5Initiative to Prevent Impulsive Suicidal

BehaviorShawnee Mission North High School

Within

Situation in KansasO In 2008, the suicide rate among

Kansas youth ages 15-19 was 10.5 per 100,000.

O From 1999-2007, ages 0-19O 1220 Unintentional injuries (70%

MVAs)O 206 Suicides (plus 19 more

unspecified firearm deaths)O 179 HomicidesO 172 Cancers

Situation in Johnson County

O For the 20 years ending 2009O Suicides of youth 0-24 years of ageO Johnson County

O 143 total, or about 7 per year

Suicide Early Warning Signs

O WithdrawalO Preoccupation with deathO Marked personality change & serious

mood changesO Difficulty concentratingO Decline in quality of school workO Change in eating habitsO Change in sleeping patterns-insomnia

and hypersomina

Early Warning SignsO Loss of interest in favorite activitiesO Frequent complaints about physical

symptoms, often related to emotions (stomachaches, headaches, fatigue)

O Persistent boredom

Late Warning SignsO Talking about suicide-specific plansO Impulsive or violent actions, rebellious

behavior, or running awayO Refusing help or feeling beyond helpO Claiming to be a bad personO Hopelessness, helplessness, or

worthlessnessO Worsening of sleep disturbance (last

week of life)

Late Warning SignsO Being intolerant of praise or rewardsO Making statements that hint at or

directly imply suicideO Suddenly cheerful after a period of

depressionO Making a last will and testament

ImpulsivityO 25% of 153 survivors of near lethal

suicide attempts acted within 5 minutes of the impulse to do so

O 71% acted within one hourFactors associated with the medical severity of suicide attempts in youths and young adult

(Swahn MH, Potter LB, 2001)

Crisis/% same day by age

0-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+Age Group

21% 20%

13%

6%

33%

N=1,671 CT,ME,UT,WI, Allegheny County, San Francisco County

Suicide is not a “destiny”

O 90% of survivors of near-lethal suicide attempts do not complete suicide thereafter

O Individuals who are suicidal usually do not have a plan B

O That is why we limit access to lethal suicide methods

Seiden StudyO Seiden found that cutting off or

slowing down an individuals means to act on suicide, allows time for the impulse to pass-perhaps even blocks the impulse from being triggered to begin with.

“The British Coal-Gas Story”O For generations, the English heated their

homes and fueled their stoves with coal gasO Coal is very deadly in unburned formO In 1950’s “Sticking one’s head in the oven”

accounted for some 2,500 suicides a yearO Once the nation moved to natural gas,

Britain’s national suicide rate dropped by nearly a third

O In a moment of deep despair, rage or sadness, people will turn to ways that are quick and available

Lock it UpO Firearms are the most common method of

suicide by youth. This is true for both males and females, younger and older adolescents, and for all races (Kachur et al., 1995)

O The most common location for the occurrence of firearm suicides by youth is the home (Brent et al., 1993)

O There is a positive association between the accessibility and availability of firearms in the home and the risk for youth suicide (Brent et al., 1993; Kellerman et al., 1992)

Guns used in suicide

HandgunsRifles or Shotguns

Youth17 and under

The vast majority (~90%) of firearms used in suicides come from the victims homes.

Rifles and Shotguns54%

Handguns46%

Restriction is the BESTO Firearms play a major role in suicideO We promote safe storageO 4 Strategies each protect

O Trigger locksO Lock BoxesO CabinetsO Lock ammo in separate location

“Within 5”O Initiative to Lock Up all firearms

within the home to prevent suicideO We are asking Parents, Grandparents

and Family Friends to lock up all firearms in the home

OGive our young people time to change their minds

Safe Boxes and Tigger LocksO Gunvault NV200 Walmart

$28.19O Gunvault Multi Storage Walmart

$139-$159O Winchester Personal Drawer Safe Walmart

$44.97O DTX SafeQuarter Master 7650 Walmart $

O Project Child Safe Cable-Style Gun Lock Free through local Police

Departments

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/