By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – St. Tammany Coroner Dr. Charles Preston has released a comprehensive study of the record number of suicides in the parish in 2014, all coming as the parish is on track to have an even higher number of suicides in 2015.
Preston has reviewed the cases involving the 47 individuals who took their life in 2014, an all-time record for St. Tammany Parish, but for all the data he has looked over, the coroner still acknowledges there is only so much that can be done to prevent it.
“Combating suicide is a complex problem that requires a concerted effort on many fronts,” he said. “I wish there were more answers. But when you look at the 47 suicides in 2014 there are 47 different stories about what led to them.”
The parish averaged 19.4 suicides per 100,000 people in 2014, far higher than the national average of 12.3 suicides per 100,000 people.
And to date through March, 2015 there have already been 18 suicides in St. Tammany in only three months, which is tracking to end the year with 72 suicides.
In the first three months of 2015 there were six suicides in January, seven in February and five in March. Only once before in the past 13 years since the statistics have been compiled in St. Tammany have there ever been seven suicides in one month.
“Experts have shown that people with suicidal thoughts and actions are ambivalent about dying and that a connection to life, the living and the future can be life saving,” Preston said, suggesting friends and family need to connect with those showing suicidal tendencies or symptoms.
St. Tammany Parish began getting unwanted attention more than a decade ago when suicides began to climb in the early 2000s, reaching numbers considerably higher than the national average.
After the parish recorded between 28 and 33 suicides a year from 2002 to 2006, a spotlight was put on the problem when there were 41 suicides in 2007. Parish President Kevin Davis spearheaded efforts to create a task force of health care professionals, all offering some level of care for those needing mental health services. But still the numbers have risen.
While some of the reasons for the high number of 41 suicides in 2007 were attributed to post-Katrina depression many people were suffering with, the totals dropped back to 27 in 2008 before starting a steady climb in the upper 30s for five years in a row, before exploding to 47 in 2014. That trend appears to be continuing with the 18 suicides already through three months in 2015.
When Preston was elected coroner a year ago, filling the unexpired term of former Coroner Dr. Peter Galvan, he promised a close eye on the suicide situation to see what could be done.
After reviewing the alarming statistics from 2014, Preston said it still goes back to public awareness to seek help for mental issues, as well as early education so individuals know there is some help—even though the lack of mental health services in St. Tammany is an acknowledged problem.
“We need to get to the people who are contemplating suicide and let them know that things can improve,” he said. “Suicide is such an impulse tragedy and it occurs with people who are in pain and don’t see any way out—that’s why family and friends need to show support for someone who exhibits those tendencies.”
In reviewing the 47 suicides in 2014, Preston and his staff saw that 33 of the suicides were men and 14 were women, but one of the striking statistics uncovered showed that only four of the 47 were currently being treated for any form of mental illness, even though 30 of the 47 had a history or previous complaint of a mental illness symptom.
The vast majority of those committing suicide were Caucasians—45 out of 47—with only one African American and one Asian. The most common method of suicide was gunshot wound with 29 deaths occurring in that manner, while 13 were hangings or suffocation, and four were poisoning. One man bled to death without seeking medical attention because he was depressed from recent surgery, Preston said.
Most of the cases (37) occurred in western St. Tammany Parish, and of the others, eight were in Slidell and two in Lacombe.
Twenty-seven included an “inciting event,” such as the loss of a job or relationship. Twenty-four involved alcohol use, and 14 involved illicit drugs. Nine had a history of attempting suicide, while only four were currently undergoing treatment, although 17 were taking antidepressants.
“That only four cases involved people undergoing mental health care, but 17 were being treated for depression is a concern,” Preston said. “It seems many primary care physicians are prescribing psychiatric drugs without patients receiving counseling or other support during treatment. That’s not a criticism of PCPs, who may, in fact, be making counseling or psychiatric referrals and dealing with non-compliant patients. Rather, it underscores the need for awareness among patients: Medication alone will rarely address the condition.”
The parish has a strong volunteer group offering assistance with the problem, with the St. Tammany Outreach for the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) manning a 24/7 help line, which can lead to counseling help or assistance in finding mental health services. However, even with the attention to the issue in recent years, the numbers continue to rise.
Releasing more data, Preston reported alcohol was the most common substance involved (24), followed by anti-depressants (17). A total of 22 cases were positive for more than one substance at a time.
“We should encourage public awareness of the dangerous combination of alcohol and anger. Continued support of organizations such as the St. Tammany Outreach for the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) to help educate citizens to identify and reach out to people at risk for suicide will likely have a positive impact. Public resources such as 211 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273- TALK (8255) are readily available and can be as critical a lifesaving tool as a defibrillator is in the case of a heart attack. Most importantly, I think, we need to publicly continue the conversation about suicide and encourage early intervention for those considering this devastating decision,” Preston added.