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Suicide Prevention

If you are having suicidal thoughts please contact one of the following numbers immediately. If you have had or think you may be considering, please call and talk to someone. At the very least, write these numbers down and keep them in your wallet or purse with you at all times. These are not numbers to people who want to lecture you, these are number to people who actually care about you!


IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE:



  • Call your 911 number for emergency assistance or check the inside front cover page of your telephone book for local crisis services.


  • The National Crisis Helpline is 1-888-284-2433 (1-888-SUICIDE).


  • The National "Youth" Crisis Helpline is 1-800-999-9999.


  • The SAVE mission: The SAVE mission is to prevent suicide through public awareness and education, reduce stigma, and serve as a resource for those touched by suicide.


    • There are other links on the page to access information and resources to a world of people who care about you!

     

    Suicide Resources


    Areas where you, friends and parents can go to for information and resources. How to spot the signs of depression and what you can do to help prevent suicide.

    Depression Test, Symptoms of Depression, Signs of Depression. Take the free depression test to find information and treatment plans for symptoms of depression.

    http://www.RealAge.com




    I am the cousin of Kurt Cobain and the neice of 2 other suicides in my family. Also a psychiatric nurse and national speaker on the topics of youth depression and suicide prevention. My book, WHEN NOTHING MATTERS ANYMORE is acclaimed by the NMHA and others, and is in it's 5th printing.

    Living Matters



    When Nothing Matters Anymore:
    A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens

    "A remarkable and much needed resource for young people with depression...Bev Cobain understands." -- Peter S. Jensen, M.D., Associate Director for Child & Adolescent Research, National Institute of Mental Health

    God Touches Hearts Blog


    "When Nothing Matters Anymore talks directly to teens in a sympathetic voice, without condescension. It tells them they don't have to feel bad because of their brain chemistry; that there is hope for change and chance for happiness."--Doug Esser, The Associated Press




    Suicide Information


    The Issue:

    Every day, on average, more than 80 Americans take their own lives, and an estimated 1,500 more attempt suicide. (1) Although rates for teens and young adults appear to be declining, deaths from suicide in these age groups are still more frequent than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease combined. Americans 65 years and older have higher rates of suicide than any other age group, with the highest rate of suicide occurring among white men over the age of 85.

    The Facts:

  • Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. population. In 2000, 28,332 Americans died from suicide, a rate of 10 deaths for every 100,000 people. (4)
  • In 1999, the most recent year for which homicide data are available, there were nearly twice as many suicide deaths (29,199) as homicides (16,899). (5)
  • Suicide rates in adolescents peaked in the early 1990s, but rates may be decreasing for most groups of teens. Suicide is still the third-leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults, and in 1997 accounted for 12 percent of deaths in those aged 10-24. (6)
  • Young people age 12-17 who reported alcohol or drug use were more likely to be at risk for suicide, and only 36 percent of young people at risk received treatment or counseling. (8)
  • African American, Hispanic and white teens are less likely to attempt suicide if they feel a connection to their parents and family. For girls, emotional well-being also helps. For boys, a high grade point average is related to lower suicide risk. (7)
  • Rates of suicide among African American adults tend to be lower than in the general population and rates for African American women are low across the lifespan. Rates are highest in white men over the age of 85. (5, 9)
  • Among young people, American Indian and Alaskan Native adolescents have the highest rates of suicide. (6) A nationwide survey of high school students in 1999 also found that Hispanic students were more likely than non-Hispanic black or white students to report a suicide attempt. (10)
  • Youth surveys indicate an increased risk of suicidal behavior and thoughts, but not completion, in students who self-identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, (3) and a higher risk of actual attempts in boys who report same-sex attractions. (7)
  • In 1999, 242 children age 10-14 committed suicide, a rate of 1.2 deaths for every 100,000 people. (11)
  • The most common method of suicide for both men and women is by firearms, accounting for 57 percent of all suicides in 1999. (5, 12)
  • More than 90 percent of completed suicides occur in individuals with depression or another diagnosable mental or substance abuse disorder. (13)
  • People with a parent, sibling, aunt, uncle or grandparent who attempted or died from suicide are at increased risk for suicide and attempts. (15)
  • Suicide reporting in the media can contribute to suicide contagion: Newspaper and television reports of suicide have been linked to increases in suicide rates. The degree to which rates increase is a function of the amount, duration and prominence of media coverage of suicide. (14)
  • See More and Bibliography at Center For The Advancement Of Health




    • Suicide Signals


    The strongest risk factors for attempted suicide in youth are depression, alcohol or drug abuse, aggressive or disruptive behaviors and a previous suicide attempt. If several of the following symptoms, experiences, or behaviors are present, a mental health professional or another trusted adult, such as a parent or a school counselor, should be consulted:

  • Depressed mood
  • Substance abuse
  • Frequent episodes of running away or being incarcerated
  • Family loss or instability; significant problems with parents
  • Expressions of suicidal thoughts, or talk of death or the afterlife during moments of sadness or boredom
  • Withdrawal from friends and family
  • Difficulties in dealing with sexual orientation
  • No longer interested in or enjoying activities that once were pleasurable
  • Unplanned pregnancy
  • Impulsive, aggressive behavior or frequent expressions of rage


    • Adolescents who consider suicide generally feel alone, hopeless and rejected. They are especially vulnerable to these feelings if they have experienced a loss, humiliation or trauma of some kind: poor performance on a test, breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, parents with alcohol or drug problems or who are abusive, or family life affected by parental discord, separation or divorce. However, a teenager still may be depressed or suicidal even without any of these adverse conditions.

