Suicide prevention

" As in the -- Al -- on the road direct Cleveland Tim Wakefield will be on the mound. Had just again quick reminder -- threats -- three wide segment has been brought to buy SP allies savings bank life insurance is. Tedy Bruschi is choice for life insurance Sox have won ten in a row while. So is this the new strategy for -- you were talking about you thought you had a good idea for a new strategy and is it bringing women in the studios like your idea like this -- it's great this lineup I'll guests -- continent from the samaritans. And -- her take from the mass coalition for suicide prevention yep reverted -- and Debbie debates is right here in the middle. And Debbie has been that well at all three of you been on the show a couple of different times providing information and insight to the the challenge -- the real. Horrible challenge their families and intense communities go through with -- got to suicide and suicide prevention Debbie and -- with you. -- tell a toddler we got a tough call last week during the show we are talking about the eleven year old boy Leo Springfield. Good bit of -- that the allegation is it was so mercilessly bullied and believable it finally hung himself and his mother obviously broken hearted and just beside herself with grief. He who laughs. A brother. Who served. In the 82 airborne as I recall in the French firm legion of very. Even to rest in fascinating. Guy and yet you know felt felt kind of thing -- the -- tell me what. And retreated to the extent you're comfortable the family situation but as well kind of as they can of the gateway took veterans' issues and suicide issues in general that regret -- and you while work."

" Crittenton. Well my brother had struggled for a number of years after. After he came home. -- Both posttraumatic stress disorder and and number other issues. And you know we tried to do as much as we could to help them and music in the past that he made it very good attempted and it's taking its life and so we knew that. There isn't certainly the potential to do it again. And Aaron attempt to and -- and and and he did he did do that he took his life three years ago. And that is what has motivated me to Billy might make a difference. And help another family. Another person whose struggles when my brother did -- Another family from getting the call that I did. Or having to go. When I did get that call haven't come my parents and delivered the news to them. And and go over there. Put this thing about doing that what a horrible things have to go through absolutely horrible. And I felt when I got the call that my brother. Had been found dead I immediately. I felt this urgency that my gosh she's honest also on I need to get to him. So to go there and sit with your brother who's just taken -- life and slide show it's very hard says. Taken that this is even happening to me when I'm sitting there. -- you just can't even conceive that this is really happened in this situation you're dealing and trying to think of I've been able to fix things from the past. This is not -- how can I fix."

" The brother was -- 46 and we talked about the eleven year old in Springfield took his life so look lets -- shifted if we can't two -- the coalition master Massachusetts coalition for suicide prevention. Your on the front lines as is the as other samaritans as well. Devi story. Is that kind of is this such a thing as a norm are as every suicide have its own unique dimensions and one of the what do people you know people who up. Healthy and want to help what can and should they be on the lookout for all what can and should they be doing to try to bring us this this crisis now well."

" I'm the first thing to realize is that. Denny's whose brother situation did file within the norm but every suicide is multifaceted complex there are never simple explanations for what happened. -- he was in that age group that's most effective which -- middle aged men."

" Are you saying that's where the most suicides take place yes it is and the rate of suicide is higher among middle aged man -- that now that's something we don't hear about because the say a high school has a string -- and that really freaks people out because my young people. With nothing but future ahead of them. But we don't hear about the middle aged man."

" Well with you if it's a tragic because of -- slight potential but but it's people between 25 and 55 that really are most at risk in men in particular why is that you know -- we really don't know otherwise it's just stressful life circumstances perceived isolation sometimes mental illness and one of the biggest risk factors as access to lethal means. Many times if you can do an intervention when someone is is in despair you can prevent suicide from happening but if someone has easy access to a firearm or other lethal means. I don't get a second chance."

