nazgul@apollo.uucp (Kee Hinckley) (11/07/85)
...don't try suicide, nobody likes it... -Queen
The following are excerpts from about 20 pages of information on suicide
and its causes. I want to thank my father (Edward C. Hinckley, Maine
Department of Mental Health and Retardation) for digging this info up
for me. For the most part I have copied the material verbatim, however
if you want something closer to the original you can send a SASE to:
Kee Hinckley
CHE 02 RD
Apollo Computer
330 Billerica Rd.
Chelmsford, MA 01824
(617) 256-6600
...decvax!wanginst!apollo!nazgul
Make sure you include postage enough for about 20 pages of photocopy paper.
I apologize for any typos, particularly on the addresses, although I must
say the original didn't do to well either, at least one organization was
given two different zip codes for the same address.
Just as an aside. My belief concerning the concern over FRP and suicide
is that it is one more example of a growing movement by families to place
the blame for bad upbringing on external factors. It is a "My child is a
delinquent/suicide/dullard - it can't be my fault" syndrome. You see this
in the move to put religion back in schools, you see it in the move to
"rate" records, and in the drive to blame suicides on FRP games. In most
cases the thing these people are trying to get rid of is at most a symptom
of the problem, not a cause. People play FRP games to escape reality, that's
a perfectly healthy thing to do if you are a healthy person and do it in
moderation. But suicides are trying to escape reality too, and they will
probably find out that FRP isn't going to save them, and may in fact exacerbate
their problems. I'm sorry, but a parent who doesn't know what his/her child
is doing after school, who doesn't know what music the child is playing...
is a parent who isn't paying any attention to his/her kids. Attempting to
make someone else watch over your own kids is simply saying that you to;
don't want to face reality -- is it any wonder that your children don't?
Enough of the opinion, here is some data:
*********************************************************************
..................................
Maine Sunday Telegram 11-3-85 By Jamie Talan - Newsday
..................................
"Family approach seems to reduce teen suicide"
Los Angeles -- A group of Houston psychologist say that they have
developed a therapy intervention system that has the potential for
reducing the number of adolescent suicides.
Researchers at the Houston Child Medical Center say that in a
two-year study of 200 teen-agers treated with their family crises
intervention therapy, less than 5 percent have re-attempted suicde,
compared with average two-year figures varying from 10 percent
to 15 percent. No one in the program has died.
Steven E. Gutstein, director of the medical center's family
crisis program, and Linda L. Rayha, research director, said that their
approach, an alternative to hospitalization, reflects teir belief that
the family role in response to teen-age suicide attempts is crucial.
Immediately following such an attempt, they bring together as many
as 30 family members, friends and such community members as the family
doctor or clergyman for intensive therapy with the teen-ager.
During the two to three sessions, which last four hours each, a
team of health professionals elicits the family's history and seeks to
uncover and resolve underlying family problems. Toward the end they
create a ritual -- such as joining together in a circle to sing -- that
symbolizes the new, more positive feelings that have come from the
sessions.
Banding together during the crisis, the psychologists believe, sets
up a supportive environment for the family to deal with the problems that
led to the suicide attempt and lets the family "break down the emotional
walls" so they can function as a healthy unit.
Results of the program's first two years have been encouraging,
according to Rayha. More than 70 percent of the 200 families seen by
the crisis team reported significant reductions in the severity of the
underlying problems.
Each year approximately 400,000 teen-agers try unsucessfully to end
their lives; 6000 succeed. Traditionally, those who attempt suicide are
immeidately admitted to hospitals for evaluation. Depending on the
problem, they can remain in the hospital for weeks to months.
According to Dr. Madelyn Gould, assistant professor in child
psychiatry and epidemiology at Columbia University College of Physicians
and Surgeons in New York, the rates for teen-agers re-attempting suicide,
on average, vary from 10 to 15 percent during the first two years, when
most re-attempts occur.
..............................................
The following is excerpted from:
"Suicide in Adolescents"
Neil Senior, M.D. Kevin Leehey, M.D.
Director of Clinical Services Medical Director
Adolescent Division Director Adolescent Inpatient Unit
Brattleboro Retreat Brattleboro Retreat
75 Linden Street 75 Linden Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301 Brattleboro, VT 05301
I have typed in just about everything except the entire chart on causes
of death and the bibliography.
................................................
