Local county one of the highest suicide rates
 

So today they had a walk for this cause.

Its one way for the kids to be proactive and help
fight this thing that many of their friends have
had get ahold of them.

It was called out of the darkness.

Seems to have a great turn out.

I'm so glad they did something like this.

Donna

It was on the local news last night that they have raised 50,000 dollars
to start a campaign to get awareness out to help support our youth,
and others in our community. I'm really impressed with this.

I've seen how much this is needed. They will be training teams in
our schools, very soon. And I find this to be something I'm very
proud of. BEcause we have lost so many youth in the last few years.

Not just senior high youth either. Many elementary and junior high
kids have taken their own lives because our adults don't know the
signs and we don't have the resources to help them.

I have said for many years our youth don't have anyone to turn too.

And now finally they will be starting to get someone to turn too.

My oldest was one of the lucky ones, he had a mom that didn't stop
looking for someone to help him. I was also very lucky that he never
followed through with his threats.

I've never really stopped and considered how lucky I was.

Until my middle son started contemplating whether he really wanted
to be in this world or not. And he was a much quieter teen and child
with this problem. And he didn't tell anyone for a much longer time.

So I could honestly say it took me longer to realize that there was
a problem. But once I knew he wasn't left alone very much.
And luckily he now has many reasons to live.

I am blessed that I knew how to help my son's so know I try to help
others too.

Donna

It is good your area is seeing that it needs to do more. I hope this money will bring more education and services.

Is there a hot line for kids to call? I hope this helps.

Glad you kept fighting for your sons. You are lucky they only threatened and did not carry it through!! They are lucky to have such a mom, too.

Suicide is so scary. Bringing more resources to the area sounds really important.

Ginny

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Sec...walksiteID=176

THis might be the one you mentioned. I see CT has one in 08 as well. I will have to show Sam. Thanks for mentioning this. he will be very interested. We were not helped by NAMI< but others can be! We are all for pointing others in direction of help>

This is a great organization for helping. There are SO many states that have high statistics. Cities especially, but not solely. The demographics are interesting by race and gender as well. Of course those with chronic health issues make things more complex as well.

G
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?sec...our_local_NAMI

some very tragic statistics:
Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among those 5-14 years old.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old.
Between the mid-1950s and the late 1970s, the suicide rate among U.S. males aged 15-24 more than tripled (from 6.3 per 100,000 in 1955 to 21.3 in 1977). Among females aged 15-24, the rate more than doubled during this period (from 2.0 to 5.2). The youth suicide rate generally leveled off during the 1980s and early 1990s, and since the mid-1990s has been steadily decreasing.
Among young people aged 10-14 years, the rate has doubled in the last two decades.
Between 1980-1996, the suicide rate for African-American males aged 15-19 has also doubled.
Risk factors for suicide among the young include suicidal thoughts, psychiatric disorders (such as depression, impulsive aggressive behavior, bipolar disorder, certain anxiety disorders), drug and/or alcohol abuse and previous suicide attempts, with the risk increased if there is situational stress and access to firearms.

statistics by state
http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseac...C1494E2FADB8EA