" Roberta -- with the samaritans this matter samaritans are legendary organization for being available I'll say 247 and I hope that's not just up. Kind of an exit -- is that. An exaggeration -- As. And I think everybody's familiar as they cross over the Cape Cod bridges feeling desperate call to samaritans which is a kind of a good little reminder for somebody who's going through this. Tell us about the samaritans were it eat at a time like this with the economic meltdown. Budget cuts. All all that type stuff. How is it it seems to be the need. Well all the the risk going high up the resources drop in a way. It's it."

" A lot of people -- in pain Iranians. Our offices in Boston and framing him answer more than 100000 policy year. Not from there anyway I have from everywhere you is that the engine. Taking their life. From people who were feeling overwhelmed despairing sometimes isolated. But recently. Nature of the phone -- definitely reflected overall reading about in the paper. You know we've always gotten calls from people who've experienced loss but we're hearing. A higher level of stress because people lost their jobs are afraid of losing their jobs. They're frantic and have to move in with their families there. Afraid what's going to happen to their families it's it's -- a troubling time. So we are -- twenty for seven we befriend people which is provide them with emotional support. But one of the other services that we provide is a lot of support to people -- families and communities that have lost someone to suicide."

" Must the end that must be really area focuses on the suicide but the repercussions for those left behind must be enormous says Debbie you must you immediately start thinking what I could have done what I should've done right you start -- to self examination."

" You apps so there's so much guilt that goes on with it and you do you think what did nice C. Why didn't they call. What did I do that could perhaps. -- trigger to it that there is it it runs the gamut of emotions and you do have to do quite a bit of reconciling. To try and and go back to certain time -- and think well I reacted that way because I'm human and and it's just you know natural brother and sister arguments are things like -- That guilt is absolutely overwhelming."

" We talked about it -- the tyranny of the -- I'm in -- so many survivors. Really feel tortured because they wish they had answers. To questions in many ways we're never being -- helps out. -- part of what we do list topics -- perverted -- a little closer their microphone and what we try to do is to help educate people about since every. Remind them that their loved line was in great pain and that to so many people who died by suicide it's not so much about going to be to -- an activist and what seems to be unbearable."

" And so that there's some for them it feels like this is a rational thing to do I'm in pain I want to remove the pain this is -- doing. And it that's hard for somebody on the outside to understand this every cent because you don't see the pain."

" Not always. You know I -- part of the education not only samaritans and other. Groups that are active in the Massachusetts coalition for suicide prevention some of the advocacy for and -- is to hop. Try to you have the general public more aware of warning signs risk factors you know things that we should all. Be more aware of when people are withdrawn when people talk about ending their lives in -- as a serious. Indications that something sadness. And this is something we hear a lot about its. You know we lose more people in Massachusetts to suicide and we lose homicide an HIV combined. Yet we don't hear about those stats and and they're not visible and it's something that's largely kept hidden due to stigma and and just lack of awareness is."

" Is that a larger problem now in a modern more disconnected society. Do you do we have stats that would indicate whether it's on the increase or decrease or otherwise."

" There's fluctuation from one year to another overall rates have been pretty stable since 1950s. But you know we would expect. You know little worried during about economy that we're going to see see -- change that's those numbers wouldn't be available yet but certainly. The experience of programs like the samaritans and responses to there. You know the the issues people are bringing to the calls are are certainly reflecting increased personal stress."

" I guess -- uncommon -- mass coalition for suicide prevention Roberta heard it from the samaritans and Debbie debasing. Just a private individual citizen. You should have been the -- by the way you can. Great speaker of the house -- yeah. I that the year old on the front line and it's a terrible to our Alicia when I was not aware of the statistics you just mentioned about a homicide in HIV combined suicide eclipses that. Yet to my knowledge none of you. Medical practitioners none of you a doctor is how does the medical community. Reacted. -- somebody calls you'd out of desperation. What do you folks do in terms of medical intervention our medical reference. Well."

