Hawaii is in the midst of a suicide epidemic, according to Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth.
Hawaii is in the midst of a suicide epidemic, according to Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth.
“Right now, those numbers are off the charts,” he said earlier this month.
Last year, suicide surpassed traffic fatalities as the No. 1 cause of death by injury in Hawaii. And the most recent data available through the Department of Health show that Hawaii Island has the highest death by suicide rate in the state.
During the five-year period from 2010-2014, Hawaii County had 952 nonfatal suicide attempts and 180 deaths due to suicide. That means that 96.1 people per 100,000 on the island attempt and die from suicide, well above the next highest rate of 76.6 people per 100,000 on Kauai. Maui’s rate was 76, and Honolulu’s was 53.1. The state average is 62.6 suicide deaths per 100,000 people.
Experts say the causes of the disparity between the Big Island and the rest of the state are hard to pin down. But, as is the case with many other health-related issues, socioeconomic factors, as well as the shortage of mental health-care providers on the island and the large geographic distances clients must travel to seek care all play a role.
JoAnne Balberde-Kamali‘i works as a behavioral health specialist in East Hawaii for the Department of Education and spends much of her time counseling students and training faculty, staff and others about how to spot the warning signs of suicide and how to get help for people thinking about suicide.
While she doesn’t agree that Hawaii County is seeing epidemic levels, Balberde-Kamali‘i said that “the island does have a high number of suicides happening here.”
“Last fall, a teacher did a survey of 130 students, and there were three main concerns (among) students that they identified: stress, relationships and suicide.”
On top of the usual concerns like grades and dating, teenagers are increasingly having to worry about friends and family members possibly taking their own lives, she said. And many may be contemplating suicide as an option for themselves.
But recent efforts to train members of the community have provided another avenue for students to find help.
“We’re working with students to help identify the signs of suicide,” Balberde-Kamali‘i said. “Our students are so loyal to their friends, and we want them to know they don’t have to be the ones to carry the weight of their friends wanting to commit suicide. They can be a bridge to get their friend to a responsible adult.
“We ask them, ‘Who would you trust? Think of one or two or three adults on campus who you would trust to go to and speak with.’”
Meanwhile, members of the East Hawaii Suicide Prevention Task Force have partnered with other agencies to provide a number of different training programs aimed at youth, adults and emergency responders. Those training sessions have so far prepared a total of about 800 Big Island residents to reach out to people thinking about suicide and to get them the help they need, Balberde-Kamali‘i said.
The most important part of talking about suicide is to ask the tough questions and to be frank, she added.
“‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ is always the hardest question for people to ask,” she said. “You can’t ask, ‘Are you thinking about hurting yourself?’ Hurting yourself and killing yourself are two very different things. … Some people worry about, if they ask if they’re committing suicide, they might be giving them ideas. But you’re not. It’s about being honest, and supportive and respectful.”
One thing you should never do, added task force board member Kimberly Thomley, is to belittle someone’s concerns, or make it sound like their problems are something they’ll easily get over.
“One thing I know NOT to say is, ‘This too shall pass,’” she said. “Never say that, because the person is in the deepest hole, and they have no solutions. And never say, ‘I know how you feel.’ No one can know how you feel.”
Having survived two suicide attempts herself, Thomley knows what she’s talking about. But, she said, “Every suicide is as individual as a fingerprint. I can’t possibly know how someone else is feeling. Every dark place is a different room.”
Being supportive and validating someone’s feelings is the most effective way to go, she said.
Ultimately, Balberde-Kamali’i says, helping people through tough times is all about being genuine and sincere.
“Just be there for them. You’d be surprised at how much you could help them,” she said.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Suicide Resources
Hawaii Department of Health Suicide Prevention and Counseling Line
1-800-753-6879
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
The East Hawaii Suicide Prevention Task Force can be reached at easthawaiisuicideprevention@gmail.com
P.O. Box 100, Hilo, HI 96721
The group meets the second Thursday of each month from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Aging & Disability Resource Center (Old Sun Sun Lau) at 1055 Kinoole St., Hilo 96720
Warning Sings of Suicide
- Talking about wanting to die
- Looking for a way to kill oneself
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or feeling isolated
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Displaying extreme mood swings
The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.
What to do:
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:
- Do not leave the person alone
- Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt
- Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
- Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional
What to say:
Validate feelings (you sound upset, it seems that you’re frustrated)
Validate the circumstances (I’m worried, how long has this been going on?)
Ask the tough questions – “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” “Have you ever felt so down that you thought of ending your life?”