(Statistics provided by the American foundation for Suicide Prevention.)
We have been a leader in this unfortunate category for as long as I can remember.
I personally have never had any suicidal thoughts and remain untouched by SAD, or any other depression causing maladies.
In fact I am typically a little too chipper, which often irritates those around me.
I DID once briefly work on a suicide hotline, but I was unable to empathize with their situation and kept wanting to say "Get over it slugger, tomorrow will be better day," which was not one of the sanctioned responses we were supposed to provide.
Simply put, I just don't get it.
Of course suicide is not the only unfortunate circumstance where Alaska leads the nation, we also have three times the number of rapes per capita than the national average, and we are in the top ten states with the highest homicide rate per capita.
When people say they want to move to Alaska I always say "Are you positive?"
This place is gorgeous and awe inspiring to be sure, but it is also often harsh and unforgiving. So if you are not a fairly tough person, with a positive outlook, you are undoubtedly about to become a statistic.
And not one of the good ones.
Hawaii has a high rate too.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. It is wise to do a bit of research before relocating. Paradise can be a nightmare. After every disaster is a migration and shifting of people looking for a new safe place to live unaware of the new danger.
ReplyDeleteSad statistics, but thank your for this post.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that AK was nationally #2 (with WY as #1)and that guns account for 50% of all suicides.
dowl
Suicide is hard on those left behind. Lasting trauma.
ReplyDeleteHowever, sometimes I do think this world is a personal hell or a stopover and it is fine if people want to move on.
Yes, they aren't the ones resting in peace.
DeleteDeprexxion and suicidal thoughts are not just a cognitive experience. Our body, our nervous system, makes choices for us all the time, faster than we can think, alerting us to what is dangerous and what isn't. and telling us to fight or flee - and if that doesn't work, to shut down. This phenomena isn't just people thinking things. Much of it is happening in the body. And like every other trait we have, our nervous systsem is very unique, and we each have strengths and weaknesses for enduring this and that - and then some of us have more, or less, to endure.
ReplyDeleteThere are ways to address such symptoms in somatic ways also.
It makes sense to me that it's hard for people who haven't experienced the desire to check out have difficulty empathizing with it. We all have difficulty empathizing with things that are beyond our life experience, and also, things that scare us.
Excellent, thanks.
DeleteA famous activist and previous Alaskan resident that has been able to deal with their suicidal tendencies is Dakota Meyer.
ReplyDeleteHe claims to have help and he wants to talk about the demons. Suddenly he had to get out of Alaska and he doesn't want to be negative about it, he may just want to forget his Alaskan experience and not in anyway help Alaskans. But he does say he has answers and he knows what works for his healing.
He has been clear since he left that his most recent move is permanent. Those who were born in Alaska and only lived in Alaska would not be as likely to solve suicidal tendencies by leaving the state.
Treatment in the state would be a better process to help those that are suicidal.
Hopefully states like Ak and Wy will open up about what is going on with their citizens and be more informative and active in dealing with this fatal problem.
I had forgotten about Dakota's suicidal incident. Everyone knows about one of Track Palin's incidents.
DeleteDakota has more recent been revisited by his demons. He is only saying so much about that but he is more open about his issues. He claims to have given up alcohol and drugs.
DeleteHe seems to know about suicidal tendencies. He rejects going to the VA for PTSD. But he must have gone at one time. He is on disability along with Bristol as a wife and the children he cares for.
He talks about giving back. He does not feel he deserves the MOH. So the medal and all the benefits, jobs, everything in his life that comes from that medal are undeserved.
The undeserved life. He could give back if he got serious about helping others and opening up about this deadly problem.
He wants to help veterans and soldiers. He doesn't seem to want to say much about why he had to suddenly leave Alaska. It seems it was a bad trip for him.
Dakota Meyer left Alaska and Brissie and his children? I missed that. When did that happen?
Delete2:08 PM, before the school year ended, maybe March or April, a still pregnant Bristol took her and Levi's son Tripp out of classes and fled Alaska again along with Dakota and at least one of her other kids. They are now sitting in a house in the suburbs of Austin, Texas.
