Risk & Protective Risk & Protective Factors For SuicideFactors For Suicide

Preaching on Suicide ConferencePreaching on Suicide Conference

Cathedral College of PreachersCathedral College of Preachers

November 10, 2006November 10, 2006

Sherry Davis Molock, Ph.D., Sherry Davis Molock, Ph.D., M.Div.M.Div.

IntroductionIntroduction Every 17 minutes, someone dies Every 17 minutes, someone dies

by suicideby suicide In 2003, over 31,000 persons died In 2003, over 31,000 persons died

by suicide in USby suicide in US Suicide is the 11Suicide is the 11thth leading cause of leading cause of

death in the U.S.death in the U.S. Suicide is the 3Suicide is the 3rdrd leading cause of leading cause of

death among 15-24death among 15-24

Factors Associated with SuicideFactors Associated with Suicide

Age:Age: in whites, suicide rate highest amongst in whites, suicide rate highest amongst

elderlyelderly In blacks, suicide rate highest among In blacks, suicide rate highest among

25-34 year olds25-34 year olds Season Season

More suicides occur in spring & summerMore suicides occur in spring & summer GenderGender

Males have higher rates of completions; Males have higher rates of completions; females have higher rates of attemptsfemales have higher rates of attempts

Factors Associated with Factors Associated with SuicideSuicide

SES: suicide occurs across all SES SES: suicide occurs across all SES levelslevels

Marital Status: suicide occurs most Marital Status: suicide occurs most amongst divorced personsamongst divorced persons

Method:Method: Men are more likely to choose guns & Men are more likely to choose guns &

hanginghanging Women are more likely to ingest pillsWomen are more likely to ingest pills

Factors Associated with SuicideFactors Associated with Suicide

EthnicityEthnicity Native Americans have highest suicide Native Americans have highest suicide

rate, followed by White Americans, rate, followed by White Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans and Chinese Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans Americans

Cultural Issues in Suicide Cultural Issues in Suicide

We know very little about suicide in other We know very little about suicide in other cultural/ethnic groupscultural/ethnic groups

Often assumed that other groups did not Often assumed that other groups did not experience depression & suicide because experience depression & suicide because they were too intellectually or they were too intellectually or psychologically unsophisticatedpsychologically unsophisticated

Cultural Issues in SuicideCultural Issues in Suicide

Assumption that mental illness is Assumption that mental illness is expressed the same in all culturesexpressed the same in all cultures

Led to social scientists being unaware Led to social scientists being unaware of the marked increase in suicidal of the marked increase in suicidal behaviors among African Americans & behaviors among African Americans & Latinos from 1980 – 1995 Latinos from 1980 – 1995

Characteristics of Individuals Who Characteristics of Individuals Who Complete SuicideComplete Suicide

Mental health concerns: depressionMental health concerns: depression History of lossHistory of loss Problems with family relationshipsProblems with family relationships Problems with peer relationshipsProblems with peer relationships For college students: school pressures, For college students: school pressures,

male, slightly older, international male, slightly older, international students, better than average grades students, better than average grades

Elderly: financial concerns; health Elderly: financial concerns; health concernsconcerns

Protective Factors:Protective Factors: IndividualIndividual

Positive self-esteem Positive self-esteem Positive racial identity (depression)Positive racial identity (depression) Religious copingReligious coping

FamilyFamily Supportive/Cohesive familySupportive/Cohesive family

CommunityCommunity Collective efficacy Collective efficacy ChurchesChurches

Myths & Facts About SuicideMyths & Facts About Suicide

Suicide attempts are seldom repeatedSuicide attempts are seldom repeated Suicidal individuals want to dieSuicidal individuals want to die Nothing can be done about suicideNothing can be done about suicide Improvement in the suicidal person Improvement in the suicidal person

means the danger is overmeans the danger is over Suicide is inherited & runs in familiesSuicide is inherited & runs in families

