September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. In fact, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.
In the first video, Dr. Kim Templeton, an orthopedic surgeon at The University of Kansas Health System, with a surprising fact. Physicians, especially women physicians, are more likely than most professions to commit suicide. Dr. Templeton says most people think doctors “have it made,” and “make lots of money. Why should they be depressed?” But estimates are that up to 400 physicians per year take their own lives with the relative risk for suicide being 2.27 among women and 1.41 among men…higher than the general population. Dr. Templeton discuses some of the reasons for this and what the medical profession is doing to address it.
Also in the video, Kelly Specht is a mother who lost her son Carl to suicide. He suffered from mental illness and had a psychotic break at college. He eventually took his own life. His mother talks about what lead up to the event and how their family is trying to make a change and fight the stigma of mental illness and suicide.
Emily Snow with the Marillac Campus at The University of Kansas Health System talks about how suicide among teens and adults too, has become an epidemic. Especially in Johnson County. Kansas ranks 8th in the nation for suicides. Snow says teens are expressing a feeling of hopelessness when it comes to turning to suicide. She says reasons vary from school pressures, friend pressures, feeling alone or left out due to social media. Suicide is the leading cause of death of kids from age 10 to 24 other than accidentals. She urges teachers, parents and friends to look for both withdrawn and erratic behaviors. Kids who are suicidal can show it in different ways. She shares other things to look out for when it comes to suicide.
Also included are still photos of Carl Specht.
