Slide Reference:
Stone, D. M., Jones, C. M., & Mack, K. A. (2021). Changes in suicide rates – United States, 2018-2019. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 70(8), 261–268 Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8344989/.
Presentation Script:
Hi, my name is Mahlon Everhart, I’ll be speaking on the concern of suicide per age group in North Carolina and how the stigma of mental health can change. “Suicide is not an answer. It’s destruction” (Al Green). This destruction is seen in North Carolina which has lost a potential 292 years per 100,000 people from suicide yearly, and these numbers are only rising…
Mental health disparities leading to the act or thoughts of committing suicide have been present in society for decades. While mental illness has been viewed differently today, we still have failed to recognize how to approach these issues.
In a recent national study found in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report it found “In 2019, a total of 47,511 deaths were attributable to suicide” (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 262), while over “a total of 12 million adults reported serious thoughts of suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide, and 1.4 million attempted suicides” (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 261).
North Carolina numbers are just as devastating. Deaths by suicide rank amongst “the top five leading causes of death for ages 15 to 54 in North Carolina” (Austin, et al., 2013, pg. 7). As seen in the graph, the three age groups from forty-five to eighty-four are all above the national median per there age group. Along with these numbers, we can see North Carolina’s death by suicide rate has increased nearly every year since 2009.
Looking at younger age groups of North Carolina, from fifteen to twenty-four, 13.3 out of 100,000 commit suicide (UHF, 2021) and kids from ages ten to seventeen have rose by nearly 18% in North Carolina since 2017 (Donovan pg.1).
Lastly, the discussion of mental health stigma, “the fear of stigma does not result in actual behavior change but rather leads individuals to simply hide certain behaviors or action” (Bharadway, et al., 2017, pg. 57). In another study completed in 2017, researchers found “individuals are significantly more likely to under-report mental health ailments, compared to other conditions” (Bharadway, et al., 2017, pg. 59) meaning those who suffer from depression rarely get diagnosed.
Mental health is a serious issue we must collectively consider as a community. We must improve every day to raise awareness for mental health and overcome the stigma against it.
Explication of Research:
Mental health disparities leading to the act or thoughts of committing suicide have been present in society for decades and while stress has been viewed differently today, we still have failed to recognize how to approach these issues. There are statistics for death by suicide and even suicide ideation by age, but many people have failed to recognize the importance of mental health surrounding all age groups despite seeing the statistics. My goal for my presentation is to better understand the disparities between suicide rates in different age groups and the importance of overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health. After a thorough review of the suicidal deaths by age through statistics and mental health journals, I will use recent mental health numbers and views to discuss the importance of breaking the recent stigmas regarding suicide and mental health along all age categories. Mental health is barrier many are finally accepting and crossing, but many do not know how to approach helping through mental health, especially by age differences. Every age group needs to be helped differently and unique on the topic of mental health. It is important society approaches mental health crises with an open mind and acknowledge mental illnesses as being just as important as physical illnesses. My research question is how do suicide rates vary based off age and how can we improve mental health stigma in each age group throughout North Carolina? The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of recognizing mental health throughout all age groups across North Carolina and to show how to improve mental health by working to move past the stigma around it.
“Suicide is not an answer. It’s destruction” (Al Green), Suicide is a serious issue that has plagued our world from Cleopatra an ancient Egyptian queen to Petronius a Roman senator in Emperor Nero’s circle. In recent years, deaths from suicide have been more documented more frequently, and discussions around the importance of mental health have slowly grow. Despite these improvements, there is still a stigma surrounding mental illness in age categories. In a recent study found in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report they reviewed the national changes in suicide rates across the United States from 2018 to 2019. It reviewed statistics of death by suicide on age varying from ages ten to fourteen, fifteen to twenty-four, twenty-five to thirty-four and so forth to eighty-five years old. The study found “In 2019, a total of 47,511 deaths were attributable to suicide” (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 262), while over “a total of 12 million adults reported serious thoughts of suicide during the past year, 3.5 million planned a suicide, and 1.4 million attempted suicides” (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 261). The age group of eighty-five years and higher had the highest increase of suicide from 1,248 to 1,329 and the ages fifty-five to sixty-four had the highest total at 8,238 per 100,000 (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 262). Each age group was well above 1,000 deaths except ages ten to fourteen which suffered a loss of 534 suicides in 2019 (Stone, et al., 2021, pg. 265). These national numbers are staggering since suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
While the national numbers are staggering, North Carolina numbers are just as devastating. Deaths by suicide rank among “the top five leading causes of death for ages 15 to 54 in North Carolina” (Austin, et al., 2013, pg. 7). The age groups forty-five to fifty-four, fifty-five to sixty-four, and seventy-five to eighty-four are all above the national median per there age group according to the United Health Foundations. The largest age difference was found in ages forty-five to fifty-four where the national value is at 20 per 100,000 suicide deaths and North Carolina’s numbers were at 21.1 per 100,000 (UHF, 2021). Suicide is a major issue the United States tends to overlook due to the stigma of mental health and this needs to change immediately in order to save lives not only in the state of North Carolina, but across the nation.
