Ozark Center Celebrates Suicide Prevention with Training and Memorial | New

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TThe 36 southwestern Missouri area residents who died by suicide are remembered with a commemorative boat launch Wednesday in which colorful plastic containers of all shapes and sizes were released into a Hope Building pond Spring at Ozark Center in Joplin.

The 36 people were from Jasper, Barton, McDonald and Newton counties. September marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Friday is World Suicide Prevention Day. Participants say the month is a time to raise awareness, connect others with treatment, and dispel the stigma surrounding suicide.

The memorial floated by staff at the Ozark Center on Wednesday morning also symbolized the impact people can have by being someone’s anchor or lifeboat in the effort to prevent suicides.

“I think prevention is about education,” said Vicky Meiseler, executive director of the Ozark Center. “We can educate people about the signs and symptoms, which they need to be aware of because there might be a chance they can step in and prevent a suicide from happening.”

Debbie Fitzgerald, director of crisis services at the Ozark Center, said the center has been involved in suicide prevention and awareness since 2006 and has offered special training sessions free of charge to community members.

“As humans, it should make us uncomfortable when someone says, ‘I’m thinking about leaving, leaving or killing myself.’ It’s a normal reaction, but what we do know, even though suicide (in the US) has increased 35% since 1999, is that treatment has improved. We know how to prescribe antidepressants, mood stabilizers and drugs for insomnia. We also have great evidence-based therapies where you just talk to someone and you can recover. “

Prior to the launch, the Ozark Center hosted an online suicide prevention event, titled “Be Someone’s Lifeboat,” which explained how to communicate about suicide, look for signs before -runners and persuade the person to ask for help. Anyone can be a suicide prevention advocate.

Fitzgerald works on the statewide Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, a committee designed to lead statewide suicide prevention efforts.

“Suicide is the most preventable leading cause of death,” Fitzgerald said. “We know how to do things to prevent suicide if we can catch people when they are feeling suicidal.”

The hour-long training course followed the Question Persuade Refer program, which teaches people how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and how to take action that can save lives. The QPR Institute offers specialized training for law enforcement, first responders, healthcare workers and more.

Missouri data

Overall, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death for Missouri residents in 2020 with 1,120 deaths – far exceeding the number of deaths from road crashes and homicides, according to the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network.

Stephen McCullough, director of the Urgent Behavioral Solutions program at the Ozark Center, said suicide among veterans or serving military personnel in Missouri is nearly three times higher than in the general population of the United States. The highest suicide rates were among young veterans, he said.

“When you look at day to day, there’s about one suicide every 11 minutes, or about 130 suicides a day,” McCullough said. “We have a subset of people who are in the military, whether serving military or veterans, who have the highest suicide risk among them, typically having 20 to 23 suicides per day.”

Rural suicide rates are slightly higher than in urban areas, and most suicides are committed by white Missouri males.

“Male suicides are almost four times higher (than among women in the United States),” Fitzgerald said. “For every woman who died by suicide, there will be four men who die by suicide. In Missouri, who dies by suicide as far as race is concerned? Caucasians.

Know the signs

McCullough has often said that suicide is impulsive, especially among young people. The risk of suicide is even higher when an upset person in a crisis has easy access to guns and alcohol / drugs.

“We can do more for a suicidal attack than for someone who has had a stroke or a heart attack,” he said. “All we have to do is know these warning signs, engage them and be ready to have this conversation. It starts by asking the question.

Direct verbal cues to look for include “I wish I was dead” or indirect verbal cues such as “My family would be better off without me” or “Very soon you won’t have to worry about me anymore.” There are also behavioral clues that can occur, such as depression, mood swings, hopelessness, donation of valuables, relapse into drugs or alcohol after a period of recovery, or putting things back in order. personal belongings.

“If you see any clues and signs that we talked about today, definitely take them seriously,” Fitzgerald said. “The more you see, the greater the risk. Take all the signs seriously, because you cannot go from a suicidal state to a suddenly OK state two hours later. “

Questions to ask someone struggling with suicidal thoughts can include direct or indirect approaches, such as “Have you been unhappy lately?” Or “Have you been so miserable lately that you have thought of ending your own life?” “

The Ozark Center Crisis Intervention Services provide 24/7 support to people of all ages and backgrounds who are experiencing a personal, emotional or mental health crisis. Individuals can receive private reviews and assessments through a brief telephone consultation or counseling, messaging service, or face-to-face intervention. For more information, call 417-347-7720.

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