[Report] Adult illicit drug users are far more likely to seriously consider suicide | Full Text Reports…

 

Adult illicit drug users are far more likely to seriously consider suicide 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From the 16 January SAMSHA news release ( US Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration)

Adults using illicit drugs are far more likely to seriously consider suicide than the general adult population according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report finds that 3.9 percent of the nation’s adult population aged 18 or older had serious thoughts about suicide in the past year, but that the rate among adult illicit drug users was 9.4 percent.

According to SAMHSA’s report, the percentage of adults who had serious thoughts of suicide varied by the type of illicit substance used. For example, while 9.6 percent of adults who had used marijuana in the past year had serious thoughts of suicide during that period, the level was 20.9 percent for adults who had used sedatives non-medically in the past year.

“Suicide takes a devastating toll on individuals, families and communities across our nation,” said Dr. Peter Delany, director of SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. “We must reach out to all segments of our community to provide them with the support and treatment they need so that we can help prevent more needless deaths and shattered lives.”

Those in crisis or who know someone they believe may be at immediate risk of attempting suicide are urged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or go to http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline network, funded by SAMHSA, provides immediate free and confidential, round-the-clock crisis counseling to anyone in need throughout the country, every day of the year.

This report, “1 in 11 Past Year Illicit Drug Users Had Serious Thoughts of Suicide,” is based on the findings of SAMHSA’s 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report. The NSDUH report is based on a scientifically conducted annual survey of approximately 70,000 people throughout the country, aged 12 and older.  Because of its statistical power, it is a primary source of statistical information on the scope and nature of many substance abuse and mental health issues affecting the nation.

The complete survey findings are available on the SAMHSA web site at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/spotlight/spot129-suicide-thoughts-drug-use-2014.pdf

For more information about SAMHSA visit: http://www.samhsa.gov/.

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Private chats become the new suicide hotline on Facebook — VentureBeat

 

 

Author’s comment….

A few years back I was in a Yahoo chat room conversing with someone who suddenly started talking about his suicidal thoughts.
Very quickly I was able to get ahold of a suicide hotline number and pass it on to him. He thanked me and left the room.
To this day I think about him, wondering if he called, and if he is OK……

 

Private chats become the new suicide hotline on Facebook 

From the 15 December 2011 Forbes article

Facebook unveiled a suicide prevention tool to give users a direct link to online counselors, illustrating the social network’s efforts to expand its role in responding to crises.

With the feature, friends can report suspected suicidal behavior by clicking a button next to any piece of content on Facebook. Users select “suicidal content” under the harmful behavior menu, prompting Facebook to email a direct link to the distressed user for a private online chat with a crisis representative from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The tool provides help to those who may not be comfortable picking up the phone or seeking other direct avenues for assistance.

The concerned friends, whose reporting of the behavior will be anonymous, will also receive a message that the issue is being addressed, according to Facebook, which will offer the tool for users in the U.S. and Canada.

The tool formalizes Facebook’s past assistance to users in times of distress. This summer, a Florida woman reportedly used Facebook to call for help after breaking her leg, and Facebook helped a Tennessee woman without a phone contact police after a robbery, illustrating the growing role social networks play in public safety.

In addition to these anecdotal uses, Facebook has been pursuing official ways the social network can help those in natural disasters and other crises….

…

The role Facebook played likely prompted the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, to explore how social media can help in federal efforts to help prepare and deal with such emergencies.

The HHS is developing a text message service that local authorities can broadcast to inform people during emergencies.

Related articles

• Facebook Offers Suicide Chat Hotline (forbes.com)
• Private chats become the new suicide hotline on Facebook (venturebeat.com)
• Facebook Provides First-of-a-Kind Service to Help Prevent Suicides (aa47.wordpress.com)
• Now You Can Report Suicidal Behavior To Facebook (businessinsider.com)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Teams Up with Facebook to… (psychcentral.com)
• Facebook launches new suicide alert button (seattlepi.com)
• Facebook launches new suicide alert button (sfgate.com)
• Facebook, Your Cell Phone Would Like You Not To Kill Yourself (sfist.com)
• Facebook, Google taking on social causes (vator.tv)
• Now You Can Report Suicidal Behaviors On Facebook To Help A Friend (psfk.com)
• Facebook doesn’t want you to kill yourself (canada.com)
• National Guard, Reservists Peer-to-Peer Hotline Unveiled (offthebase.wordpress.com)