    © Copyright 2005 American Psychiatric Association

    See more at APA HealthyMinds.org




    A Testimonial from 2000


    I have done many horrible things in my lifetime. I have shamed my name and the names of many others. I was at the lowest of lows, and now I am experiencing something different, peace. Although I am only 17, I have experienced a wide assortment of emotions. I have felt a way no one should ever be alowed to feel, I felt depression. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd early in life, I used drugs, alcohol and sex to tranquilize my senses. I used them as an escape from what my life was really like. I hid from my problems by using drugs, I hid from the fact that I was molested as a child, beaten as an adolescent, and as I was just starting my teen years I was told I was going to die. So I hid in the substances to get away from reality. I never really enjoyed the alcohol, or drugs I just did them to fit in and lull my senses. The sex was a way for me to be loved for a brief moment in time for me. During these evergrowing habits I became skilled in football, and started varsity my freshman year. The popularity just fueled my fire, it gave me girls, easy access to drugs, and very easy access to alcohol. But in my 15 minutes of fame, everything came tumbling down. In the summer of my freshman year I was diagnosed with a terminal disease, familial disautonomia. This disease effects everything involuntary in my body, my blood flow, heart beat, breathing, blinking, crying, feeling, digestion, and so on. It put me in the hospital for most of the summer and over a semester of my sophomore year. That was when I was told I was going to die. That sunk me into depression and within weeks of finding out the news I was planning my own death. I attempted suicide, and realized that by killing myself I would never know the truth about anything, I placed myself into a hospital. In the mental institution, surrounded by other suicidal patients, and other people with mental disabilities I found god. I had no formal training in the church, I had never attended a church service in my life, but through some divine inspiration I came to know christ. When this happened a veil was lifted from my head, and blanket, and with it left everything, all my hate, rage, sadness, everything. God did in one minute what a years worth of medication could not even do. He pulled me out of depression and he saved my life. He did for me what no one could've or would've done for a druggy who just wanted it to end. If not for god, i would not be here to tell my story. This is not my whole story, if you want to know more, contact me at at0m16@aol.com, there is so much more to know. But just remember if God is with you, who can be against you. Suicide should not even be a choice, but for me is was, and for others it still is. If you ever need to talk to anyone, talk to someone who knows what it feels like to have no one, to not be loved. And no matter what the obstacle, no matter what the problem, God is with you.


    Suicide Resources



    » American Psychiatric Association (APA)
       1000 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1825
       Arlington, VA 22209
       703-907-7300
       www.healthyminds.org

    » American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
       3615 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.,
       Washington, DC 20016-3007
       202-966-7300
       www.aacap.org

    » National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
       2001 N. Beauregard Street,
       12th Floor
       Alexandria, VA 22311
       800-969-NMHA (6642)
       www.nmha.org

    » National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
       Colonial Place Three
       2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
       Arlington, VA 22201-3042
       703-524-7600
       Information Helpline:
       800-950-NAMI (6264)
       www.nami.org

    » American Association of Suicidology (AAS)
       4201 Connecticut Avenue, NW,
       Suite 310
       Washington, DC 20008
       Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
       202-237-2280
       www.suicidology.org

    » American Association of Suicidology (AAS)
       4201 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 408
       Washington, DC 20008
       Phone 202-237-2280
       email: ssilive16@ixnetcom.com
       www.suicidology.org

    » American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
       120 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
       New York, New York 10005
       Toll-Free 888-333-2377
       Phone 212-363-3500
       Fax 212-363-6237
       email: rfabrika@asfp.org
       www.afsp.org

    » National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
       2107 Wilson Boulevard
       Arlington, VA, 22201
       Toll-Free 800-950-6264
       Phone 703-524-7600
       Fax 703-524-9094
       www.nami.org

    » National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
       Division of Violence Prevention
       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
       Mailstop K60, 4770 Buford Highway
       Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724
       Phone 770-488-4362
       email: DVPINFO@cdc.gov
       www.cdc.gov

    » National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association
       730 North Franklin Street, Suite 501
       Chicago, IL 60610-3526
       Toll-Free 800-826-3632
       Fax 312-642-7243
       www.ndmda.org

    » National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
       6001 Executive Boulevard
       Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
       Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
       Phone 301-443-4513
       Fax 301-443-4279
       email: nimhinfo@nih.gov
       www.nimh.nih.gov

    » National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
       1021 Prince Street
       Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
       Toll-Free 800-969-NMHA
       Phone 703-684-7722
       Fax 703-684-5968
       www.nmha.org

    » National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide
       P.O. Box 125
       San Marcos, TX 78667
       Phone 830-625-3576
       email: db31@swt.edu

    » The Organization for Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Interfaith
       Services (OASSIS)
       4541 Burlington Place, NW
       Washington, DC 20016
       Phone 202-363-4224
       Fax 202-363-1468
       email: cthv45a@prodigy.com

    » SA\VE - Suicide Awareness\Voices of Education
       7317 Cahill Road, Suite 207
       Edina, MN 55439
       Phone 612-946-7998
       Fax 612-829-0841
       email: save@winternet.com
       www.save.org

    » Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network USA (SPAN USA)
       5034 Odins Way
       Marietta, Georgia 30068
       Toll-Free 888-649-1366
       Fax 770-642-1419
       email: act@spanusa.org
       www.spanusa.org

    » Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
       P.O. Box 644
       Westminster, CO 80036
       Phone 303-429-3530
       Fax 303-426-4496
       yellowribbon@aol.com
       email: yellowribbon@aol.com



    Do you need prayer? Email us at My Savior God. Have you attempted suicide? What made you decide not to do it and did you get any help from family or friends? Please share your story with us at:

    God Touches Hearts Blog