important part of suicide prevention. While this is not always easy, asking if the at-risk person has a plan and removing or disabling the lethal means can make a difference.

Be there:

Listen carefully and learn what the individual is thinking and feeling. Research suggests acknowledging and talking about suicide may in fact reduce rather than increase suicidal thoughts.

Help them connect:

Save the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number (call or text 988) and the Crisis Text Line number (741741) in your phone so they’re there if you need them. You can also help make a connection with a trusted individual like a family member, friend, spiritual advisor, or mental health professional.

Stay connected:

Staying in touch after a crisis or after being discharged from care can make a difference. Studies have shown the number of suicide deaths goes down when someone follows up with the at-risk person.

At Risk Groups

In Montana, between 2011-2020, the highest rates of suicides was among American Indians (32 per 100,000) although they only constitute 6% of the state’s population. Caucasians were second at 25.3 per 100,000.

In addition, the following groups are considered at-risk:

• Veterans: Veterans accounted for 18% of all suicide deaths despite representing just 8.5% of the population.
• Children: Suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst young (15-24) Americans.
• College students: One in 12 college students have made a suicide plan.
• Elderly: Eighty-five percent of elderly suicides are male, and the rate of male suicides in late life was seven times greater than for female suicides.
• LGBTQ youth: LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter have made a suicide attempt.

Why does Montana have such a high rate of suicide?

• Vitamin D deficiency – correlated with increased risk of depression
• Altitude – oxygen deprevation starts at 2,500 feet. The average suicide in Montana ocurs at 3,500 feet.
• Social isolation – Montana has 6.7 people per square mile. The national average is 88.7.
• Alcohol – often used as a coping strategy, and the amount of alcohol in the blood at the time of death is 2 times the national average.
• Socioeconomics – One in five Montana kids live more than 100% below the poverty level.
• High concentration of at risk groups, including veterans, American Indians and middle age white men.
• Access to firearms – nearly 90% of all firearm deaths in Montana are suicides.
• Stigma – many depressed people feel they are a burden and are unlikely to ask for help.
• Lack of behavioral health services – lack of psychiatrists and integrated behavioral health into primary care.

Source: Montana Department Health & Human Service

Common Mental Health Conditions

Mental Health Resources

• SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | samhsa.gov
• AFSP: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention | asfp.org
• NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | nami.org
• APA: American Psychological Association | apa.org