Suicidal Ideation: The Silent Pandemic
We Lost Another Bright Soul
We are grieving the passing of Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a hip-hop dancer and television personality who rose to fame on the reality show So You Think You Can Dance before becoming a regular on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. There was no Ellen show without tWitch and his energy and talented hip-hop dances.
tWitch died by suicide on December 13, 2022, in a motel room in Los Angeles, not far from his home. He left behind a wife, three children, and scores of friends, fans, and family. He was only 40 years old.
The term “died by suicide” is used to describe suicide. This term strips away shame and blame. “Commit suicide” implies that suicide is a choice or a selfish act.
What is so devastating about tWitch’s passing, and all others who have died by suicide, is the silent suffering and heavy loneliness they must have felt.
I was at the gym last week watching tWitch on the Jennifer Hudson Show, smiling and dancing with his wife (whom he met on the show So You Think You Can Dance). They even discussed having another baby. I remember thinking how amazingly talented he was! They ended the show by having a dance-off with the audience cheering and clapping.
He brought so much joy to this world.
This morning I’m sitting here drinking a cup of coffee and watching the news. The highlights include local teens in our community who died by suicide within the last year.
What is left are grieving families and friends.
Suicide is a serious public health concern and is a leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the twelfth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020, an estimated 12.2 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.2 million attempted suicide.
For people contemplating suicide, this permanent disconnection from the world may seem the only answer to their problems.
Suicidal Ideation
According to Harmer et al. (2022), “Suicidal ideations (SI), often called suicidal thoughts or ideas, is a broad term used to describe a range of contemplations, wishes, and preoccupations with death and suicide.” These thoughts can range from fleeting, passing thoughts to more persistent, long-term thoughts about ending one’s life.
People who experience suicidal ideation may feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with their current situation or emotions. They may feel like they have no other options or that their problems are too overwhelming to handle.
There are significant disparities in suicide rates among different groups. For example, men are more likely to die by suicide than women, and certain occupations have higher suicide rates. White males accounted for 69.68% of all suicide deaths in 2020 (CDC).
There are also higher rates of suicide among certain racial and ethnic groups, such as American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic white populations.
A challenging life event, such as losing a loved one, a breakup, or financial stress, can trigger suicidal ideation. Symptoms of a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may also be present. Clinicians agree that although symptoms of these conditions may be detectable, it is challenging to detect suicidal ideation (APA, 2016).
For most of my career, I worked with adolescents in schools. Research indicates that more than 20% of adolescents have serious thoughts of suicide. Most adolescents will show signs of self-destructive behaviors (aggression, disrespect, decrease in school performance, involvement with the law, or substance abuse). These self-destructive behaviors become unspoken words for hopelessness and despair.
Suicide can affect anyone; sometimes, there are no warning signs, or the warning signs are difficult to detect.
Warning Signs
Suicidal ideation can be difficult for clinicians to treat; it is complex to observe, identify, and define. There are several warning signs that a person may be considering suicide.
- Talking about suicide or wanting to die: These statements may imply that someone may be experiencing suicidal ideation: “Life would be better if I weren’t around,” “I wish I were dead,” “I’m going to kill myself,” or “I wish I could just disappear.”
- Seeking out methods of suicide: This can include searching online for information about how to commit suicide, seeking out access to firearms or other lethal means, or stockpiling medications.
- Expressing hopelessness or feeling trapped: A person considering suicide may feel like there is no way out of their current situation and that things will never get better.
- Withdrawing from friends and family: A person may experience feeling like they are a burden to others. They may start withdrawing from their social support network, including friends and family.
- Experiencing changes in mood or behavior: A person considering suicide may experience changes in their mood, such as becoming more depressed, anxious, or agitated. They may also experience changes in their behavior, such as acting anxious, agitated, or reckless.
- Experiencing changes in sleep patterns: A person who is considering suicide may have difficulty sleeping, or they may sleep too much.
Prevention
It is essential to recognize that suicide is preventable and that resources are available to help those at risk (WHO, 2021).
It is not uncommon for people considering suicide to feel ambivalent about it, and most people who consider suicide do not want to die. They may feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to cope with their feelings and may not know where to seek help.
It is important to take all talk of suicide seriously and to seek professional help as soon as possible. You can also talk to a mental health professional or reach out to a trusted friend or family member for support.
We need to continue to talk about mental health and normalize seeking preventive care.
Therapy is not just for individuals struggling; it is accessible and helpful to anyone seeking to understand themselves better and feel supported.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, it is important to seek help immediately. There are many mental health organizations and hotlines that provide support and resources.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
This number provides 24/7, free, confidential support for distressed people. They have prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
The CDC developed the Suicide Prevention Resource for Action, which provides information on the best available evidence for suicide prevention.
Hope does exist.
References
Adler, A. (1979). Suicide. In H. L. Ansbacher & R. R. Ansbacher (Eds.), Superiority and social interest. (Rev. 3rd ed., pp. 249–252). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Facts about suicide. Found at: https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/
Harmer, B., Lee, S., & Duong, T. (2021). vi H, Saadabadi A. Suicidal Ideation. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
Klonsky, E. D., Saffer, B. Y., & Bryan, C. J. (2018). Ideation-to-action theories of suicide: a conceptual and empirical update. Current opinion in psychology, 22, 38–43.
Lieberman, R., Poland, S., & Cowan, K. (2006). Suicide prevention and intervention. Principal Leadership, 7(2), 11–15.
Silverman, M. M., & Berman, A. L. (2014). Suicide risk assessment and risk formulation part I: A focus on suicide ideation in assessing suicide risk. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, 44(4), 420–431.
World Health Organization (2021). Suicide. World Health Organization: Geneva. Found at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
I write about the healing power of the expressive arts to promote mental health and wellness.
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