Myths & Facts About SuicideMyths & Facts About Suicide

Adolescents never take their own livesAdolescents never take their own lives Adolescents & young adults are rarely Adolescents & young adults are rarely

depresseddepressed People who suicide have well-thought out People who suicide have well-thought out

plansplans Suicide happens with no warningSuicide happens with no warning Suicides occur more among the richSuicides occur more among the rich People who talk about suicide don’t kill People who talk about suicide don’t kill

themselvesthemselves Once you are suicidal, you will always be Once you are suicidal, you will always be

suicidalsuicidal

Warning SignsWarning Signs Direct statements: Direct statements:

““I can’t take it anymore”; I can’t take it anymore”; “ “I’m thinking of killing myself”I’m thinking of killing myself”

Preoccupation with deathPreoccupation with death Collecting pills, guns or other meansCollecting pills, guns or other means Neglect of personal appearanceNeglect of personal appearance DepressionDepression Unusual fatigue, problems Unusual fatigue, problems

concentratingconcentrating

Warning SignsWarning Signs

Withdrawing from friends/familyWithdrawing from friends/family Problems sleeping; sudden weight loss or Problems sleeping; sudden weight loss or

weight gainweight gain Change in academic performanceChange in academic performance Excessive use of alcohol or other drugsExcessive use of alcohol or other drugs Increased reckless behaviorIncreased reckless behavior Giving away significant possessionsGiving away significant possessions Sudden lift in depression after long bout Sudden lift in depression after long bout

with depressionwith depression

What You Can Do to HelpWhat You Can Do to Help

Listen: Don’t JudgeListen: Don’t Judge Take Every Complaint SeriouslyTake Every Complaint Seriously Trust Your Own JudgmentTrust Your Own Judgment Ask QuestionsAsk Questions Don’t Act Shocked/UpsetDon’t Act Shocked/Upset Don’t Be MisledDon’t Be Misled Be Affirming & SupportiveBe Affirming & Supportive

What You Can Do to HelpWhat You Can Do to Help

Evaluate Available ResourcesEvaluate Available Resources Be Specific & Do Something TangibleBe Specific & Do Something Tangible Get Appropriate Help & Consultation: Get Appropriate Help & Consultation:

Don’t Handle the Crisis Alone!Don’t Handle the Crisis Alone! In Acute Crises, Don’t Leave the In Acute Crises, Don’t Leave the

Person Alone; In Life or Death Person Alone; In Life or Death Situation, Call 911Situation, Call 911

Potential BarriersPotential Barriers Historical distrust between faith and Historical distrust between faith and

mental health communitiesmental health communities Some mental health professionals Some mental health professionals

not trained to consider spirituality as not trained to consider spirituality as part of treatmentpart of treatment

Both communities use different Both communities use different metaphors to express the same metaphors to express the same realityreality Mental health – value “objective reality”Mental health – value “objective reality” Faith – value “experiential reality”Faith – value “experiential reality”

Potential BarriersPotential Barriers

Denial of the problem in churchesDenial of the problem in churches Stigma associated with suicide & with Stigma associated with suicide & with

seeking help from mental health seeking help from mental health professionalprofessional ““Spiritually strong” don’t need mental Spiritually strong” don’t need mental

health interventionshealth interventions Suicide is an unpardonable sinSuicide is an unpardonable sin

What You Can Do to HelpWhat You Can Do to Help

Give church members “permission” to Give church members “permission” to seek help thruseek help thru SermonsSermons Bible studyBible study Sunday schoolSunday school

What You Can Do to HelpWhat You Can Do to Help Recognize faith community provides Recognize faith community provides

important protective factors:important protective factors: Sense of belongingSense of belonging Integrates entire family into an institution Integrates entire family into an institution

and into a communityand into a community Provides an outlet for emotional Provides an outlet for emotional

expressiveness expressiveness Provides important mechanism for positive Provides important mechanism for positive

self-esteem & group esteemself-esteem & group esteem

We Can Do This TogetherWe Can Do This Together

Repairer of the Breach,Repairer of the Breach,

Restorer of the paths to dwell in”Restorer of the paths to dwell in”

Isaiah 58:12Isaiah 58:12