My heart goes out to the families of those who died by suicide. I, too, had a family member who took his own life and it was reported in our local newspaper. It was one of the reasons I became involved with NAMI, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Idaho ranks seventh in the nation in the number of suicides per capita. In 2007, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 220 deaths by suicide, of which 79 were between the ages of 15 and 34. It's impossible to talk about suicide without talking about depression. Untreated depression is the No. 1 cause of suicide. The truly sad fact is that depression is very treatable; about 80-90 percent of people with depression recover with treatment.
When my family experienced this horrible tragedy, there weren't any treatments available and mental illness was hidden from view because of the shame. Today, though, depression is acknowledged as a serious medical illness that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment, and there are numerous medications available. Mental illness is akin to diabetes in that it can be a life-threatening illness, and the symptoms can be managed with treatment.
It's so important that family, friends and we as community members be able to recognize depression so we can help someone who is ill. All suicides may not be preventable, but usually suicide is not a spur-of-the-moment act; it is contemplated over a long period of time.
We urge you to learn about the signs of depression. You can go to NAMI's Web site at www.nami-wrv.com or to www.suicide.org for additional information. And, please, if you ever have the slightest reason to believe someone is suicidal, don't ignore it. Get help immediately.
Kathryn L. Olson
Hailey
