Black Men and Suicide Prevention Debra Anderson Mental Health Nurse and Community Educator

Goals We will decrease the number of suicides in the African American community We will educate healthcare workers, families, and at-risk men on suicide prevention We will identify people before crisis with screening tool We will remove stigma, increase awareness, and deliver culturally competent interventions

Who African American men who are not receiving mental health services

What In the USA one person takes their life every eighteen minutes Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- 24 year-old black men Black men commit suicide 5 times more than black women

Risk Factors Male gender Age 65 or older Recent losses Terminal illness Unemployment Sexual abuse history Lives alone

Risk Factors, cont Lives alone No children under 18 PTSD Public humiliation Legal or financial problems Previous attempts Family history of suicide

Protective Factors Effective clinical care Easy access to varied clinical interventions Restricted access to highly lethal means of suicide Strong connections to family and community support

Protective Factors, cont Support through ongoing medical and mental health care relationships Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, and handling problems non-violently Cultural and/or religious beliefs that discourage and support self-preservation

The number one coping skill “Ask for Help” The number one coping skill

When to Step In If you see: withdrawal sleeping too much poor appetite poor hygiene no motivation

When to Step In, cont Or see: physical complaints drinking alcohol low energy impaired functioning in roles and tasks social isolation

Ask the tough questions:

Do you feel like killing yourself?

Do you think of giving up sometimes?

Do you want to go to sleep and never wake up?

Is life too hard to bear?

Do you have a plan?

Where to Find Help 911 Hospital ER Suicide hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255) Psychologist Psychiatrist Social workers

What Else to Do Stay with the suicidal person one-on-one until help arrives Remove firearms from the home Take care of yourself

Sources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010 Each Mind Matters, National Alliance for Mental Illness Jet Magazine Newsweek

I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Jeremiah 29:11

In memory of Pops 12/12/12