The effect of suicide on families is something Frank Jäger can empathize with.
Not only does he deal with suicide cases regularly as Humboldt County’s Coroner, but his own father committed suicide — making the region’s growing problem hit a lot closer to home.
It hits close to home for many other local residents as well, with 34 people committing suicide in 2007 and, as of Saturday, 12 already this year.
A group of locals — some working in social services, health care or some just wanting help and answers regarding suicide — gathered at St. Joseph Hospital Saturday to discuss the issue with Jäger.
“It’s a preventable death through some kind of intervention, if the help is there,” Jäger said to the group looking for hope. “Unfortunately, we’re headed into a situation where we’ll have a crisis — budget-wise — to get people the help they need.”
Between 1990 and 2007, Jäger said that 468 people committed suicide in Humboldt County.
It’s a high rate, with Humboldt’s average suicide rate topping out at 25.6 a year per 100,000 people compared to the national rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people.
Jäger helped alter misconceptions of the group.
No, suicide can not be correlated with class or age or gender, really.
“You can point to the cloudy weather, or the bad economic conditions,” Jäger said. “But none of these seem to be the answer.”
Although, a connection Jäger has seen with those committing suicide is they often don’t have a religious connection in their lives and have depression or have medical problems of some kind.
The ages of people who commit suicide in Humboldt County vary, but Jäger said it is most often people between the ages of 40 to 60.
A question was brought up by a woman, who wished to remain anonymous, who came to the session to seek help.
She said people have confided in her that they want to kill themselves.
She doesn’t want to turn them away, but has choked up in the past in trying to find a way to talk to them so they don’t hurt themselves.
What would you say to a person in that situation?
“We’d all like to tell you there’s a magic sentence,” said Karolyn Stein, director of Humboldt County Mental Health. “(But) there isn’t. Encourage them to keep talking to you, and listen to what they’re thinking about doing, and then get help.”
Stein said it can be a vulnerable position for a person, but if you can get them to trust you, they can be involved in helping themselves.
In the end, Henry Willey, Far North Regional Director for the California Network of Mental Health Clients, said the most important thing to do to tackle the issue of suicide in Humboldt County is to stick together to find alternatives.
“Caring for each other, what ever happened to that?” he said. “We need to find structure to build community. The best part of community is unity and we need to pull together.”
Below are resources for those who may feel suicidal or who just want to talk:
+Humboldt County Mental Health crisis line, 707-445-7715.
+ National Alliance on Mental Illness, 707-444-1600.
+ 800-SUICIDE.
+ Family or friends.
+ 800-273-TALK National Suicide Prevention lifeline.
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I come from a family who experienced four suicides. I also tried to commit suicide myself in 1983. Thankfully I was unsuccessful but what I remember most that helped me through that very difficult period were the people who listened with nonjudgement and anyone who offered honesty about his/her own life. There is no magic answer but trusting your common sense gut can open kind, caring and trustworthy doors.
I do know this, disparaging anyone, criticizing or ignoring someone's plea and desperation don't work. Sometimes all a human being needs is to be listened to by a kind, compassionate and caring soul, not an automated professional just doing his/her job. And for God's sake don't propose sin, hell or any of those archaic, punitive religious condemnations. The more we empathize with each other with kindness, hearts, coalescing as a community, as the incomparable Henry suggested, the more we will help one another when life gets very discouraging and difficult. And it does. Thank you to Henry Wiley for his tireless support and hard work for everyone.
Elizabeth Tjader
Maybe you ought to look into how some of the community destroy other people and their lives. For all of the good generous people in this region there are a lot of sick, mean, deceitful people who have destroyed other's lives. And unless you have personally witnessed such behavior you will have now idea as to the depth of depravity some people go to in this community.