Introduction
Suicide is the deliberate self-infliction of harm that leads to the inflicting individual’s death. When someone damages oneself intending to end their life but does not pass away because of their acts, it is considered a suicide attempt. There is a link between suicide and other types of harm and violence. For instance, individuals who have suffered from child abuse, harassment, or sexual violence are more likely to commit suicide.
Recently, suicide instances have been widely reported in newspapers and over the phone (Stone, 2021). Therefore, suicide is a serious health issue in the Sioux Lookout community and throughout the United States. As a newly elected primary decision-maker in the Sioux Lookout community, I will discuss how the community is addressing suicide issues and propose ideas to reduce suicide rates in Sioux Lookout.
Suicide Statistics
Suicide cases have been prevalent in Sioux Lookout, and the issue needs a prompt address to reduce the number of people taking their lives. APTN National News (2018) revealed 600 cases of suicides in Northern Ontario since the 1980s. Furthermore, the report noted that many indigenous people are more at risk of suicide than the rest of the population (APTN National News, 2018). It was reported that about 562 of all suicide cases had been recorded, besides other uncountable deaths since 1986 (APTN National News, 2018). Out of this figure, male cases were reported to be 334, and about 218 cases were of young children aged 15-26 (APTN National News, 2018).
It was also revealed that the most commonly used method was hanging, which constitutes about 417 deaths of the reported figure. Like in Canada, suicide rates rose 30% between 2000 and 2018, falling from 2019 to 2020 in the United States (Stone, 2021). With 45,979 fatalities from suicide in 2020, it will be the third most significant cause of mortality in the US (Stone, 2021). Therefore, suicide is a serious issue that needs to be addressed to save lives worldwide.
The suicide rate is higher in some groups than others. Race, age, ethnicity, and other characteristics impact suicide rates; for instance, the indigenous population has a high chance of committing suicide. Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic White individuals had the highest rates by race/ethnicity (APTN National News, 2018). Veterans, residents of rural areas, those employed in specific occupations and industries like mining and construction, and other Americans all have suicide rates more significant than the national average (Stone, 2021). Compared to their heterosexual classmates, young individuals who describe themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have increased suicidal thoughts and conduct rates.
Effects of Suicide
In the period following the suicide, persons grieving suicide frequently reported experiencing bodily agony, acute abdomen pain, appetite loss, low energy levels, and difficulty falling asleep. While some participants believed it was because of their disrupted sleep patterns, others blamed it on “the emotion” and “turmoil” related to their bereavement (Stone, 2021). The intensity and length of reported sleep issues in the immediately following varied.
Some participants described their loss of appetite as a psychosomatic symptom frequently resulting in weight loss. Various factors brought on by memories of discovering the body or emotions of melancholy and despondency following the death might cause appetite loss. In some instances, discovering the deceased’s body seemed to cause more intense reactions and longer-lasting psychological effects like despair, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal thoughts, and even attempted suicide (Stone, 2021).
Experts in psychology use their specialized knowledge to address the suicide issue. Primary researchers examine the brain changes and danger signs of suicidal behavior and ideation. Applied scientists research new approaches to identifying persons at risk, and clinical researchers are testing new therapeutic methods (Stone, 2021). Psychologists are using the most recent research in advocacy roles to inform the public and advance strategies that have been shown to lower suicide rates.
Existing Solutions to Suicide
Suicide is a significant issue in public health that can have a lasting impact on people, families, and communities. The current plans and programs for mitigating suicides in most communities include counseling, building more healing centers, attempts to reduce sexual abuse, social support for the aboriginal population, and curbing bullying (APTN National News, 2018). One example of the existing solution to prevent suicide in the indigenous community is the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy. This strategy was designed as a program focusing on the Inuit populations living in four regions in Canada, collectively referred to as Inuit Nunangat.
Over the recent years, these populations have suffered from disproportionally high suicide rates (D’Souza, 2019). The NISP strategy, therefore, aims to raise awareness among the Inuit population about the possible causes of this public health crisis and approaches to prevent it (D’Souza, 2019). The program provides understanding about the common context of the issue, risk factors, and effective practices of suicide prevention.
