A service that can reduce suicides

Although all age groups are in need of compassionate assistance when dealing with thoughts of suicide, I believe much can be accomplished by pairing worried youth with depressed elderly – the two age groups with the biggest increases or highest rates.

Suicides by young people have prompted some alarming numbers in newspaper reports during recent years as a result of a 62% increase from 2007 to 2021 for those aged 10 to 24.

And during the past five years, suicide has been the second-leading cause of death for U.S. youth ages 15 to 19 – second only to accidents.

Meanwhile, elderly folks ages 74 and above continue to account for the highest rates of suicides – reported at more than 20 per 100,000.

Across the nation, during 2021, we had one suicide death every 11 minutes. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated more than 12.3 million adults in the U.S. thought seriously about suicide in 2022.

It’s a distressing subject with painful effects on the family members and friends of those who commit or attempt suicide. And the numbers are prompting researchers to work at identifying the unique challenges teenagers face that put them at increased risk for suicides.

The projected list includes bullying, social media, the COVID-19 pandemic, personal appearance concerns, racial discrimination and substance abuse. One survey also revealed that 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide.

Even for young adults who seemingly have every financial or educational advantage, the current economic and political climate can fuel a kind of distress that previous generations did not face, one report noted.

The statistics also revealed that girls and young women are twice as likely to be admitted to emergency care units for self-harm, and that 9% – nearly one out of 10 – of high school students reported attempting suicide during the past year.

For elderly suicides, the main reasons reported are depression and loneliness – resulting from such issues as grieving for the loss of a loved one, chronic illness and pain, realizing the effects of dementia, and loss of self-sufficiency, including financial troubles and no longer being able to drive.

Although all age groups are in need of compassionate assistance when dealing with thoughts of suicide, I believe much can be accomplished by pairing worried youth with depressed elderly – the two age groups with the biggest increases or highest rates. For decades it has been my belief that we could lower the rates of both through that pairing.

That idea first came to me 35 years ago when I was writing editorials for the Santa Fe newspaper, The New Mexican. It was prompted by the annual New Mexico Conference on Aging, which reported half of the elderly suicides in America were attributed to depression. Another 25% was attributed to alcohol and drugs misuse – again perhaps brought on by depression.

In addition, psychologists tell us that a major source of depression is lack of purpose, with feelings of no longer being useful or needed. Often, elderly people are just waiting to be asked for their help – as their wisdom is squandered for lack of productive activity.

In some cases, our older folks need food, clothing and shelter assistance as well, but their pride can prevent or delay them from seeking or accepting help – unless they feel they are doing something constructive to earn that assistance.

Meanwhile, reports on various projects and incidents throughout the nation have shown that the elderly and adolescents – particularly teenagers – interact quite well, and can help one another with their problems. That interaction is similar to the communication that occurs between grandchildren and grandparents. Both seem quite willing to listen to one another.

But teenagers often are reluctant to reveal their innermost thoughts to family – especially when parents appear too busy to spend lengthy periods listening.

I am aware of the Foster Grandparents and Senior Companion programs that assist wayward youths, especially boys, who have broken our laws. Perhaps they are helping some with suicide tendencies as well.

Those programs have offices serving 21 California counties, but none are operating in Yuba, Sutter, Placer or Nevada counties.

With the increase in suicides during the last five years, I believe there is a need for active programs in this area as well. And I suspect we have plenty of retirees in the area who would benefit as much as our youths.

Published obituaries often fail to disclose the cause of death because many families deem that to be personal information.

But when I read CDC materials that say nearly 20% – one in 5 – of high school students reported serious thoughts of suicide, I believe local services need to be extended before more too-early obituaries are necessary.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to www. Speakingofsuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Darrell Berkheimer, a retired Grass

Valley journalist, filled editor positions in Pennsylvania, Utah, Georgia, Texas and New Mexico during his 60 years of writing. He has nine books of essays available through Amazon Books. Contact him at mtmrnut@yahoo.com.