Why don’t we talk about suicide? What can be done to prevent suicide?

• Scott LaMar/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

National suicide prevention month, September. Banner, Holiday, poster, card

Airdate: September 20th, 2023

More than 47,000 Americans die by suicide each year. For every suicide death, there are over 25 suicide attempts. Women are much more likely to attempt suicide but men actually die by suicide at a greater rate than women. In 2022, there were more deaths in the 25 to 44 years old age group than any other.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Awareness means talking about a topic many don’t discuss.

Govan Martin, Brian Sabo and Rachel Drosdick-Sigafoos on The Spark

Govan Martin, Chair and Executive Director of the Suicide Prevention Alliance, said on The Spark Wednesday that we don’t talk about suicide because it’s uncomfortable, “Most now are actually coming around to say it is a mental health issue and not condemning. But we still have a long way to go. That’s why conversations have to not just start just in the church (pointing out that the Catholic Church condemned suicide as a mortal sin), but between me and you, between our families. One piece of advice I’ll tell everybody, if you’re listening to the show, go home and ask your family member — “so what do you think about suicide” at the dinner table or and anytime you’re around and that will open up the conversation to see what they’re thinking. Would they reach out and get help?”

Dr. Rachel Drosdick-Sigafoos, a Crisis Specialist, was asked what if a person answers they are considering suicide,”I have a three step approach that I take. The first is to validate you must be hurting really badly. Things must have gotten to such a rough point in your life that you’re thinking about ending your life. I want to thank you for trusting me with that. So you’re now reinforcing that connection. And then the you know, you’re going to say, I’m not leaving you alone. This is a promise I’m making to you. I’m not leaving you alone. Where can we go? Who can we call to help keep you safe? So it’s a three step. The first is validate. The second is connect. The third is let’s start talking about solutions.”

Drosdick-Sigafoos said childhood trauma is a risk factor in suicide,”Individuals who have a history of adverse childhood experiences, which is a list of events that can happen in a young person’s life. So, the more traumas they have, the more likely they are to experience suicidal behavior. Someone who has a history of five adverse childhood experiences which can be sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, parent or family member incarcerated, being raised by somebody who has a mental illness, being raised by somebody who is struggling with addiction, as well as parental separation, that all of these things that they have, five of those, they are something like 24 times more likely to attempt suicide than somebody who has zero.”

Brain Sabo, Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships with Civiq Addiction and Mental Health Treatment appeared on The Spark and said he attempted to take his own life,”I was a police officer for a number of years. That’s where my mental health and my alcoholism really took off because I was afraid to ask for help. I didn’t want to be I want to appear as being weak and being that weak person. I want to be strong, on the outside, my life looked great. I was always groomed in decent shape. My house is pretty, but on the inside of my head, I couldn’t had the anxiety and depression. I never got help. It got too much. I went on a drinking spree for about three weeks straight. Nobody knew where I was. And and I had a suicide attempt. It’s only by the grace of God that I am here today. The next day I got the help that I needed and went to a hospital where some kind of help, I guess, and got myself in treatment for addiction. And then over the years since then, for over 12 years, I’ve been treating my mental health and my addiction and daily basis.”