by Dr. Kelly Shaw
Outreach coordinator, clinical psychology resident
University of Maine Counseling Center.
With Robin Williams’ recent tragic death, article after article has been written to raise awareness around those who struggle with thoughts of suicide. As a therapist, I am torn; this increase in awareness may be a good thing. Yet in reality, grappling with the thought of taking one’s own life has been a daily struggle for many, for a very long time.
In 2011 in Maine alone, there were 204 reported suicides. Within the University of Maine community, on average, there will be one student per year who dies by suicide — a precious human being who could be your beloved son or daughter, your neighbor or roommate, co-worker, brother or sister.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Maine teenagers and young adults, and the most common cause of death for active duty military personnel. These people are not cowards. They are in desperate need of someone to reach out to them and care about them.
As a mental health counselor at the University of Maine Counseling Center, I am proud to serve on the organizing committee for the annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk for Suicide Prevention. This year’s walk is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the University of Maine. The starting point is in front of Fogler Library on the Mall.
The walk will raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which supports local mental health initiatives and research on suicide, provides resources for families impacted by suicide, and works to end the stigma and taboo around suicide. Bringing suicide “Out of the Darkness” is a critical step in getting a person at risk the support they so desperately need.
I know this struggle intimately. I hear the pain in the voices of the desperate students who seek solace in my office as they tearfully acknowledge that yes, in fact, they have been contemplating suicide. I know their pain is real. Deep inside them, there’s a lethal tug of war underway between that part of them who wants to live, and the part who wants to die.
Now is a time for action; a time when information and a candid reassessment of how we, as a community, respond to suicide is vital.
Three key risk factors can lead to wanting to commit suicide. One is repeated exposure to violence or injury. Another risk factor is that the affected person believes (incorrectly, of course) that his or her death would bring relief for loved ones. Part of the mental illness associated with suicide is the decision that the world would be a better place if they didn’t exist. The third risk factor is a failed sense of belonging. This is where prevention activists can have the most impact. Belonging means having a niche, feeling connected, being part of a group, and feeling accepted and loved. Isolation is a significant red flag for anyone’s mental health, even if the other two risk factors for suicide are not present.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has a goal of reducing the annual suicide rate in the United States by 20 percent by 2025.
Consider sponsoring this year’s walk, even if you can only afford a few dollars. Visit outofthedarkness.org and click on “find an event near you” to register for the Orono walk or to donate.