County seeing sharp rise in suicides

County seeing sharp rise in suicides

Jan 5, 2002

by Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

The number of suicides in Montezuma County in 2001 jumped more than threefold over the previous year, according to local law-enforcement agencies.

Additionally, there were dozens of suicide attempts both years and likely scores of other attempts that went unreported to law enforcement, according to Montezuma County Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Kalvin Boggs.

Cortez Police Department records show there were no suicides within the city in 2000, but four last year.

Elsewhere in the county, suicides doubled in 2001 over the previous year. Six people took their lives in 2001, Boggs said.

Officials and therapists can’t pinpoint one specific reason for the jump but strongly advise that community awareness is essential to reversing the deadly trend.

"This year there’s been a surprising number of suicides for such a small area," said Lillian Ramey, a therapist at Southwest Mental Health in Cortez. "And one of the biggest factors is the stigma that surrounds suicide. People don’t talk about it and I don’t see a lot of acceptance in the community for people seeking out mental-heath counseling. I think that really keeps a lot of people from getting help when they need it."

In an attempt to increase awareness, Ramey has visited with several area teens through Youth 4 Change, an organization facilitated by Partners of Montezuma County and dedicated to providing positive activities for local youth.

Rebecca Weil, the facilitator for Youth 4 Change, said teens are of particular concern when it comes to suicide because of the chaotic nature of their social interactions and various support systems.

"One out of 10 teens will attempt suicide," she said. "It is the second-leading cause of death in the 10-34 age group. Teenagers tend to be more at risk due to several factors: impulsivity, drugs and alcohol use, idealizing death— death is a cool thing in the movies and in music. "

Ramey said there is often a chain reaction among teens.

"There are kids who know someone who committed suicide, which leads to them feeling suicidal sometimes," she said.

However, firsthand experience with suicide attempts can also serve as a deterrent, one youth said at a meeting Thursday at the Partners office.

"It’s very scary," said a 16-year-old high-school student who witnessed another teenage girl swallowing laundry detergent.

" We had to listen to her vomiting and screaming in her room," Autumn Eyetoo said. "It was horrible."

She said she has known more than one person who attempted suicide and believes Cortez teens are uninformed about suicide and avenues for help.

"It’s terrible that it goes unnoticed," Eyetoo said. "I don’t know how someone could see another person hurting and not do something about it."

Weil and Ramey both emphasized the importance of taking every suicidal comment seriously and to watch for other signs such as noticeable changes in behavior, excessive sleeping or loss of appetite, alcohol or drug abuse, and especially verbal indications.

"Watch for people who are saying their goodbyes or giving things away," Ramey said. "And always take comments about death and suicide seriously."

Ramey recommended that concerned parents or friends seek professional help if they believe suicide is an imminent possibility for a loved one and never leave the person alone. She added that although suicide attempts are sometimes a ploy for attention, they can also indicate what might happen if there isn’t some sort of intervention.

"Attempts are sometimes reaching out for help and not just reaching out for attention," Ramey said. "If that issue’s not dealt with then, they will try it again and the next time they might be successful in killing themselves."

Ramey said that it is often difficult for young people to tell an adult if they are concerned about a friend committing suicide, but it is imperative to be proactive and seek out intervention.

"If you tell somebody and your friend hates you for the rest of your life, then, oh well, they’re still alive," Weil said. "It’s better to lose a friendship than to lose a friend."

Cortez has a round-the-clock suicide hotline, 565-7946, and nationally, help can be found at 1-800-suicide.

Additionally, there will be an American suicide-intervention skills training session Feb. 7 and 8 for intervention providers and others interested in prevention work. The training costs $125 and will be held in the Calvin Denton Room at Empire Electric from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days.