can you handle the truth?

It is very hard to face up to this - people commit suicide in this country at alarming rates. The numbers do not tell the full story - how could they. They record successful attempts and not the other multiple attempts. They must fit a certain criteria before they are recorded as suicide and this ensures - what? half are recorded as suicide? a third?

Stuff

Former Chief Coroner Neil MacLean said the number of recorded suicides in New Zealand should be taken "with a large grain of salt".
"Some people could fall through the gaps because just relying on raw suicide numbers isn't giving us the true number," he said.
Judge MacLean said each case was judged on whether the evidence proved the person deliberately intended to take their life.

"That would include making a determination that it wasn't just an accident or indulging in risky behaviour without thinking of the consequences," he said.

We want to blame - their fault, his or her fault, or this issue or that issue. None of that is really helping because it isn't getting to the heart of the issue.

I'm going to talk about that and some ideas for solutions over the next couple of posts.

indigenous suicide rates and wtf can we do about it. Part 2 - solutions

While researching solutions to the high Indigenous suicide rates I came across an excellent article on Intercontinental Cry that really cuts to the chase.

Yet, perhaps the most compelling evidence to date connecting cultural continuity – and specifically, language retention – with reductions in First Nation suicide rates came in 2007, from research team, Hallett, Chandler and Lalonde. Their analyses demonstrated that rates of language retention among First Nations had the strongest predictive power over youth suicide rates, even when held amongst other influential constructs of cultural continuity. Their conclusions hold shocking implications about the dire importance of native language preservation and retention efforts and interventions.

“The data reported above indicate that, at least in the case of BC, those bands in which a majority of members reported a conversational knowledge of an Aboriginal language also experienced low to absent youth suicide rates. By contrast, those bands in which less than half of the members reported conversational knowledge suicide rates were six times greater.”

It is important to drive this point home. In the First Nation communities where native language retention was above 50 per cent (with at least half of the community retaining or acquiring conversational fluency) suicide rates were virtually null, zero. Yet in the bands where less than half of community members demonstrated conversational fluency in their native tongue, suicide rates spiked upwards of 6 times the rates of surrounding settler communities.

Indigenous activists and supporters will call out the effects of colonisation and the great losses suffered by indigenous people as significant to the hopelessness that many indigenous people feel and which is externalised in suicide and self harming. And language and community and connection and knowledge are integral parts of the indigenous experience missing for many. The research detailed above suggests a strong connection between language use and suicide rates. We must do more research here to confirm what many of us have suspected - the cutting of cultural ties and the systemic belittling and isolating of indigenous people from their culture, especially youth, is a major factor in the very high rate of suicide among indigenous people.

The article also linked to this article

Explaining the source these crises is relatively straightforward. But communities know the solutions, too: authentic opportunities for the full reclamation of our identities – our languages, our cultures, our traditions and our relationship with the land and waters. This would require restored jurisdiction, honoured treaties, health care and education. This would bring an end to being forced to live in conditions of poverty.

We believe, and are supported by the Indigenous academic and policy research on suicide in First Nation and Inuit communities, that colonization is the problem. The obvious solution, then, is to end the colonization.

 This answer is not the one the majority in society want to hear, this answer gets in the face of those who would deny indigenous people their rightful place, that would deny tangata whenua the equal partnership via the Treaty. Listen to what we are saying - listen to those affected - listen to the solutions and then help put them in place. If not, then the horror thought that society just doesn't care about the suicide of so many indigenous people, will be proven.

indigenous suicide rates and wtf can we do about it

Indigenous suicide rates are well above other groups. What do we do about this?

I work with DBT to help people with high suicidal ideation, high self harm urges and high emotion dysregulation. It is just a small drop in a large bucket but it is all I can do within the resources available.