Delete208 he talks about it some in the hanging out at the pool video. He likes to talk to people and answer questions. He doesn't say much. It is hard for me to hear him on my computer. I got that he lives near Austin and was building a pool. Brissie and Tripp are there, other babies must be in house. Not sure when they moved.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/pg/SgtDakotaMeyer/videos/?ref=page_internal
SAD sucks the life out of you. Living feels like dragging a bag of wet cement uphill in deep mud. Be very grateful you were blessed with an over-abundance of "chipper" neuro-transmitters.
ReplyDeleteThe whole country needs to be more informed and knowledgeable about this.
ReplyDeleteSigns & Symptoms of Suicidal Ideation
http://www.valleybehavioral.com/suicidal-ideation/signs-symptoms-causes
Are there any celebrity PSAs? This is a subject many of us don't want to think about, even when it has effected our lives we can turn away from this.
I hear that teens and young people are especially prone to suicide.
Young Alaska Native males have by FAR the highest rate/
DeleteThose celebrities that care about teen suicide do something from time to time. I think Bristol Palin did an event walk for suicide preventive. Her DWTS partner hooked her up, he had a sister or someone that committed suicide.
DeleteWhen Bristol worked at the doctor office in Alaska, they were a very close family. One of the other girls either committed suicide or was murdered. Bristol has been closely effected by suicide. She loves and promotes Alaska, she would be an ideal person to take this on and do something of value.
She now lives with a man with suicidal tendencies, he is in treatment. The Palins know all about this problem and they are living with it. They know what works for them.
Don't forget Track Palin. He is suicidal and wants to shoot and kill others. Not sure about his treatment, if he is getting any. The whole family is involved and can help others with this.
You know Sarah... "Buck up or stay in the truck."
This is no time to stay in the truck.
8:28 AM, smoking pot and pulling weights is not a curr for suicidal thoughts. Dakota refused VA treatment for his problems.
Delete"Can" help others. But never will. Probably against their religion.
DeleteTotally fukted up by their collective pathological greed.
Dakota was into Hiring Heroes last week, big summit. He hasn't had time to be into Texas and what is happening there. He is still transitioning and sharing. He is a big fish in the pond, making America stronger. He will get around to working with the suicide projects. It is something he cares about. He wants to help soldiers and their spouses. He may not know about the Alaskan statistics. I am sure he would do something if people let him know.
Delete"Dakota & I are Personal Branding Ambasadors"
https://twitter.com/hiringourheroes/status/902553938230075397
They also help military spouses.
https://twitter.com/MilSpouseMag/status/893569772696330240
Maybe we can get Trump to move to Alaska.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Lmao
DeleteWhere is Track Menard Palin?
ReplyDeleteSome have said Track is or was in re-hab. Doubt that would last long. He was suicidal or so they claimed when he terrorized the pregnant gf that hid under the bed when he was using the AK-15 to threaten her. She said he threatened to kill himself. Who knows, she may have said that to protect him. You can feel sorry for a dope that wants to die, a dope that just wants to kill someone is not so sympathetic.
DeleteWhat kind of re-hab would he do? Some re-hab is about as bad as the initial problem and it is useless. Or it makes matters worse later on.
Some re-hab is about giving addicts prescribed drugs that will addict them more. That can keep him under control for a time. It doesn't last and the bad parts are worse. Not safe for the community. Especially his targets.
Track always wants to fight with Todd. The babies, the baby mommas and Todd are in the most danger. They may be suckered in to trust him again during the nice phase. You know when you couldn't meet a nicer guy and he's sorry.
It is SAD that the first leading cause of death is suicide for the 10-24 y/o age group. TEN YEAR OLDS committing suicide??? There is something very, very wrong with that picture!
ReplyDeleteTEN YEAR OLDS committing suicide???
DeleteTragic.
When I heard Tripp Johnston say he wanted to be a sniper, I thought, how sad. He is like 10 or 11?
When I think of snipers I think that is a job where suicidal tendencies are a job requirement.
Young kids in war torn third world countries want to grow up to kill and be snipers.
But a middle class white kid in the suburbs? What kind of horror has he known? Or was it all just training to want to kill? How else can he feel tough and cool?
'allegedly' 'undetermined'
ReplyDeleteThis is sad. More sad how she was treated after her death.
Autumn Browning (39) allegedly took her own life
http://mydeathspace.com/article/2014/12/21/Autumn_Browning_(39)_allegedly_took_her_own_life