In my opinion, this program is an effective solution to promote well-being in my community. First, it contributes to the existing research on suicide in the indigenous populations, providing a broader context and basis for further measures. Second, it allows developing policies and regulations aimed to create social equity and continuity in Inuit Nunangat and other indigenous communities. Finally, it helps to establish a societal system in which mental health is nurtured from birth, and where mental wellness services are available to all community members.
Proposed Solution to Combat Suicide
A nationwide network of suicide study, Population Laboratories, can be established as a new strategy to address the issue in question. The network’s program will be committed to multidisciplinary research on suicide and supported by the National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH should oversee the infrastructure of Population Laboratories, and foundations and other private organizations should collaborate to fund it. Due to the relatively low prevalence of suicide in the general public, extensive cohort samples of at least 100,000 are required (Wasserman et al., 2020). To collect the data for various and complicated interacting variables, such as the significant influences of demographics, geography, culture, socioeconomic position, race, and ethnicity, a multitude of population laboratories (for example, 5–10) are required. Moreover, research needs to be done to ascertain the group more at risk of committing suicide, and prior guidance and counseling follow to prevent cases of suicide.
Strengths of the Proposed Solution to Suicide
The centers would perform prospective studies with racially and culturally diverse people, integrating biological, psychological, anthropological, and ethical components, which would be crucial for advancing science and addressing public health problems. An advantage of this approach is the use of carefully planned trials to explore the possibility of pharmacotherapies to lower suicidal behavior. Antidepressants, lithium, anticonvulsants, and clozapine will all be studied. Another advantage is that the strategy will allow forming partnerships among the community and its organizations, addressing the issue both at the local and state levels. Critical limitations in the discipline include the absence of a long-term evaluation of therapy approaches and the omission of high-risk patients from clinical trials.
A step towards suicide awareness would be regulated clinical trials to identify the types and facets of psychotherapy beneficial in lowering suicide for various persons. Global organizations like the World Health Organization and the World Bank can encourage and guide for expanding operations into the international arena. As a result, this approach would serve as a prototype that can be applied in other parts of the world where people of various ethnicities and origins exist.
Weaknesses of the Proposed Solution to Suicide
There would be about 100,000 people living in each Laboratory. This population base of the network would significantly enhance the data available for estimates of suicide incidence, the capacity for longitudinal studies, the advancement of brain repositories, the availability of representative samples for prevention and treatment studies, and research on genetic risk for suicide. This population base would have a rate of 10–12 suicides per 100,000 people.
A few of these labs would offer sufficient information to evaluate the many complicated interacting variables, including the significant influences of demographics, culture, socioeconomic level, race, and ethnicity. Coordination and collaboration should be cultivated to increase the database’s depth (Bernert et al., 2020). All this presents a challenge for funding regarding laboratory equipment, as the scope of the study requires a large amount of equipment installed and utilized at the centers. The second barrier that can arise is the lack of human resources, which might result in the shortage of skills needed to complete the procedures and practices involved in the study. Therefore, the state government might find it challenging to promote the program.
Conclusion
The research finding of this paper reveals that suicide is a serious issue affecting all societies of the world. As such, the current strategies used to prevent suicides in our societies need to be reinforced to reduce the cases currently reported. Therefore, this paper has described the current suicide rates in Sioux Lookout and the United States, examined the current strategies, and proposed new solutions that can be implemented to reduce the rising suicide cases.
References
APTN National News. (2018). Data reveals close to 600 suicides in northern Ontario since the mid-1980s. APTN News. Web.
Bernert, R. A., Hilberg, A. M., Melia, R., Kim, J. P., Shah, N. H., & Abnousi, F. (2020). Artificial intelligence and suicide prevention: A systematic review of machine learning investigations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 5929. Web.
D’Souza, P. (2019). National Inuit suicide prevention strategy — Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Web.
Platt, S., Arensman, E., & Rezaeian, M. (2019). National suicide prevention strategies – Progress and challenges. Crisis, 40(2), 75–82. Web.
Stone, D. M. (2021). Changes in suicide rates — the United States, 2018–2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(8), 261–268. Web.
Wasserman, D., Iosue, M., Wuestefeld, A., & Carli, V. (2020). Adaptation of evidence‐based suicide prevention strategies during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. World Psychiatry, 19(3), 294–306. Web.