There are lots of statistics about the terrible crisis this is, for instance in this country

from 2010

The Māori youth suicide rate was 35.3 per 100,000 Māori youth population: more than 2.5 times higher than that of non-Māori youth (13.4 per 100,000).There were 104 Māori suicide deaths in 2010. This represents an age-standardised rate of 16.0 per 100,000 Māori population.There were 10.4 non-Māori deaths per 100,000 population (age-standardised) in 2010.The age-standardised rate for Māori self-harm hospitalisations in 2010 was the highest since 2001 (83.6 per 100,000 Māori in 2010).The age-standardised rate for non-Māori self-harm hospitalisations dropped markedly (by 28.7%) between 1996 and 2010.

and 2011

In 2011 the total Māori suicide rate was 1.8 times higher than the non-Māori suicide rate. There were 108 Māori suicide deaths. This represents an age-standardised rate of 16.8 per 100,000 Māori population (compared with 9.1 non-Māori deaths per 100,000 population).
The Māori youth suicide rate for 2011 was 36.4 per 100,000 Māori youth population (compared with 15.1 per 100,000 non-Māori population). This means the Māori youth suicide rate was 2.4 times higher than the equivalent rate for non-Māori youth.
In summary, the subgroups of the New Zealand population with the highest suicide mortality rates in 2011 were males, Māori (compared with non-Māori), male youth (those aged 15–24 years) and those residing in the most deprived (quintile 5) areas. Māori males and Māori youth showed particularly high suicide mortality rates.

and 2012

The Māori youth suicide rate was 2.8 times the non-Māori youth rate (48.0 per 100,000 Māori youths compared with 17.3 per 100,000 non-Māori youths).Over the 10 years from 2003 to 2012, Māori youth suicide rates have been at least 1.7 times the non-Māori youth suicide rates.Māori had an age-standardised suicide rate of 17.8 per 100,000 Māori, compared with the non-Māori rate of 10.6 per 100,000 non-Māori.In 2012, Māori accounted for nearly 20% (563) of all intentional self-harm hospitalisations.The age-standardised rate for Māori was 85.0 per 100,000 Māori compared with 68.0 per 100,000 non-Māori.

Those statistics should make us all feel sick. And indigenous communities around the world suffer the same disproportionate suicide rates, for instance in Canada we have this horrible scenario

Canada's Parliament held an emergency debate Tuesday on the suicide crisis in a remote aboriginal community after 11 people, nine of them minors, attempted suicide over the weekend and more than a dozen youths were overheard making a suicide pact. 

Lawmaker Charlie Angus, who represents the northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat, said in Parliament that the crisis has shocked the world and people are asking how Canada can leave so many people behind. Attawapiskat, population 2,000, declared a state of emergency Saturday. There have been about 100 suicide attempts since September and at least one death.

When minors start trying to kill themselves we are really in the end times and we really have to act to help them.

There is a conference coming up that I am going to attend - the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference 2016.

Somehow, someway we must create hope and choices for indigenous people thinking suicide is the answer. Somehow we have to do this and creating cultural connection is part of it, creating connections of all types. See you at the conference.

saving people

Some statistics are stark in their brutality and suicide statistics tell a story that is appalling and a blight upon our society

Stuff

11 people every week commit suicide in this country

NZ has the highest rate of youth suicide in the OECD

New Zealand's suicide toll is 50 per cent higher than the road toll.

More New Zealanders under the age of 25 die from suicide than from all medical causes combined.

Suicides of 10-14-year-olds increased 60 per cent between 2007 and 2010.

New Zealand's youngest known suicide victim was a 6-year-old.

Suicide rates of Maori and Pacific youth are 70 per cent higher than those of other young New Zealanders.

The most common age for Maori and Pacific people to take their lives is 15-19.

Source: CASPER (an organisation for those bereaved by suicide)

A 6-year old committing suicide beggars belief. 

What a nightmare - for those who decide this is the best option, for friends, family and whānau left behind and for communities and the country as a whole. Many of us have been there - in so much despair, so much pain that we think the best option is to end it. What to do? Talking about it and understanding the pressures that cause people to go there are valuable and an excellent initiative is underway for the deep south

Stuff

Suicide prevention strategies for Maori will be discussed at a hui in Bluff next week. Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Trust Maori health promoter Leoma Tawaroa said the "silent issue" of suicide needed to be discussed so appropriate prevention strategies could be developed to help address the issue.

A Kia Piki te Ora Maori Suicide Prevention Hui will be held in Bluff and will be open to the public on Wednesday. It will include presentations on suicide prevention from agencies and people such as comedian Mike King and Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene. The Ministry of Health, the Mental Health Foundation, district health boards, Lifeline Aotearoa, Kia Piki te Ora sites and other professionals and community will attend.

Kia Piki te Ora focused on suicide prevention, raising awareness and highlighting the fact everyone had a place in the world.

