Local suicide crisis lines see influx of inquiries

On June 5, fashion designer Kate Spade died by suicide. Three days later, chef Anthony Bourdain also killed himself.

As much of America and elsewhere react to the deaths of these household names, Iowa mental health professionals say they are seeing an increase in inquiries at area crisis centers - a sign, they say, of the heightened awareness of the issue of suicide.

As details of these celebrities' deaths become public knowledge, the risk of more people attempting death by suicide increases, some experts say. Spade's sister, for example, has said Spade 'seemed fixated” on Robin Williams's death in 2014, according to the Kansas City Star.

Pat McGovern, data manager and suicide prevention coordinator at the Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines, said seeing someone else take their own life - no matter how close they are to that person - to some extent can normalize suicide.

For individuals who agonize over the decision whether to kill themselves, seeing another successfully complete the act is like being shown a path down that road.

In addition, the fact that these conversations only happen publicly is after a high profile suicide 'really keeps it in the closet,” said Theresa Graham-Mineart, licensed mental health counselor and associate executive director of recovery services at Cedar Rapids-based Abbe Center for Community Mental Health.

'Having the conversation about suicide is important on a regular basis,” she said.

Graham-Mineart added that having these conversations does not increase the likelihood of someone dying by suicide.

Call volumes rise

But there may be a silver lining, of sorts, to these public conversations. McGovern said they can lead to more people reaching out for help.

Both crisis centers in Johnson and Linn counties have seen an influx in calls to their crisis outreach phone numbers and online chats, officials have said.

However, the Iowa City-based Crisis Center of Johnson County and the Cedar Rapids-based Foundation 2 say they are hearing more frequently from 'third-party callers” - individuals who know someone who may be in crisis. These individuals are concerned for family members or loved ones who may have expressed suicidal thoughts and feelings.

While there's a better recognition of these signs and symptoms, these individuals are calling 'because they don't know what to do” to help, Foundation 2 Executive Director Emily Blomme said.

On June 6 and 7 - in the days following Spade's death - the call volume at Foundation 2 increased 25 percent compared to the previous week, Blomme said.

On June 8 and 9 - following Bourdain's death - call volume climbed 65 percent from the previous week, Blomme said.

Blomme said the typical protocol for staff at Foundation 2, located in Cedar Rapids, is to play it by ear. But additional backup staff may be brought in after a well-known death, she added.

In the five weeks before the week of June 6, the Crisis Center of Johnson County saw an average of about 45 calls and chats a day, spokeswoman Sara Sedlacek said. The week after the deaths of Spade and Bourdain, the center saw about 52 calls and chats a day on average.

However, Sedlacek also noted Johnson wouldn't see any major increases as its call capacity is capped by the number of volunteers. She noted the Crisis Center is in 'desperate need” of more volunteers.

Amid the national dialogue on these celebrity deaths, a report released July 7 by federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found suicide rates increased by more than 30 percent in half of U.S. states between 1999 and 2016.

In Iowa, suicide rates increased 36 percent over that period, according to the report.

The numbers are increasing across demographics, so the increase is not being driven by one segment of the population.

And overall, it is difficult to discern why suicide rates are increasing, McGovern said.

'Suicide is a complex issue,” McGovern said. 'There are so many factors that do play a role, so it's really hard to tease out what's going on.”

However, Graham-Mineart theorized that the rates may have increased in part due to a better understanding of suicide.

'It indicates that we're better about recognizing when suicide happens. Sometimes it wasn't accurately recognized,” Graham-Mineart said.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau reporter Erin Murphy contributed to this article.

Having Suicidal Thoughts? How to Get Help

These hotlines and websites are resources for those contemplating death by suicide, or for those who fear a loved one may be having suicidal thoughts or feelings:

' National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 800-273-8255, suicidepreventionlifeline.org

' Your Life Iowa - call 855-581-8111, text 855-895-8398, yourlifeiowa.org

' Iowa Concern Hotline - 800-447-1985, extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern

' Foundation 2 - 319-362-2174 or 800-332-4224, or text 800-332-2174

' Crisis Center of Johnson County - 1-855-325-4296

' 24/7 online Iowa Crisis Chat - www.iowacrisischat.org.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Here are some frequent signs of someone who is having suicidal thoughts, according to Theresa Graham-Mineart, licensed mental health counselor and associate executive director of recovery services at Abbe Center for Community Mental Health:

l It is common for that individual to talk about wanting to die, or to talk about suicide as an option.

l Expressing feelings of being a burden and/or that people would be better off without him or her.

l Expressing hopelessness.

l Voicing feelings of being trapped or in pain.

l Increased use of alcohol or drugs.

l Acting or behaving recklessly.

l Has made previous attempts to die by suicide.

l Exhibiting a sudden personality change.

Graham-Mineart noted a sudden personality change often is presented as an improvement - the individual is calmer, or even happier. When a person has made the decision to kill himself or herself, it's often presented as a relief after the constant back and forth debate.

'A lot of people believe that if an individual is preparing to kill themselves, they would be depressed,” she said. 'But if they had been thinking about it for some time, if they make a decision, you actually see an improvement in mood.”

HOW TO HELP

An important factor to keep in mind when interacting with someone with a mental health condition is that 'a person doesn't have to be a mental health professional to help a loved one who is in crisis,” said Emily Blomme, Foundation 2 executive director.

If someone tells you she or he have suicidal thoughts or feelings, Graham-Mineart recommended two steps:

l Don't panic - be as calm as possible, and thank the individual for sharing.

l Ask the individual if that person has told anyone else or talked with anyone who can help.

Graham-Mineart said suicidal thoughts and feelings can be incredibly isolating, so it's important to keep the individual connected - ask the person to reach out to their primary care provider, a local mental health crisis specialist, a religious leader or anyone who could offer support.

'The idea is not to be the only one that knows,” she said.

Graham-Mineart said never to agree to keep the feelings a secret. Work with that individual to find help, and continue to check in and have that conversation.

l Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com