A Message About Suicide Prevention From Cherokee County Coroner Dr, Jeremy Deaton

Unfortunately, the number of suicides in Cherokee County is up 75% over this time in 2016 and 125% over the year 2015.  Nationally, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among adults and the 3rd leading cause of deaths among youth ages 15-24. A person dies by suicide every 12 minutes in the United States. In Cherokee County, 95% of individuals committing suicide have prescription narcotics not prescribed to them, illegal drugs, or alcohol in their system.  It is estimated that for every 1 person who commits suicide, over 6 individuals are seriously affected by the loss of that one life. For this reason, the Cherokee County Coroner’s office would like to raise awareness of this serious mental disorder. There are several risk factors that lead a person to commit the act of taking their own life, and some of those include but are not limited to: 

  • Current talk of suicide or making a plan
  • Strong wish to die or preoccupied with death
  • Giving away prized possessions
  • Depression
  • Feeling hopeless, helpless, or worthless
  • Alcohol or drug abuse
  • Recent attempt by friend or family member
  • Mental Illness
  • Social Isolation Protective Factors:

If a person you know is struggling with any of these above mentioned risk factors, it is important that you or your family reach out to them. A myth that asking someone about suicide actually causes that person to commit the act, when in actuality, asking about suicide lowers anxiety, opens up communication, and reduces risk of impulsive acts. There are many ways you can help a person who has reached the “end of their life” and those ways are simple:

  • Listen to their problems
  • Stay with them until they get help or are in a safe place
  • Lock up firearms and prescription drugs
  • Do not tell them everything is going to be okay
  • Do not promise to keep it a secret
  • Let them know help is available

 

For more information or if a person you know and love is experiencing any of the above symptoms, please seek help with one of the resources listed below.

Alabama Department of Public Health www.alabamapublichealth.gov/suicide

Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition www.asparc.org

American Association of Suicidology www.suicideology.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org

TOLL FREE HOTLINE NUMBER 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

 

 

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