Suicide, a silent killer

When someone takes their own life, it almost always comes as a surprise. Loved ones are left reeling with grief, often wondering what they could have done or how they could have seen the signs. 

What’s more, the pain radiates across family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and even those who may have met the individual in passing or on rare occasion.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and according to 2024 data from the NYS Office of Mental Health, suicide is the second leading cause of death for New Yorkers, 25 to 34 years old and its on the rise. After a 5 percent decrease from 2018 to 2022, suicide rates peaked again in 2022.

Sadly, the signs tend to be subtle in most cases, marked by changes in behavior like dramatic mood swings, withdrawal from friends and family or loved ones and intense feelings of hopelessness. However, many people can experience moments of depression that reflect these behaviors, but do not necessarily guarantee that someone may be suicidal, making it more difficult to detect. More intense signs are talks of suicide or making plans to execute a suicide. But when the signs become apparent, it can sometimes be too late.

Additionally, resources for suicide prevention are targeted at the individual and not at how friends and family can help if they suspect someone may want to harm themselves and even then, how does one go about seeking help their loved one?

Calls to 911 almost always result in a 72-hour suicide watch and sometimes longer in-patient stays where psychiatric institutions routinely medicate individuals, often a sedative and without an in-depth assessment into the person’s mental health.

“Only by understanding the very individualized path to a suicide attempt can one develop effective prevention strategies,” read a 2018 press release from the office of mental health about the first-in-the-nation suicide prevention program. A model adapted from Switzerland’s Attempted Suicide Intervention program.

Last November, Kingsbridge resident Saul Nuñez, 27, died by suicide. He was found hanging from a soccer goal post in Van Cortlandt Park. Nuñez was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young twenty-something, but his mother argued that mental health resources in NYC were few and far between.

For decades, suicide rates amongst men have been nearly 400 percent higher than women and across the U.S., occurring mostly in men 75 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

“Men value independence and decisiveness and they regard acknowledging a need for help as weakness and avoid it,” GE Murphy wrote in “Why women are less likely than men to commit suicide,” published in 1998 in the medical journal, Comprehensive Psychiatry. “Women value interdependence and they consult friends and readily accept help.”

Almost 30 years later, these statistics stil ring true.

In recent years, organizations and clinics have worked to remove the stigma around men’s mental health and have normalized attending therapy, including Mosaic Mental Health in Riverdale, the only mental health crisis respite center in the Bronx.

These centers provide an alternative to hospitalization with home-like spaces where residents can stay for up to 28 days. They include resources such as 24-peer support, self-help training, links to medical and psychiatric providers and social support groups.

However, in order to get help, you first need to admit you need help, highlighting where the struggle lies for men experiencing suicidal ideation.

While the Mayo Clinic and other major health organizations recommend calling 911 if you suspect a loved one of contemplating suicide, others encourage talking to the person, giving them space to vent and share their feelings without judgment and helping them find resources to professional help.

Individuals can also call or text the suicide crisis lifeline by dialing 988.