From Carlsbad Current-Argus

Local News
Most common advice: Talk to someone
By Jason P. Montoya/Current-Argus Staff Writer
Feb 27, 2005, 02:24 am



CARLSBAD ” The most common advice offered by counselors and therapists to people considering suicide or who know someone who might be contemplating suicide is to tell someone.  
Jason P. Montoya/Current-Argus photo illustration: Liz Harry, right, a licensed independent social worker and licensed master therapist with Carlsbad Mental Health, is willing to work with patients through trying times.


œThe biggest thing not to do is keep your mouth shut,? said Liz Harry, a licensed independent social worker and master level therapist with Carlsbad Mental Health Center. œEven if you don™t know who to tell, tell someone.

œMost kids will talk to kids. They need to talk to someone. People can call crisis hotlines, suicide hotlines. They can talk to their physicians. They can go to the emergency room.?

There are a number of resources available to people contemplating suicide, including counselors, therapists and clergy willing to discuss the issues causing someone to feel hopeless.

But sometimes a person who is considering suicide will not confide in others. Therefore, it is important for people to keep watch for warning signs and risk factors in family and friends, according to local therapists.

The National Institute of Mental Health,  http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ has identified some factors that place an individual at a higher risk for suicide; however, the agency states that there is no definitive way to predict suicide or suicidal behavior.

Among the risk factors are mental illness, substance abuse, previous suicide attempts, a family history of suicide, a history of being sexually abused, and impulsive or aggressive tendencies.

Although it is difficult to predict suicide, there are some warning signs that should be investigated, according to local therapists.

œThe symptoms are often very similar to depression,? said Johanna Seliskar, a licensed independent social worker and master level therapist with Carlsbad Mental Health Center. œThere is sometimes isolation and a lack of concentration.

œThere are some other things you look for. They will often give away their favorite things. They might be talking about suicide in a casual way to their friends. They might say things like, ˜I wonder if I would die from taking this.™ Or they might just come out to their friends and say I am thinking about doing this.?

Harry said both clinical depression and situational depression have the potential to lead to suicide.

œWhen you have someone who is saying they wish they could die, then you have to go beyond that and inquire what is going on,? she said. œYou have to find out if they have a plan. Have they been thinking how they would do it? Do they have access?

œIf someone is talking about it, then you need to get information. Some will talk and just be venting, but if you choose not to ask more questions, then you need to alert someone. If a teen, they need to talk to their parents. Talk to teachers. Talk to police. Call a crisis hotline.?

Seliskar said people don™t always ask for help or say they are thinking about killing themselves.

œWith those that don™t ask, you never know. But they usually hint around,? she said.

The American Association of Suicidology Web site, http://www.suicidology.org/ lists some warning signs that require immediate intervention. They include when someone makes overt threats to hurt or kill himself or herself; when someone looks for ways to kill himself or herself, such as gaining access to firearms; and when someone talks or writes about death, dying or suicide when such actions are not typical for the person.

Other warning signs can include a feeling of hopelessness; rage and uncontrolled anger; reckless and risky activity; feeling trapped; increased drug and alcohol use; withdrawing from friends, family and society; anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness or too much sleep; dramatic mood changes; no sense of purpose in life; or a sudden improvement in mood after a period of depression.

Harry said it™s rare when signs are not present prior to a suicide attempt.

œSometimes the signs are extremely easy to overlook,? she said. œA person wouldn™t see a sudden improvement in mood as a bad thing. But when someone is really depressed, they often don™t have the energy to kill themselves. When they start to come out of that, they are still depressed, but they have the energy to do something about it.?

The American Association of Suicidology™s Web site lists several things to do when someone is threatening suicide. Among them are be direct, be willing to listen, be non-judgmental, get involved, and get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

Among those who provide assistance are community health agencies, such as the Carlsbad Mental Health Center; private or school therapists or counselors; family physicians; and suicide prevention and crisis centers.

Seliskar said people who know someone they believe is possibly suicidal can bring them to the Carlsbad Mental Health Center. She said the center has the necessary resources to identify and help people at risk for suicide. If an imminent danger exists, then calling 911 or taking the person to the emergency room is a priority, she said.

School counselors and therapists offer another avenue of assistance for anyone contemplating suicide or anyone who knows of someone who could possibly be suicidal.

œWe really need to listen to what students are trying to say,? said Carla Clark, a licensed master social worker and licensed professional clinical counselor with Carlsbad High School. œWe need to help them find solutions and other ways to deal with problems ” to get the support and other treatments they need.?

