‘It should be normal’: Talking about suicide to save lives

Every year in Butte County, an average of 32 people die by suicide. That number is 59% higher than the state average.

While that rate remains elevated, officials say it’s actually decreased over the last 10 years.

Butte County Department of Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly said that’s a good sign and partly due to a concerted effort to expand local mental health services.

“We've added a lot more suicide intervention programs, we did a lot more prevention programs in the schools, we've beefed up our crisis teams,” he said. “We also embark in a lot of campaigns.”

Right now, the department is running a campaign to make the county’s suicide statistics known through billboards, commercials and social media ads.

The campaign has been “very polarizing but successful,” Kennelly said. It was launched in March, and he’s gotten a lot of feedback on it so far.

“I get calls like, ‘that billboard led to this discussion with my 12-year-old kid about suicide or about addiction, and it was great. We've never talked about it before, and I found out he was feeling lonely,’” Kennelly said.

Some people, however, have expressed concerns that talking about suicide openly could normalize the issue, make it worse, or give the area a bad reputation.

But Kennelly said that’s one of the biggest myths about mental health.

“Talking about suicide and the fact that it happens in the community does not cause people to also rampantly go out and kill themselves,” he said.

Residents in rural areas are often at higher risk for suicide than those in urban ones, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That trend holds true for many Northern California counties, which often report higher suicide rates than other parts of the state.

Anjeanette Andrade, program coordinator for Butte County’s Suicide Prevention Program, told NSPR that higher gun ownership and a larger senior population in the region may both be contributing factors, as firearms are one of the most commonly used methods of suicide, and suicide rates are higher among older adults.

Kennelly said rural areas also often have a higher number of factors linked to adverse childhood experiences, including poverty, domestic violence, divorce and substance abuse.

He said all can have a lasting impact on mental health, and people living in rural areas often have fewer resources available to them.

There are a lot of misconceptions about mental health. Kennelly said it should be treated just like any other kind of health issue or care.

“It's like dental health, physical health, your eye, your vision — you have to get checked up,” Kennelly said. “You have to get help when you need it. And it should be normal. It should just be part of your whole body, not separate, or something to be ashamed of.”

If someone suspects a person they know to be suicidal, Kennelly said one of the best things to do is check in with them often.

Angel Huracha

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NSPR

He also said it’s OK to ask them directly if they’re thinking about suicide or hurting themself, even though the question can feel difficult.

“We've had suicidal individuals say, ‘I think I'm really glad my counselor asked me that question, because I felt safe to say something,’” Kennelly said.

If someone is feeling suicidal, Butte County has help available.

Kennelly encourages people who are feeling suicidal to utilize Butte County’s 24/7 crisis hotline — 530-891-2810. That’s because the national 988 crisis hotline is operated outside of the area.

“Someone in Sacramento can be helpful, but they don't know the local resources,” Kennelly said. “Our crisis teams are very aware of all the providers in the community and the resources and can help.”

Kennelly said expressing feeling of being suicidal doesn’t mean a person needs to be hospitalized and there are many options for help.

Butte County’s crisis teams can connect people with outpatient centers, drug and alcohol treatment and school counseling.