Suicide as a leading cause of death by age group, United States, 1980
Age Rank Number Next most com. Number Most common Number Total
--- ---- ------ -------------- ------ ----------- ------ -----
1-14 10 00,142 meningococcal 0,144 accidents 008,537 018,876
infection
15-24 03 05,239 homicide 6,647 accidents 026,206 049,027
25-34 03 05,920 homicide 7,267 accidents 017,161 050,240
35-44 04 03,935 accidents 9,561 malignant 012,470 058,418
neoplasms
45-54 06 03,623 cerebrovascular 5,750 heart 041,078 133,157
diseases diseases
55-64 09 03,456 pneumonia and 4,044 heart 107,244 292,181
influenza diseases
65+ 14 04,537 stomach ulcers 4,612 heart 595,406 1,341,848
diseases
----- -- ------ --------------- ------ -------- ------- ---------
Total 10 26,852 atheroscelerosis 29,441 heart 760,132 1,943,747
diseases
HIGH RISK GROUP
white
male
upper teens
alcohol/drugs
losses
past history involving suicidal ideation talk or behavior
legal problems
impulsive
RELATED ISSUES
family history
school/job problems
depression (psychobiologic signs)
family disruption
romance break-up
perceived failur
suicide clusters
pregnancy
exposure to violence
psychiatric/medical illness
INFORMATION FOR SURVIVORS
Organizations:
1. American Association of Suicidology (provides a referral network)
2459 So. Ash
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 692-0985
2. Suicide Prevention Center, Inc. (provides a directory of
184 Salem Ave. survivors groups)
Dayton, Ohio 45406 (or 54506?)
Books:
1. Survivors of Suicide
Cain, Albert C., Ed.
Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1972
2. Surviving: A Novelization
Faucher, Elizabeth
Scholastic, New York 1985
3. After Suicide
Hewett, J.H.
Westminster, Philadelphia 1980
4. Left Alive: After a Suicide Death in the Family
Rosenfeld, L., and Prupas, M.
Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1984.
5. My Son, My Son...A Guide to Healing After Suicide in the Family
Bolton, I., and Mitchell, C.
Bolton Press, Atlanta, Georgia 30338
Films:
Survivorship After Suicide
Ray of Hope
P.O. Box 2323
Iowa City, Iowa 52244
SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES
National Organizations:
American Academy of Child Psychiatry
3615 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Washington D.C. 20016
American Association of Suicidology
2459 So. Ash
Denver, Colorado 80222
American Psychiatric Association
1400 K Street
Washigton D.C. 20015
National Committe for Youth Suicide Prevention
666 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10103
Suicide Research Unit
NIMH
Room 10C26
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20857
School Based Programs:
American Association of Suicidology
2459 So. Ash
Denver, Colorado 80222
Fairfax County Public Schools
Belle Willard administration Center
10310 Layton Hall Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Suicide Prevention Center, Inc.
184 Salem Ave.
Dayton, Ohio 45406 (or 54506?)
Good Samaritans
500 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
RESOURCES FOR GENERAL SUICIDE INFORMATION
American Assocication of Suicidology
2459 So. Ash
Denver, Colorado 80202
Executive Director: Julie Perlman, M.S.W.
(303) 692-0985
Suicide Information and Education Centre
Information Officer
Suite 103, 723 14 St., N.S.
Calgary, Alberta T2N 2A4
(403) 877-5604
Teen Suicide Commision
(Not yet established. U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos [D-CA.] introduced
legislation.)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
Center for Disease Control
Suicide Surveillance
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
(404) 329-3521
Youth Suicide National Center (U.S.)
Dr. Seymour Perlin
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
1335 H N.W.
Washington D.C. 20005
........................................................................
The following are some more excerpts from a variety of sources.
........................................................................
"Suicide and Depression in Children and Adolescents"
Presentation by David Shaffer, M.D.
Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
722 West 168th Street
New York New York, 10032
(212) 960-2548
I. HOW COMMON IS IT?
Approximately 2000 youngsters under age 19 killed themselves in 1982.
Suicide accounted for about 14% of all deaths among children aged 10-19.
II. WHO DOES IT AFFECT?
A) General
1) Very few children under age 12 commit suicide, but suicide is
increasingly common thereafter.
2) Boy:girl ratio is 5:1
3) Whites commit suicide approxmiately twice as often as blacks.
4) More common in rural areas.
5) Higher in western states and Alaska than south, north central or
north east.
