People threaten and attempt to take their lives for many reasons. Sadly, all too often, people die by suicide. When people make verbal threats, comments about wanting to die by suicide, and actual suicide attempts they should be responded to as calls for help and always be taken seriously. Many people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental health illness, most commonly a mood disorder like depression. However, some people have never been diagnosed, either because they have not received a mental health assessment from a professional or an unwillingness to seek help because of stigma associated with both mental health issues and with asking for help. Suicide is complex. Several factors—individual and environmental--contribute to both a person’s risk for suicide as well to factors that help protect the individual and lower their suicide risk.
The reasons for suicide attempts may change over a person’s lifetime. Research cannot capture all the causes for suicide, but risk factors include:
Other risk factors include experiencing a recent painful event (such as job loss, loss of loved one or favorite pet, relationship break-ups, incarceration), chronic physical illness, and a family history of suicide attempts or completions.
In general, suicide prevention strategies that have been shown to be effective focus on targeting high risk individuals with brief behavioral and supportive interventions.
Prevention Strategies include:
Strategies to consider, if part of a comprehensive plan, that could reduce the stigma of suicide and mental illness: Public education programs on emotional health, coping strategies, signs of depression, and warning signs of suicide for youth, parents, educators, and health care providers.
What is the Department of Health doing around suicide prevention?
The Suicide Prevention Program is in the Office of Injury Prevention in the Epidemiology and Response Division. The goal of the program is to reduce New Mexico’s suicide rate. It is collaborating with and is advised by the New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition, which comprises culturally and
geographically diverse individuals from across the state who represent all aspects of need, populations at higher risk, and statewide resources. These range from advocacy by suicide survivors to crisis responders, providers of behavioral health care services, and policy makers. The Coalition invites vital member input and has identified four major goals with objectives for action to address suicide. It is developing a coordinated and comprehensive approach to this significant public health issue that will benefit all New Mexico residents. Membership in the Coalition is open, and the Office of Injury Prevention welcomes any resident interested in joining this group.
To address suicide in a particularly vulnerable group, the Office of Injury Prevention is working to establish programs to reduce suicide re-attempt by individuals after they have been seen in an emergency department and discharged. This effort engages emergency department staff, social workers, behavioral health care providers, and administrators, some of whom serve on the Suicide Prevention Coalition.
The reasons for suicide attempts may change over a person’s lifetime. Research cannot capture all the causes for suicide, but risk factors include:
- A prolonged sense of hopelessness, despair, and depression.
- Lack of healthy emotional connection with friends, family, or other caring adults.
- Lack of connectedness to the community.
- Lack of access to mental health services.
- Adverse childhood experiences.
- Misuse or abuse of alcohol and other substances.
Other risk factors include experiencing a recent painful event (such as job loss, loss of loved one or favorite pet, relationship break-ups, incarceration), chronic physical illness, and a family history of suicide attempts or completions.
In general, suicide prevention strategies that have been shown to be effective focus on targeting high risk individuals with brief behavioral and supportive interventions.
Prevention Strategies include:
- Promotion of accessible and affordable mental health services for those seeking support.
- Reducing access to means of suicide (specifically weapons).
Strategies to consider, if part of a comprehensive plan, that could reduce the stigma of suicide and mental illness: Public education programs on emotional health, coping strategies, signs of depression, and warning signs of suicide for youth, parents, educators, and health care providers.
What is the Department of Health doing around suicide prevention?
The Suicide Prevention Program is in the Office of Injury Prevention in the Epidemiology and Response Division. The goal of the program is to reduce New Mexico’s suicide rate. It is collaborating with and is advised by the New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition, which comprises culturally and
geographically diverse individuals from across the state who represent all aspects of need, populations at higher risk, and statewide resources. These range from advocacy by suicide survivors to crisis responders, providers of behavioral health care services, and policy makers. The Coalition invites vital member input and has identified four major goals with objectives for action to address suicide. It is developing a coordinated and comprehensive approach to this significant public health issue that will benefit all New Mexico residents. Membership in the Coalition is open, and the Office of Injury Prevention welcomes any resident interested in joining this group.
To address suicide in a particularly vulnerable group, the Office of Injury Prevention is working to establish programs to reduce suicide re-attempt by individuals after they have been seen in an emergency department and discharged. This effort engages emergency department staff, social workers, behavioral health care providers, and administrators, some of whom serve on the Suicide Prevention Coalition.