Suicide Prevention in Wyoming

Okay, today's topic is on a serious subject that could be sensitive to some listeners. If suicide is a touchy subject for you, then consider not listening to this podcast. Hey listeners, welcome back to Everything Helped. I am Lizzie Scow, a student at Brigham Young University studying public health for my undergrad. I have my brother, I have my sister-in-law, London, helping me out today. If you want to introduce yourself. Yeah, sure thing. Thanks for having me, Lizzie. I'm excited to chat with you all here today. Yeah, Lizzie and I grew up in the same town together. And thank you for joining me today, London. How are you doing? I'm doing really well. Yeah, today's been a good day. Good. London and my brother Jackson, they're getting ready for a trip to Italy. I really appreciate your help today and taking the time out. But it's great to have you. And today we're talking about something that is not discussed often in society, so it is nice to have help so that you guys don't feel like it's just me talking to you. But today's topic is about suicide prevention in Wyoming. So why Wyoming specifically? Wyoming has the highest suicide rate in the United States. On average, one person dies from suicide every 60 hours in Wyoming. And they've noticed that rural states have the highest suicide rates, likely attributed to how many people are affected when there is a suicide. Oh, wow. And so I didn't grow up in Wyoming, but I did grow up in a small town in London, Utah. My graduating class was around 300 people, and we went to the same school with everyone starting in 6th grade. And I can remember leaving London in 6th grade, actually. That's when I first met her. But we grew up together and we're all relatively close, knew everything about everybody's personal life. And I remember in high school that we had several suicides that affected everyone in the school. And when each of them occurred, I remember that we would dress up in our finest clothes in honor of them. Then over the announcements, they'd tell us that the school counselors had time to talk to anyone that needed to talk about what happened or if they needed help personally. And besides that, there wasn't a lot of discussion about suicide or the toll that it can take on people's mental health. Yeah, you know, I remember that, too, and it was always so shocking and so hard because it is such a touchy subject. And in a way, we didn't know how to address it super well. And it was just sad that it happened so often. Yeah. So in preparation for this, I had the opportunity to interview Nikki Kate. And she is also from the town that we grew up in, Tremonton. And she started a nonprofit in Northern Utah to help teach about suicide prevention and bring awareness of suicide. And she started it out in Tremonton, but she has traveled to, like, Logan and Brigham City and Tooele and has helped the nonprofits spread to those cities, too. So, yeah, I'll let you guys kind of hear from Nikki for a little bit. So the first question I want to ask is, like, what is your experience with suicide prevention and what made you interested in this topic? I didn't actually go to school for my parents. I went to school for my biological parents. I got them in 2003 and my mom in 2011. And so that's kind of what has been my driving force to bring awareness to it. And then, so what do you do for work for it? And, yeah, how did you get into this? I actually joined through the mortuary. They had some suicide support groups. And then we kind of found out that in our community, we did not have any awareness groups. And so through that support group, we started a nonprofit. And so now we raise money and then we go throughout Michigan and we get new homes and we show up in schools and, you know, do all that kind of stuff. Wow. That is... So one of the main issues that leads to suicide is that people do not feel adequately trained to help others struggling with mental health issues. What are some resources that people have had if they are suicidal? So people can go to local community health centers. There they can get assessed and placed with health professionals that can help them better than they can on their own. Another source is call centers. Wyoming was the last state to open its own call center, but it has seen success in the past couple of years of being open. Can you explain on the suicide hotline and how it works for our listeners, Linda? Yeah, sure thing. The call center is available to people who feel suicidal or others that are worried about a friend, family member, or even a co-worker and are seeking advice. People can dial 988 and they will be able to talk to someone who is trained in suicide prevention. They can also connect the caller with people in the community, such as officers or therapists that can also help. Yeah. Thank you. So also when I interviewed Nikki, she brought up an important fact that I didn't think about until she told me. So here we'll hear from her again. So you asked about the hotline. Did you know there was a text line also? Is it to the same number? No, it's 741-741. Oh, okay. So I feel like I don't target to push that a little bit. I'm like, yes, I want to call people. I want to text people. I want to snap people. Yeah, so I kind of wish that was a little more out of place than announced. Yeah, well, I feel like especially if you're in a house with other people or anything, like you don't want other people to hear your conversation. Right. Unless you can't make a conversation when you're in a room with someone, you know, like if they're suicidal, you may not know what to do. Or, you know, like even if you're feeling it yourself and you can't have that conversation around people that are on the street. Yeah. Oh, I forgot one thing. What are your thoughts on... I feel like suicide is an issue that people avoid and internalize rather than going to get help somehow. An issue specific to Wyoming, but could also reflect other places around the world, is the pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality. Lindsey, what can people do if they feel like someone they are close to is suicidal? Yeah, one method that is taught in schools is the question, persuade, and refer method, also known as QPR. People can hide their feelings and emotions well, so it is important to ask good questions and just be a good listener. However, there is a lot of pressure on people. While interviewing Nikki, I asked her about what training she prefers for suicide prevention, specifically starting with QPR training, and she kind of goes into a different training that I hadn't heard about. So you did mention the QPR training. So do you see this as being one of the most beneficial trainings for people in high schools and that? I think QPR is really good for professionals, but like numbers. Personally, I