Mental health is an issue many people and states do not discuss at all due to the perception that having a weak mind equals to being a weak person. Mental health must be as high of a priority as any serious illness or medical concern, as mental health’s toll to society is just as great as any illness, disease, or virus out there. North Carolina is the tenth most populous state in the nation, but it ranks thirty-third for providing mental health services according to Mental Health America. Mental health in North Carolina ranks severely low and this leads to decreased awareness of mental health importance and possibly increase in suicides. North Carolina’s “years of potential life lost from suicide per 100,000 people is 292 years” (Austin, et al., 2013, pg.8) while the national average is 282 years. As we can see in the numbers prior, North Carolina has a suicide issue in middle-aged individuals and North Carolina still has almost average suicide rates amongst younger individuals. In review of young age groups of North Carolina from fifteen to twenty-four 13.3 out of 100,000 commit suicide (UHF, 2021) while nationally 14.5 per 100,000 commit suicides. Along with these high numbers, kids from ages ten to seventeen have rose by nearly 18% since 2017, “With children, the rates have just about doubled within the last decade,” said Victor Armstrong, director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health. These numbers, especially at these young ages should not occur. North Carolina has attempted to show support in mental health by considering “several bills addressing youth suicide” (Moran-Bates, 2020, pg. 108). These bills goals were to “conduct a study to develop a “state-wide system for mental health screening” meant to identify students who were at “risk of harming themselves or others” (Moran-Bates, 2020, pg. 108) and to grant schools money to aid those at risk. Thankfully this bill was signed in attempts to promote mental health in North Carolina. More national studies have been completed in order to help those in the middle-aged population at risk of suicide, especially veterans and working population by giving advice to regularly see a physician especially in hardship (Simons, et al., 2019, pg. 604). Mental health must be viewed differently in all age groups and must be approached to suit different ages whether it be a young, confused child to a depressed middle-aged individual.
The stigma around mental health leads to anxiety which holds down people and leads to suppression of actions and true behaviors, “the fear of stigma does not result in actual behavior change but rather leads individuals to simply hide certain behaviors or action” (Bharadway, et al., 2017, pg. 57). In another study completed in 2017, researchers found “individuals are significantly more likely to under-report mental health ailments, compared to other conditions” (Bharadway, et al., 2017, pg. 59) meaning those who suffer from depression rarely get diagnosed for it unlike illnesses or physical injuries. Many people hide depression and mental illness extremely well due to the fear of accepting help and the stigma of mental health. There is no shame and no guilt when it comes to mental health, and we must continue to help make mental health acceptable.
Mental health must be addressed for all ages, whether it be testing children to recommending adults see their physician more. Mental health must be improved today, especially with the damages of COVID-19 on personal health also. Suicide in North Carolina is a major issue, and it must be improved. Lastly, working to move past the stigma pf mental health and accepting it as another challenge of everyday life is something that everyone must work on in order to save lives. Thankfully, some steps have been put in place for change, but more need to occur in order to erase the stigma of mental health being a weak or scary concept.
References:
Austin A., Creppage K., Finkbeiner S., et al., (2013). The Burden Of Suicide in North Carolina. North Carolina Division of Public Health, 73 pages, https://www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov/DataSurveillance/BurdenofSuicide-FINAL-123013.pdf
Bharadwaj, P., Pai, M. M., & Suziedelyte, A. (2017). Mental health stigma. Economics Letters, 159, 57–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2017.06.028
Donovan, N., Eliott, L., & Haddock, M. (2020). Youth suicide rates in North Carolina increasing alarmingly, experts say. The Blue Banner. Retrieved from https://thebluebanner.net/youth-suicide-rates-in-north-carolina-increasing-alarmingly-experts-say/.
Moran-Bates, J. (2020) Youth Suicide Legislation in the 2019 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Medical Journal, 81(2) 108-109, Retrieved from https://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/81/2/108.short.
Sheldon, N. (2021) 10 troubled historical figures who committed suicide. HistoryCollection. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://historycollection.com/suicide-club-10-historical-figures-ended-lives/.
Rajeev R, Gordan J. A., Pearson J. L., (2021). Trends in suicide rates by race and ethnicity in the United States. JAMA Network Open, 4(5), 2111563. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11563. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2780380.
Simons, K., Orden, K. V., Conner, K. R., & Bagge, C. (2019). Age differences in suicide risk screening and management prior to suicide attempts. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(6), 604-608. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2019.01.017
Stone, D. M., Jones, C. M., & Mack, K. A. (2021). Changes in suicide rates – United States, 2018-2019. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 70(8), 261–268 Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8344989/.
United Health Foundations. (2021). Explore suicide in North Carolina | 2020 Annual Report | Ahr. America’s Health Rankings . Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/Suicide/state/NC.
Featured Image Source:
[Mental Health Image]. Critical Path Learning Center. (2019, December 12). Retrieved from https://critpath.org/health-information/mental-health/.