NOTE: Research to answer the following questions is only starting to be
undertaken. In many instances, the information is taken from the Columbia
University Study which is still incomplete, and subject to revision.
Comparative data on controls is not yet available.
B) The Children's Families
1) Only about 40% were living with 2 biological parents at the time
of their death
2) 30% have parents who divorced
3) About 30% had a close family member who attempted or completed
suicide.
C) Other Mental Health Problems
1) One third had previously made a suicide attempt
2) Drugs alcohol and antisocial behavior
i) About half were known to use and abuse drugs and alcohol
ii) About half had previously been in "trouble" with the law
or at school.
iii)Two thrids had either been in trouble or had used drugs or
alcohol to excess
3) Depression and Other Psychiatric Problems
i) About 30% showed signs of depression during the 3 months
before death
ii) A significant number of the girls appear to have had an
eating disorder, either anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
4) Biological Factors
i) Abnormal hormone levels are found in the nervous system of
suicide victims. This may reflect their aggressive tendencies.
ii) Suicide runs in families but we do not yet know if this is
because of example or genetics.
III.THE SUICIDAL ACT
A) Methods Used
1) Boys
i) 65% Firearms
ii) 20% Hanging
iii)10% Overdose
iv) 5% Other
2) Girls
i) 58% Firearms
ii) 20% Overdose
iii) 5% Hanging
B) Precipitants
1) Getting into trouble, being afraid
2) Humiliation
3) Recent example
4) Birthdays and anniversaries
IV. IS SUICIDE OCCURING MORE FREQUENTLY?
A) Suicide is 3 times more common in white males over age 15 than it
was 15 years ago
B) The increase in black males is smaller.
C) There has been only a very small increase in girls' suicide rates
(by about one third or a 9 times smaller increase than among boys).
V. CAN THE MEDIA INFLUENCE SUICIDE RATES
It can probably influence them for both better and worse.
Evidence suggesting that it can increase youth suicide rates includes
A) The occurence of suicide clusters
B) Documented examples of "copy-cat" deaths
C) Increased on suicide rates following newspaper stories on suicide
VI. PREVENTING YOUTH SUICIDE
A) Can we prevent it?
We don't know yet.
B) WHERE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START?
1) Better management of suicide attempters, but:
i) We do not know which is the best treatment to use
ii) We do not know how best to engage the adolescent. Although
most will be seen in hosipital after an attempt, fewer than
25% of the adolescents will return for treatment
2) More attention to suicidal preoccupations in hig risk groups:
i) The children of parents who have made a suicide attempt
ii) Young runaways
iii)Young pregnant girls
iv) Teenagers in trouble with law or at school
3) Incorporatin education about psychiatric symptoms and psychological
treatments in health education programs for teen-agers
4) Providing information about available mental health treatment
programs.
VII.TEN IMPORTANT RESEARCH QUESTIONS
...
VIII. HOW COMMON IS TEENAGE DEPRESSION?
Best estimates are that about 1% of boys and 3-4% of teenage girls will
become depressed in any one year. If all teenagers who commit suicide
are depressed, then: about 1:60 teenage boys and 1:1,000 teenage girls
who become depressed will go on to commit suicide.
IX. WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF TEENAGE DEPRESSSION?
...
X. WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF TEENAGE DEPRESSION?
A) Changes in mood and relationships
...
B) Changes in thinking
...
C) Changes in bodily function
...
XI. SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES FOR THE CLINICIAN
...
XII. TREATMENT
Although widely used there is still no good evidence that the anti-
depressants are more effective than simple supportive contact in most
cases of teenage depression. Both treatments seem to bring about an
improvement in about two thirds of cases.
...........................
At this point there are a couple short articles. The most interesting
shows a link between birth trauma and later suicide attempts (ie. if
you had a bad birth (you, not your mother) then you may be more likely
to commit suicide). Then there is a commentary linking economic
recession to adult suicides.
Kee Hinckley
...decvax!wanginst!apollo!nazgul
--
The Hydrogen Dog and the Cobalt Cat,
side by side in the armory sat.
Nobody thought of fusion or fission,
everyone spoke of their peacetime mission.
Till somebody came and opened the door
and they they were in in a neutron fog;
the Codrogen Cat and the Hybalt Dog.
They mushroomed up with a terrible roar,
and nobody, never, was there no more.
"The Space Childs Mother Goose"