like day talks. I think that's more realistic for adolescents, less teenagers. QPR is a lot of numbers and a lot of stats that even myself kind of doesn't look like. Okay, so I like day talks better. Did you try to explain day talk? Day talks is basically suicide prevention training also. It teaches you a lot of what suicidal thoughts look like, but not all people come right out and say that they think about taking their life. It shows a lot of people's inside everyday scenarios, like we show a bus driver, who notices a lot of kids writing suicidal, a doctor, even kids at school. Like it shows how the dialogue goes and just different circumstances. When I looked up day talk afterwards, I learned that it is a four-hour interactive training. Since day talk is used to help at the community, school, and individual level, they're trying to make the training available to everyone. They do trainings online as well in person so people can choose what works best for them. On the day talk website, they mention that people are more likely to use suicide prevention skills more than CPR training, which I thought was pretty crazy that we have such a stress on doing CPR training and not so much on suicide prevention training. Yeah, Lindsay, there are many signs of suicide, not just what someone says. Some people that are at higher risk, some people are at higher risk if they have recently been in a divorce, have financial stress, gender concerns, and gun ownership. If people are in these situations and show signs of depression, having adequate training could help stabilize. And there are other signs. Are there any other signs or factors that could lead to higher chances of suicide? Yes, in fact, one of the main reasons why Wyoming has higher suicide rates is because rural communities have smaller social groups and they are more intertwined. So on average, 6 to 36 people are affected for every suicide. And when one does the math in a community that only has a couple thousand people, it is likely that everyone is a victim of suicide. And compared to the big cities, there are just so many more people there. But Nikki brought up a good point in her interview, so I'll let you hear from her again. What age group would you say is most affected by suicide? Statistically, I know it's middle age, but I think teens probably have the biggest impact on them just because their life revolves around their friends, and they have a child every day. I think when a school leaves another student, that's a huge, huge effect on them. That's another thing that I researched, especially in rural areas, is that it's very difficult when there is a suicide because the community is so much smaller and it affects them more. But yeah, in smaller communities, they're not only just a farmer or a teacher or a worker, they're usually on private programs, they're usually on city council, you know, they're in work. Yeah, they have a lot of effects on their life. Yeah, that is very true. Great, and I think there's like a survivor's field with everybody, too, because you would wonder when you're a good enough friend, when you're a good enough child, when you're a good enough parent, like, you know. Yeah. That, too. Like, you don't wonder about your relationship with someone who's a young bookkeeper or in a car accident or, you know. No. We don't have survivors to look at. That's bad, I guess. Yeah. It's not like you can hate that kind. Right. Yeah. I mean, you never wonder what part you played if somebody is a young bookkeeper, you know. Yeah. Yeah. That is a difficult situation. It is important that people do not feel responsible for a loved one who has committed suicide. Western culture includes an individualistic mindset, and studies have proven that places that value improving themselves and are more egocentric have higher suicide rates than collective countries. As mentioned earlier, community health centers are helpful for people to get help when they need it. Wyoming has 23 health centers throughout the state that have trained health professionals specifically to treat suicidal patients. But sadly, in 2017, federal funding was cut, and Wyoming had to close down five of their centers. And then during this time, suicide rates increased significantly. Community efforts are important to consider as well as schools. There are some disagreements whether suicide should be taught in a school or not. Wyoming passed a Jason Flatt Act requiring teachers to attend a two-hour suicide prevention training annually. And Representative Lennon Brown voted against the bill because he argues that teachers do not go to school to teach about suicide. You know, the debate is whether suicide prevention should be taught in school or not. So we got another perspective from Nikki about schools and the stigma around suicide. When I was looking at statistics, I found that suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24. London, why do you think teenagers struggle with suicide, or what are common factors that cause the high rates? Yeah, it seems like there are so many reasons why teenagers struggle. You know, in addition to what Nikki said, teenagers' lives revolve around their friends. They care what others think about them, and there's so much social pressure. They're also experiencing so much physical change, and their hormone levels are increasing, and these circumstances lead to high levels of depression and anxiety, which also contribute to the high suicide levels. The United States Youth Government website shares a statistic that one of 15 teenagers attempts suicide, and of those attempted suicides, one of 53 are critical enough that they need to go to the hospital to seek professional help. This statistic is deeply sound to me. We need to often assume that people are not doing well as well as we believe. So what are behavioral signs that we should be aware of if we're concerned about someone? I found on the National Health Institute page that it provides a list of behaviors that are common among people who are suicidal. When people mention that they want to die or kill themselves is the first and most obvious sign. Other signs to watch for are if someone mentions that they feel like a burden on people. You know, in addition to feeling like a burden, it is also possible for them to start to draw away from friends and family. If people stop coming to events or avoid going to regular activities, it could be because they are distancing themselves. It is hard when people are in the state because they are trying to avoid the people that are most willing to help them out. And they might try to resolve any issue that they have or write a will. It is common for people who are suicidal to start saying goodbye to those that they love. Helping people when they're struggling is important. Most people don't want to end their life, but