Clark said the counseling department typically sees one to three students a week because of issues associated with suicide, and the number of students they see increases even more when a suicide occurs in the community.

œIt goes in waves,? she said. œWhen a suicide is completed, there™s a lot more, which is possibly because the kids are grieving. It™s hard to determine what is normal bereavement and what is depression.

œI would say that since we recently lost a student this (academic) year, we have not had a full day go by that we haven™t had one to three students in here a day. It™s said that in every classroom, one male and two females have contemplated or attempted suicide in the previous year.?

Clark said teachers and staff at the school are often instrumental in helping identify at-risk students.

œThere™s not a teacher up here that I don™t feel loves students,? she said. œA lot of the times the students are close to teachers, or security guards or cafeteria workers or principals. Sometimes, it™s not a counselor.

œNobody ever turns their back. All the students have someone they can talk to and feel supported by. Any employee who feels over their head knows how to access additional professional help.?

Clark said assistance from parents is crucial in helping students overcome issues of depression and suicide.

œWe depend on parents and include them in everything,? she said. œWhen a student is considering suicide, the parent is notified.

œAs long as I have been here ” which I believe I am in my sixth year ” I have never known a parent not to be cooperative, whether it™s making the home safer or getting outside counseling or not leaving the child alone. We have plans for if the parents aren™t helpful, but it has never happened.?

In addition to counselors and therapists, many people choose to confide in clergy members, who offer spiritual, as well as mental health, counseling.

David Rogers, the minister at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), said he sometimes finds himself counseling people who are considering ending their own life.

œPeople should talk to whomever they trust,? he said. œIt doesn™t have to be a clergy member. It can also be a member of the church. But it™s important for people not to be judgmental when confided in. It™s not the time to preach your religious beliefs at them. It™s a time to help them address the problem and their needs.?

Rogers said his first goal when talking with someone who might be suicidal is determining whether or not there is a danger of harm to the person or someone else.

œIt depends on the circumstances. No two situations are alike,? he said. œMy general response is to assess the danger to self and others. If there is a hint of danger, then I call 911. I will even tell people that if there is an indication that they might possibly do it, then I have an obligation to take measures to ensure that they stay alive.

œI try to look for short-term promises. ˜Promise me that you will stay alive for the next three hours so we can get you some help.™ I make it a reasonable amount of time, then I pray with them and help them get help.?

Traditionally, society has shied away from openly discussing suicide because of social and religious stigmas and fear of a concept called œsuicide contagion? ” which is said to occur due to exposure to suicide or suicidal behavior within one™s family or peer groups, or through media reports of suicide.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ direct or indirect exposure to suicidal behavior has been shown to precede an increase in suicidal behavior in people at risk for suicide, especially in young adults and teenagers.

Still, both Seliskar and Harry said they would like to see more discussion in the community about suicide and more resources to address it.

The Carlsbad Mental Health Center and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 1558 plan to host a presentation on teen suicide prevention on Monday to provide information for citizens, parents and teens on how to recognize and address risk factors for suicide.

œSometimes it does happen. Some people have never thought of suicide, and then a friend does it, and now they think it is a possible solution to their problems, which it is not. It doesn™t solve problems,? Seliskar said.

Harry said there are right ways and wrong ways to discuss suicide.

œDiscussing the issue is good,? she said. œBut there are some things which could ” if talked about in a certain way ” make it seem like a viable option. But I feel talking about it is good. If someone is suicidal and there is no permission for him or her to talk about it, what options do they have??

For the local community, talking about suicide may be unavoidable.

At approximately 10 p.m. Friday, the Eddy County Sheriff™s Department responded to a shooting near Carlsbad. The 17-year-old female later died at Carlsbad Medical Center.

A preliminary investigation indicates the death was caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff™s department.




Hot lines

Carlsbad Mental Health Center Crisis hot line: 885-8888

National Hopeline Network: 1-800- SUICIDE (784-2433)




Carlsbad Mental Health and Elks Lodge No. 1558 plan to
host a presentation on teen suicide prevention at
6:30 p.m. Monday in the Elks Lodge ballroom, 1558 Elk Drive. The event is free and open to the public.


Copyright © 2004 Carlsbad Current-Argus, a Gannett Co., Inc. newspaper.
Use of this site signifies that you agree to ourTerms of Service