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December 12 is Global Bullying Prevention Day

December 12, 2012 will mark Global Bullying Prevention Day.    Participating students, teachers  and parents are asked to commemorate the day with twelve seconds of silence at 12 PM PST.   To honour the event, California legislators have advanced Bill SRC-100 to mark 12/12/12 a Bullying Prevention Day in the state of California.    Also promoting that special day is KidsResourse.org and its founder, Gerry Orz.  

In the short film available on his website titled Day of Silence, Gerry provides the following message:   “My name is Gerry Orz, founder of a non-profit organization, Kids Resource.  I am 10 years old and I would like to ask your help in promoting my message all around the world.  I have been bullied in school for so many reasons – too tall, gay parents, parent a foreigner, too honest, too Jewish…  I refused to feel like a victim but I had the support of my mothers and a brother and my voice was HEARD.  Not everyone was so lucky…”

Bullying can take many forms, all of them ugly.   Though news stories continue to report bullied students who lash out in violence, whether in the form of suicide or through shooting rampages punishing teachers and students alike, the epidemic of bullying continues.   Whether in the form of social ostracism, online harassment, or physical/sexual abuse, the toll bullying can take can be horrendous.   And that toll hardly ends when bullied children grow up.

To read more, check out the new post on my Psychology Today blog.  

Is the Recession Leading to Increased Suicides?

For the bailiffs attempting to foreclose on Amaia Egana’s condominium apartment in the town of Barracalo in northern Spain, it must have seemed routine enough.    Egana, a 52-year old former Socialist councillor, was just one of  the more than 400,000 people who fell behind in mortgage ayments and faced foreclosure since the start of Spain’s financial crisis.  As the bailiffs arrived at her fourth-floor flat on November 9 to evict her and change the locks, Amaia Egana jumped off the balcony and fell to her death. 

The rise in suicides linked to the international recession is hardly  limited to Spain however.   Along with news stories about suicide clusters in India and other developing nations related to economic hardship, health statistics are also pointing to rising suicides across Greece and Italy.  And the death toll appears to be spreading.  In a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, more than 1,000 suicides in the United Kingdom may be directly linked to the recession.  

To read more, check out my new blog post at the Psychology Today site.

Are Veterinarians at Risk for Suicide?

Suicide rates are elevated in the veterinary profession in several countries, yet little is known about possible contributory and preventive factors.  A recent interview study published in Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention was designed to obtain information from veterinarians with a history of suicidal ideation or behavior about the factors associated with suicidality in their profession.  The researchers conducted a mixed-methods interview study with 21 UK veterinarians who had attempted suicide or reported recent suicidal ideation. Interview topics included work and nonwork contributory factors, coping mechanisms, and preventive factors. Results showed that self-poisoning was the most common method used or considered by participants. Common contributory factors were workplace relationships, career concerns, patient issues, number of hours and volume of work, and responsibility, although two-thirds of participants reported co-occurring difficult life events. Around half had received a psychiatric diagnosis following their suicidal behavior. Several possible preventive measures were suggested by participants. The authors conclused that several work- and non-work-related contributory factors to suicidality in the veterinary profession were identified. Future preventive measures may involve better promotion of support services, formal support for recent graduates, and improving employers’ attitudes toward work-life balance.

For the abstract

When a Loved One Commits Suicide

Every year there are an estimated one million suicides worldwide and those numbers have been rising in many countries.   In the United States alone, that means 37,000 deaths due to suicide making it the tenth leading cause of death overall.   What impact does that have on people dealing with the suicide of a loved one?  And do they always get they need afterward?  

In recent years, self-help resources are becoming more common, whether online or through the various self-help books and booklets available at bookstores or in libraries.    How effective these resources can be is still open to question since actual research investigating their benefit is still limited. 

As a response to the 5500 suicide deaths that happen each year in the United Kingdom, the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England was launched in 2002.  As part of the comprehensive anti-suicide initiative, a self-help booklet titled Help Is At Hand was released in 2006.   Available in hardcopy and online, the booklet was developed by an advisory group made up of bereavement organizations, mental health professionals, law enforcement agencies and academics specializing in suicide research. 

To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post. 

October 11 Is National Depression Screening Day

How willing are you to see a doctor if you were experiencing symptoms of depression?