The Southern District Health Board last week said there was a suicide in Southland every three weeks.

This initiative is so needed and thank goodness that there are good people working in this very important area. We must give our young people hope and that hope has to come from kaupapa and tikanga and creating a sense of worth, of value. Our society is focused on the individual, on profit and exploitation, on capitalism and neo-liberalism and all of those factors contribute towards out appalling record in suicide.

The Maori youth suicide rate was 35.3 per 100,000 Maori youth population which was more than 2.5 times higher than non-Maori youth. (13.4 per 100,000) 

It is too late to save them when they have gone - we need to save them NOW, we need to give people hope NOW and we need to talk about this disgusting blight on our society NOW. Do your bit and connect with those young people around you, your friends, your family your whānau. 

Do it NOW.

keep your eyes open

News that Youthline has had a massive surge in calls is a real worry. Don't forget those latest (2007) suicide statistics which showed young maori men kill themselves more than 4 times more than the national average. Now is the time to be there for our rangatahi, now is the time to be available to them, to talk and listen to them. This time of year creates big pressures and many of us have not been taught very good coping skills. When it gets really tough there doesn't appear to be any way out, the answers are just not there. Keep your eyes open and spend some time with your tamariki and mokopuna.

From stuff

"A major increase in calls to a youth helpline points towards "disconnect and distress" in society, Youthline chief executive Stephen Bell says.

This Christmas has seen a rise of nearly 70 per cent in telephone calls to the help line compared to the same period last year.

A survey of calls received on Christmas Day showed prevailing concerns included self harm, eating disorders, relationships (particularly with family), friendships, loneliness and the loss of friends, through death or otherwise.

A survey by the organisation of 600 youths in October found that embarrassment was the leading cause that prevented young people from seeking help. "There is always a danger that, if people need help and don't seek it, they will continue to withdraw from those around them putting themselves more at risk," Mr Bell said.

It is positive that people are seeking help but invariably they will be the tip of the iceberg. A large number of young people will be struggling and embarrassed that they are struggling. Keep your eyes open. Thanks.

helping our people

This release, reported in the NZ Herald confirms what many know. Although the general trend in suicides appears to be falling, sadly maori and especially young maori men kill themselves more than other groups.

The 2007 suicide rates show that maori kill themselves at a rate of 16.1 people per 100,000 population compared to non-maori at 9.9 per 100,000 population.

Young maori men kill themselves at a rate of 39.5 per 100,000 population.

This is a tragedy that affects us all. What is wrong with our society that maori kill themselves nearly twice as much as non-maori and young maori men kill themselves at four times the overall rate?

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. We must front up to this. I don't know if i'd call it a maori problem - it affects us all. But more maori are killing themselves and we have to help. We have to provide support and hope, for them and their whanau and the community as a whole.

The consumerist culture based around selfishness and exploitation is not our natural way, for maori or anyone. Community and connection is actually more natural.

Truth is also the key. Why hide the deaths via euphamisms - 'coroner is investigating... no suspicious circumstances...' We have to front up to the truth otherwise we won't be able to find solutions.

There is no doubt that understanding and pride in culture can lead to higher self esteem. How do the young people feel when they see and hear the arguments in society about race, from hone to mike laws. Our people deserve to hear solutions too.

Part of the problem is talking about depression. We have all suffered depression or have a loved one that has. It is tough. To lose hope and fell hopeless is terrible. Trying to guilt someone or cajole them out of it doesn't work. Ignoring it can make it worse. About the only thing that works is talking and being there for the person. It wears supporters down though, it takes a lot of love. What else is there to do? Drugs? They just deal with the symptoms not the cause. Therapy? yes a good option. I wonder if there is any maori-style-group-conference-support style system that are used around the country?

I think we all recognise the symptoms, we're just not sure what we can do to help. Communities would be the answer here. If we talk about what is happening then people know and they can help. It doesn't have to be a hidden-away thing - we can front up to it, together. Just think about what happens now - isn't it worth considering all ideas? But many people don't have close communities near by- we battle on pretty well alone. I don't think the government can help us. It is going to have to develop from the communites we all live in.

There are many worthwhile ideas and people helping in this area, such as depression.org, and suicide prevention website. I wonder how iwi and runaka are supporting their people and interacting with the government support - I am sure there are many heroics going on. What are the answers - any ideas?