Help for those who feel there is no hope

The news of two high-profile suicides in recent weeks coincided with a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of suicides in half of the U.S. has gone up by 30 percent since 1999. 

Connecticut’s suicide rate increased by 19.2 percent between 1999 and 2016. 

According to the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, in 1999 there were 283 suicides in Connecticut.

In 2013 there were 333 suicides here; in 2014 there were 377; in 2015 there were 385; in 2016 there were 388; and last year there were 402 suicides in the state.

A sense of isolation

According to the health experts interviewed for this article, there are many reasons why the suicide rate continues to grow.

“I think there are many different ways to look at it,” said John Simoncelli, executive director of Greenwoods Counseling Referrals in Norfolk. 

Simoncelli is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

“It is a symptom of a larger problem,” Simoncelli said. “There is a mental health crisis that many people are unaware of. We live in a time when people are struggling and feel a lot of pain.”

One cause is the increased use of social media for communication and friendships.

“We live in an age where people feel more connected because of social media, but it is a false sense of connection,” Simoncelli said. “Isolation is not being addressed adequately and we need to start talking about how important connection is to people.” 

“We live in an increasingly disconnected society,” agreed Maria Skinner, who is executive director of the McCall Center for Behavioral Health, which is based in Torrington and has an office at Geer in North Canaan. 

“British journalist Johann Hari said that the opposite of addiction is connection. We’re living in an increasingly disconnected society and people are feeling more isolated than they did a generation ago. I’m not blaming social media, but it shouldn’t take the place of real connection.”

Substance abuse a factor

Jennifer Cox, a social worker for Sharon Hospital’s senior behavioral health unit, said that the continuing opioid crisis is a major factor in the increased rate of suicide.

“It’s not just mental illness alone, it’s also substance abuse,” Cox said. 

According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, there were 1,039 opioid overdose deaths in Connecticut last year; in 2016 the death rate was 918 and in 2015 it was 730.

Tom Narducci, administrative director of Behavioral Health for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, added that economic and social factors play a part in many suicides.

“If you look at Connecticut you will see that we have had many job losses and jobs leaving the state,” Narducci said. “The cost of living and the increase in expenses for people living in the state takes a toll on them. In combination with pre-existing histories of anxiety and depression, those things can give people a sense of hopelessness.”

Problems with funding

While there are programs to help people with mental illness and suicidal feelings, Cox said that there are obstacles to getting treatment.

“The mental health system that we have is not very good at providing the care that people need,” Cox said. “The insurance coverage that most people have, which often includes very high deductibles, causes barriers to accessing care. It’s difficult for people to get coverage for the length and duration of treatment that they need in order to treat their mental health issues. 

“I think that easier access for people to mental health treatment is key in preventing suicide.”

Greenwoods Counseling Referrals’ mission is to match up patients with care — which sometimes involves helping figure out funding.

“We are finding people coming through the door with health insurance, but they also have a high deductible and a high co-pay,” Simoncelli said. 

“We are subsidizing a lot of folks who have health insurance because they still can’t afford decent care. The plans that they have don’t pay for the services they need. The people who need access to emotional health care can’t get it.”

Funding cutbacks

Skinner and Simoncelli said that cutbacks to federal and state funding for nonprofit organizations dealing with mental health issues have been an ongoing problem.

“It’s terrible,” Simoncelli said. “Often our organizations are the first things on the chopping block. We are all nonprofits and we are constantly fighting each other for dollars.”

“Nonprofit organizations, including those that deal with behavioral health, all have costs for doing business,” Skinner said. “You have to have trained professionals who deliver life-saving, critical services. Flat funding and funding cuts make that harder and harder to do every year. We apply for grants and look for donations from philanthropic donors. We do everything we can to keep our doors open.”

Defeating the stigma

All the health-care professionals interviewed for this article agreed that there is a stigma that surrounds mental health issues, and that often prevents people from getting the help they need.

“Many times people don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health issues,” Dr. Louis Forouhar-Graff, staff psychiatrist for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital said. 

“There is a stigma around mental health, in general,” Cox said. “I think people are very reluctant to admit they are struggling. There is discrimination against people with mental health problems. People who live in small communities are reluctant to access help or admit they are struggling because they don’t want people to think poorly of them.”

As key as physical fitness

“People don’t feel comfortable in reaching out for help when they need it,” Simoncelli said. “As a society, people don’t take mental health issues as seriously as their physical well-being. Now you are seeing the consequences of that in a real way.”

Simoncelli said that mental health should be just as important to people as their physical health.

“You still have physical education classes in school, but you don’t have classes with discussions about mental health, depression or anxiety,” Simoncelli said. 

“From a very young age, we should talk about mental health issues as easily and often as we talk about physical well–being. We need to have more education about these issues and we need to make these conversations easier. ”

Looking for warning signs

Simoncelli said that, while it can be tough to see the warning signs of suicide, there are certain traits and behaviors that one can look for.

“One of the signs is if the person seems to be more withdrawn and isolated than they usually are,” Simoncelli said. “With suicide, sometimes there are no warning signs. This is why it’s so important for an individual to have the comfort level to ask for help and to feel no shame when asking for help when it comes to mental or emotional well-being.”

“You need to take it seriously when someone says things like they would be better off dead or they wish they were dead,” Cox said. 

“Another sign to look for is when someone loses interest in activities or events that they previously enjoyed, or if they isolate themselves from everyone. 

“If someone is trying to give their belongings away or if they don’t talk about their future, all of those things are indicators that someone is considering suicide. But there is really no way to tell.”

Cox said the best way to assess someone’s mental health situation is to discuss it with them.

“Ask the person directly,” Cox said. “Some people think that if you talk about suicide, it will give a person the idea to kill themselves. It really doesn’t work like that. When someone is asked directly ‘Have you thought about harming yourself or someone else?,’ they will answer your question seriously. If you ask them directly you can get them  help right away.”

Taking positive steps

Organizations around the area, including Greenwoods, are offering a Mental Health First Aid training course to help people understand and recognize mental health issues.

“The course goes through a lot of the warning signs that people should recognize; it helps people to understand the symptoms related to mental health issues,” Simoncelli said. “It is an eight-hour comprehensive course and Greenwoods will hold the classes over the summer. 

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, as part of the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network, has implemented a Zero Suicide initiative.

“To us, even a single suicide is one too many,” Narducci said.

In the end, Skinner said that preventing suicides boils down to communication and investment in mental health resources.

“If this is something that really matters to us as a culture, if we want to take care of other human beings, we will invest in treatment and talk openly about mental health issues,” Skinner said. “We should not use disparaging terms like ‘crazy’ or ‘nut jobs,’ but instead use compassionate terms so people will feel comfortable in using services that will benefit them. Destigmatizing mental illness is something that everyone can have a hand in making progress with.”

Resources for suicide prevention

Northwest Mental Health Authority: 888-447-3339

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

Greenwoods Counseling Referrals: 860-567-4437

McCall Center for Behavioral Health: 860-496-2100

Charlotte Hungerford Behavioral Health Center:  860-496-6350

Charlotte Hungerford Center for Youth and Families: 860-489-3391 

Community Mental Health Affiliates: 860-482-8561

Catholic Charities: 860-482-5558