these signs are their cry for help. Yeah. While interviewing Nikki, I asked her what her opinion was with guns because, like, I just was interested to see what her thoughts about that was with suicide. And so, yeah, kind of like a transition into that aspect of suicide. Yeah. I don't have any issues with guns. I do, in my normal house, still walk by all of my guns just because I know that most suicides are equal in my position. And if you can go to 15 minutes between that decision, then a lot of people can commit suicide. So I feel the same way with medications or anything. If you have those walked up and you can go 15 minutes no matter if it's a condom, whatever the means are, you know, I just think control is the key. Yeah. Yeah, I do agree, but the period is pretty short, so, like, getting that intervention within that 15 minutes is crucial. Yeah, and, you know, as you said, there's no going with a gun walk, and you can't operate the machine. Yeah. Growing up, my family was definitely not like any other families where we lived. We never did have guns in our home, but I think it's important to have safes and locks on guns. Having guns stored properly can keep them away from someone while they are suicidal and hopefully long enough that they no longer are wanting to take their life. You know, a majority of Wyomingites own guns, so around 72.8%, actually, which means that if people want to get their hands on one, it is more than likely they'll be able to do it. The statistics show that they do have access, and it's debatable whether it is too easy. 86% of suicides in Wyoming are caused by a gun. I think that Lindsay can agree with me, but in rural areas, most people do own a gun. I would say that most of our friends could easily get access to a gun if they wanted to. Yeah, that is very true. And also, most of them do hunt, and it is required to go to a hunter safety course so that they are taught about how to properly use a gun. And while I was researching this topic, I read that it is optional to include a portion in the hunter safety about suicide. And so this is another topic that could be discussed and that could possibly help decrease the suicide rate. And if people are arguing to stop teaching suicide prevention in schools, then maybe they should discuss making a requirement to have a section of this in the hunter safety course. Yeah, in places such as Wyoming or other rural areas that use guns for recreational use, they should have a law or policy in place that would help protect people. Guns are a fatal weapon that are not very forgiving at all. Men die from suicide three and a half more times than women do, and I think that it can be caused by their method choice. You know, two-thirds of men that die from suicide in Wyoming used a gun, while 38% of women died from a firearm. And even though more women attempt suicide, they also have a higher found suicide rate than men. And this is, like you said, most likely contributing to a method choice. Yeah, so now we're going to take a quick break. When we get back, we have more information about suicide prevention in Wyoming. [♪ music playing ♪ Welcome back. Tonight we are going to discuss who is at risk, several methods of suicide prevention, and by knowing who is at risk of suicide, we will discuss previous efforts Wyoming has put in to preventing suicide. So in 2006, Wyoming started focusing more on youth by publicizing suicide more in newspapers, TV, and online. They formed the Wyoming Suicide Prevention Adversary Council, which helped start all of this. And in addition to that, in 2012 is when they started implementing suicide prevention statewide. They had staff specifically hired for suicide prevention and available in each of the local counties. Then in 2013, they hired three full-time employees that specialized in suicide prevention to collect data, interpret the results, and communicate with every county to inform them of their findings. It sounds like Wyoming has put in a lot of effort to spread the word about suicide prevention. Are there any other reasons why the suicide rate is still the highest in the U.S. even after all of this? So we have discussed about how rural Wyoming is and the decrease in funding for community centers, their individualistic mindset, and a little bit about guns. Some other major topics are different minority communities, so there are veterans, the LGBTQ plus community, and religious communities. Has there been a lot of research done on these different communities? It's kind of sad, but suicide has been an avoided topic for so long, and they just very recently started to talk about it more. So there isn't much research done on these topics, specifically about the LGBTQ plus and religious communities. However, we can share what we do know about veterans to finish up for today. It appears that Wyoming's veteran suicide rate is over double the national rate. There is not an explanation for this, but we do know that Wyoming participates in the Governor's Challenge. The Governor's Challenge is a program that is used in 52 states and territories. It provides funding and research while bouncing ideas off of each other so that everyone can benefit from one another. Another goal of the Governor's Challenge is to provide resources to veterans and their families so that they don't get into such fatal situations. The organization helps find people to be leaders in the local communities because it is easier to make changes and have a larger impact at a community level, in this case especially. It seems like a great program that they keep on trying to improve. I do think that we are about out of time now. Do you have anything else you'd like to add? No. I've been researching this topic over the past couple months. It has been very eye-opening to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I had to learn more about how prevalent it is in our community, and that it is a community effort to help prevent suicide. There are many more resources than we know that can help us support those that need our help. My hope is that we can be more open about suicide so that it is no longer a taboo subject and one that people try to avoid. I want everyone to know that there are other options in taking your life. There is so much help that you can get. Whether you yourself struggle, or you know someone who is struggling, know that you are never alone. There is always help, and there is always hope. Thank you for listening, and thank you, London, for helping me out today. Of course, thanks so much for having me to help talk about this important topic. I hope that this was very beneficial. If you have any further questions about this topic, feel free to email me at lindsay1gmail.com. I can put a link in the bio for my email. Hope you guys have a good day and enjoy listening to this podcast. Thank you.