SOCIAL SERVICES
SUICIDE
Approximately 250,000 young people between the ages
of 15-24 make a suicide attempt each year. Five thou
sand of those attempts result in death.
In studies of human traits that often lead to suicide,
three words crop up again and again: worthlessness,
helplessness, and hopelessness. There is no single
reason why a person commits suicide. The causes are
complex and differ from individual to individual.
Generally, persons attempt suicide when made to feel
alone or worthless and unloved. They have become
isolated and are unable to cope with life and stress.
When things go bad, most people still have the belief
and the hope that the will get better. Lack of that belief
and to have no hope takes away the reason for living.
The suicide attempt is often a way of calling for help, a
way of letting others know how bad things are. Fortu
nately, the individual almost always communicates these
feelings in many ways before acting. People contemplat
ing suicide usually give clues of their intent. Recognition
of these warnings is the key to prevention.
Four out of five people who commit suicide have tried it
or threatened it previously. Don't dismiss the incident
as "getting attention". People who unsuccessfully
attempt suicide often try again unless their "cry for
help" is heard.
Most suicides are preventable, not by hiding razor
blades and pills, but by offering a person support,
understanding and compassion. Your efforts in helping
the suicidal person and in making sure that professional
help is obtained may save a life. The common belief
that suicide prevention is only temporary and that the
person will eventually take his or her life away is just a
myth. People have a will to live, a will that can once
again become dominant. With proper guidance or
treatment, the hopelessness can disappear and the
potential suicide victim can be restored to full, active
and happy living.
Some motivations for suicidal behavior among teenagers
are:
WANTING TO:
-escape from an intolerable situation
-join a deceased loved one
-improve one's condition
-gab attention
-manipulate others
-be punished
-avoid being punished
-control when death will occur
-end an unresolvable conflict
-destroy the "internalized other"
-become a martyr
-punish the survivors
-Wanting revenge
-Responding to a voice during a "command
hallucination".
Suicide among American Indian adolescents has
increased 200 - 300 percent in the last 20 years. Suicide
has become the second most frequent cause of death in
the 10 to 20 year old age group.
There are a number environmental factors which have
been identified as contributing to suicide among adoles
cents. Some of these factors are specific to Native
American youth:
The breakdown of Tribal traditions. Most studies
of American Indian adolescent suicide show that
where tradition is strong, the Tribe's customs,
religious ceremonies, and healing methods give the
adolescent a feeling of security and a sense of
belonging. Additionally, the various ceremonial rites
tie adolescents to adults and charge the adolescent
with specific duties and obligations.
Other factors that contribute to the increase of suicides
among Native American teens include:
-The lack of effective adult role models.
-Having alcoholic parents
-Coming from a broken home
-Failure in school
-Unemployment
Another important environmental factor which may
contribute to the suicide rate among Native American
youth is adoption in which the Indian child has been
placed in a non-Indian family. These children often feel
rootless.
In adolescence, when they leave the non-Indian family,
they find they are neither white or Indian. This rootless
feeling leads to acute hopeless, helpless feelings. The
result is a suicide rate among white adopted Native
American adolescents that is twice that found on any
reservation.
The holidays tend to bring out these feelings of loneli
ness and desperation. If someone you know seems to be
having feelings described here, the best thing you can do
for them is to help them make contact with mental
health professionals.
We should not ignore airy signs of suicidal behavior. By
showing love, support and compassion we could just be
saving a life.
Anyone in need of a food basket at Christmas time, or
knows of someone who needs one, feel free to contact
Social Services at the Tribal Office at: 879-5211, and
we will do our best to make arrangements with the
appropriate agency.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
WORKSHOP
Holidays can be a time of great stress and anxiety. The
suicide rate experiences an increase during these times.
The Tribal Health Department, along with Social
Services, have devised a way to help you get through the
holidays in a frame of mind that will let you enjoy them.
On December 17th, at 1:30 in the afternoon come to the
health clinic and learn how to reduce stress and listen to
a special speaker, Rick Synowski, on" SUICIDE PRE
VENTION. Synowski is a child therapist with Polk
County Mental Health, and specializes in suicide
prevention.
The author of the following had a good friend named
Annie. He wrote song to tell Annie's story, hoping that
others would hear this song and save them the pain of
having a young person close to them commit suicide.
IT'S TOO LATE FOR ANNIE
No one ever noticed Annie weeping
People all around, but she was all alone.
Momma's got her meetings, Daddy's got his job.
No one's got the time, so Annie's on her own.
No one ever knew her desperation.
People couldn't hear her ay out silently.
Locked inside the bathroom she grabs a jar of 'pills.
The medicine that cures, becomes the poison that
kills.
Now it's too late for Annie.
She's gone away for good, it's too late for Annie.
Sadness fills the heart of Annie's family.
Daddy tries to comfort Momma, uselessly.
Hope she knew they loved her,
but they really didn't know,
They just want to know why did their baby go.
But it's too late for Annie, she's gone away for
good
There's so much we would tell her,
now we wish we could,
But it's too late for Annie.
If only we could know her situation.
We could have tried to stop this useless tragedy.
Annie's lost forever, never to be found.
There are lots of others like her all around.
And it's not too late for Annie, she could be next to
you.
Dont miss the chance to tell her, before her life is
through.
We've got to tell her that we love her,
Tell her that we care.
Tell her we can help her,
And her burdens share.
It's not too late.
CHRISTMAS BASKETS