Across all cultures, death remains a constant, although it may be celebrated or mourned differently between groups the idea of the end of bodily life remains the same. Many cultures believe that death is natural, but a preventable death is often viewed as tragic because it is premature. There are various causes of preventable death, one that is overly prevalent in today’s society is suicide.
Suicide Statistics
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There are approximately 7 billion people in the world today and every year approximately 800,000 of them die by suicide, which is one death every 40 seconds (WHO). To explain this further, there were about 300 million people living in the United State in 2014 and in this year 45,000 individuals died by suicide, one suicide every 12.3 minutes (CDC). In the United States suicide is the 10th leading cause of death across all age groups and is the 2nd leading cause of death for individuals between 15-24 (CDC).
Native American Suicide
Although these rates for the general population are extremely high, research has identified Native Americas to be at higher risk than the general population. When compared to the general population, Native youth experience greater risk factors, have extreme cultural differences, and an increasing lack of professional and social support for psychological and medical care; the combination of these factors have caused the development of Native American suicide to reach epidemic levels over the past 25 years.
Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart is a Native American activist and social worker who once defined historical trauma. She defined the term as the “cumulative emotional and psychological wounding over the lifespan and across generations, emanating from massive group trauma.”
In the case of the Native American community, centuries of genocide by European colonizers combined with the seizure of tribal lands and modern-day mistreatment of Native Americans have led to a number of psychological consequences. As a result, those within the community can experience a number of symptoms not limited to suicidal ideation, survivor guilt, depression, and low self-esteem.
Narrative
Linda Hummingbird (2011) identified two tribes drastically impacted by youth suicide in the New Mexico area. The 4,500 members of the Mescalero Apache Nation lost six young people to suicide within a five-month period in 2009. The 2,100 members of the Navajo Nation lost six youth to suicide over a two-month period beginning in April of 2010.
Hummingbird (2011) further illustrated the story of a young man, 15-year-old Coloradas Mangas from the Mescalero Apache Nation. Coloradas knew all six individuals. They were his and his sisters’ friends for many years. Suicide is seen as a sensitive matter across various cultures because there is a belief that discussing suicide will ‘put the idea’ in someone’s head.
The belief that discussing suicide can lead to suicidal ideation or behavior has been documented as a myth. When the topic is not addressed, society believes it is taboo and, therefore, does not learn important facts. There is a need for education on the warning signs of suicidal ideation, as well as the negative effects of a suicide related death on the surrounding community.
Coloradas was so deeply impacted by the loss of these young individuals that he made an effort to express his concern and sadness to the communities around his tribe. One topic he addressed was the obvious warning signs and how no one was willing to help. Shortly after the death of the sixth individual one of Coloradas’ friends sent a message to him stating her final goodbye. He immediately attempted to contact the police to notify them of her risk. The police, however, did not respond.
Since the police did not help, Coloradas searched for his friend alone for three hours in the local woods. Luckily he was able to find and save his friend’s life (Hummingbird, 2011). It is extremely frightening to recognize that Coloradas was the only one attempting to help her. Neither the police nor anyone else in the community searched.
The statistics listed above illustrate the rise in completed suicides, but they do not include other self-injurious behaviors. There appear to be approximately 13 nonfatal events due to injurious behavior for every fatality documented. Many fatal and nonfatal events have been documented as accidents, rather than suicide or suicidal attempts (Hummingbird, 2011).
Addressing the Issue
In an effort to address the increase in deaths by suicide, StrongHearts Native Helpline is one of several services that provide a safe space for Native American teens. Those looking for support can reach out daily from 8 a.m. EST to 11 p.m. EST.
Multiple federal agencies and advocacy organizations, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and the Center for Native American Youth, are similarly tackling some of the factors that can lead to suicidal ideation by engaging in outreach. Those involved say that education is key. In many communities such as the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Shawnee, Okla., suicide remains a taboo subject.
There are many communities in recent years that are being ostracized and criticized for their way of living or their individual differences. The separation of communities and cultures does not help the overall population. Isolating others contributes to higher death, substance use, domestic violence, child abuse, and many other negative rates.
Especially in the time of a pandemic, it is important to reach out to others to ensure their safety and your own. Everyone can become familiar with the warning signs of suicidal ideation and do not be afraid to ask for help.
This post only really touches upon the subject, skimming the surface of a much deeper pool of important information for the general public. Suicide and suicidal ideation will be a recurring topic on this blog because of, I believe, the high rates and lack of information available.
Resources:
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Racial and Gender Disparities in Suicide Among Young Adults Aged 18–24: United States, 2009–2013 (cdc.gov)
Teen Suicide Prevention – Center for Native American Youth (cnay.org)
Preventing Suicidal Behavior in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Health Equity Issue | Public Health Grand Rounds | CDC
Suicide rate for Native American women up 139%, men up 71% since 1999 (usatoday.com)
Teen Suicide Epidemic Video
NIMH » Warning Signs of Suicide (nih.gov)
Warning Signs of Suicide – SAVE