" I'm a social worker and certainly mental health clinicians her an important part of this problem that a lot of people who suicide actually don't have a relationship -- mental health clinician. And unfortunately training and dealing with suicidal individuals is not part of most curriculums. One of the things that you know. Massachusetts has been such a leader in funding prevention for suicide. And one of the things some of that money has gone for is creating curricula in schools of social work across states that. On students are develop the skills to recognize warning signs and talk to people about it try to address it. In the medical community and you know it's important to recognize we're not just -- fatalities. More than 10000 Massachusetts citizens present in emergency departments are hospitalized each year. First self inflicted injuries. And you know the medical community. It's not always clear that this is a suicide attempt they don't have good training and skills that's when things were really working on with the funding -- it's a problem. One hour."

" Seduced few folks will want to take calls -- we have a tolerant you know as we got a tough one last week. So -- go to would die in calling him from handover day in Iran with our guests -- climate in. -- her big and Debbie to --"

" I thought want to thank -- good samaritan. I am I can't spend a lot of time with them on the phone app that might get suicide. And down. He did it got much complex issue I think in a lot of people realize. Another live look at it -- you don't have them act act that. As a child empathy and pretty I truly felt like was my file."

" I'm sorry -- you're breaking up a little bit can you explain those circumstances once again."

" Well public and I'm not a I don't advocate felt that I haven't had an attic which I -- and although. I think he filling it up at that -- and feel like it was very hot if they don't want my fault. I didn't it was something. I am. I -- on the -- quite a bit in I I tried to get to. I I don't mind I'd you know don't maybe you would abandon what he didn't want open Internet go to trial and and then maybe and the and it kept telling myself that would've been really difficult on the and I am. And I'd like to thank."

" How do you blame yourself and Diane when it was he who did the wrong thing I knew you were the victim."

" I don't know. I mean I wanted him to I am. But ended up leaving -- you -- you know what to expect and couldn't -- me and I think people understand that."

" Yeah you're you're really illustrating person on -- and so sorry for your loss and for everything you've been through here you're illustrating and -- very. Honest way the fact that this is a very complex problem and and people don't understand and it's it can be very uncomfortable. For people to talk about your experience with suicide both in terms of the people that they've lost. And imagine what it's like for someone who is struggling with the impulse to suicide there is no safe place. To bring those feelings and --"

" Does that happen when you die and you think that you should commit suicide as well."

" You know what I I don't I certainly would have to do that because I thought it. The rest my camera and I I have a spam what -- siblings when they're depressed -- like you wouldn't have even been to -- still active. And the ball in you can tell by my boy if you don't have plummeted very eerie because I'd look around other people like. If it happens again I want the Bible Belt we ought to -- act app I don't carefully epic not --"

" Gary you're terrific view sample because you're a victim you're turning. Victim hood and a victory yeah that's a wonderful thing here."

" And your very brave to share your story and to reach out and called us and -- when you need to revert you discredited as the tyranny of unanswered questions and I think that -- a perfect example of that. Before we let you folks go it would be great if we could provide numbers. Eat you know what web book email address to have anything ultimately love that."

" Samaritan statewide toll free number is 1877. 870. Ohio which is 4673. Our web site is Debbie Debbie judge viewed samaritans hope all one word dot work. And a web address for the Massachusetts coalition for suicide prevention is mass prevents suicide die of work."

" mass prevent suicide don't know -- will make sure we get those post and up as who have done in the past it's good for us to refresh. It was pretty you know Todd and I went to this as I set as we introduced you to stop the toast to stop this segment -- eleven year old boy of Springfield just one of those you read it can break -- hot -- and your shrug your show did you say what we'll do what can we do. NW and I'd been talking anyway about some of the budget cuts and some of the challenges so it's been great to. Reconnect with all three -- not a typical talk radio -- Dinara. But I can't tell how much I appreciate both of you having us on excellent tackle we will let you go thanks very in the car -- it -- work to do thank you for being with -- don't you answer semblance WRKO. This is more anger and you're listening to parents form."