Although the stigma surrounding depression has decreased in recent years, a recent poll shows that as many as 28 per cent of Americans are still reluctant to admit to a physician that they are feeling depressed.   That same poll indicates that the likelihood of seeking help rises when people know others who have gone through depression themselves and that 67% believe that depression can be treated most of the time.  

While these numbers are encouraging,  there is a lot more that needs to be done in terms of educating people about the symptoms of depression and how to get help.   To raise awareness, Screening for Health, Inc.  has announced that October 11 is National Depression Screening Day (NDSD).   Since 1991, NDSD has been offering anonymous screening for depression at more than 1,000 sites across the United States.  These sites include social service agencies, hospitals, community health clinic and partcipating private practices.   There is also an online screening site with customized screening for military personnel and their families, college students, and members of the public.

Last year's NDSD was one of the most successful ever with 161 community events held across the country. More than 12,195 online screening being conducted during September and October with 3,739 depression screenings were conducted in person at participating locations.

Use one of the above links to learn more about NDSD and depression screening.  

To take a sample depression screening.

For a customized screening.

Dowry Deaths Continuing in India

For Manta Singh, an angry argument with her mother-in-law was apparently the last straw.   Shortly afterward, the 27-year-old mother of two jumped to her death from a fourth-floor apartment in Delhi's Vivek Vihar district.    Married for nine years, Singh had reportedly faced regular harassment from her in-laws and her husband over the size of her dowry which they insisted was inadequate.  Although her brother, Mukesh Singh alleges that she had been murdered instead, dowry-related suicides appear to be on the increase in India.    Manta Singh's death was one of three reported in Delhi during the same September weekend, all involving women who had faced abuse from  in-laws demanding larger dowries from their families.   Following one of these incidents in which a 28-year old bride hanged herself from a ceiling fan in a East Delhi neighbourhood, the woman's husband and mother-in-law were charged with abetting the suicide.  According to police, the suicide was directly linked to the abuse she had been receiving from her husband and family members.

While payment of dowry gifts has been formally prohibited under Indian law since 1961,  it is still commonly practiced in many parts of the country.  High-profile cases of bridal abuse has spurred calls for further crackdowns and stricter legislation although police are often reluctant to pursue formal complaints laid by brides and their families.  The Indian Law Commission has called for stringent anti-dowry legislation to be loosened so that family members charged with harassment can be freed on bail although women's groups in India maintain that anti-dowry legislation is actually causing more problems with domestic violence due to poorly defined conditions and inadequate implementation in many cases.   Any suspicious death occurring within seven years of marriage is often assumed to be a "dowry murder" whatever the actual circumstances. 

Whether or not the most recent deaths are prosecuted under current anti-dowry laws, there seems little doubt that the clash between ancient customs and current reality will continue for Indian society.

For more information.

Are Suicide Rates Declining Worldwide?

In a recent editorial in Crisis: the Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, two prominent suicide researchers examined recent WHO suicide statistics and compared them to suicide statistics from 20 years previously. The two researchers, Jose Manuel Bertolote of Brazil's Botucatu Medical School and Diego De Leo of Australia's Griffith University examined suicide statistics by age and sex for the most recent available period (2004 to 2009) and compared them to the 1992-1995 suicide statistics.

In overall number of suicide deaths, there appears to be a significant decrease in the most recent period compared to suicide rates from 20 years previously. Although men are still more likely to commit suicide than women (especially as they grow older), suicides have declined for almost all age groups.

To read more, check out the rest on my latest contribution to the Huffington Post.

Inuit Community Groups Prepare for World Suicide Prevention Day

To call attention to a suicide rate for Canada's Inuit that is eleven times higher than in the rest of Canada, Inuit commuinity groups are planning a series of public events across the country to mark the Tenth World Suicide Prevention day on September 10.

Held on September 10 each year, World Suicide Prevention Day is intended to raise awareness of suicide and how it can be prevented.    As part of their campaign to promote World Suicide Prevention Day, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)  has established a special website with resources and suggested activities to promote the event and the 2012 theme is : "Suicide Prevention across the Globe: Strengthening Protective Factors and Instilling Hope."  Over the past decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the IASP have been using World Suicide Prevention Day to increase public awareness about suicide prevention and to reduce the stigma and the conspiracy of silence that often goes with it. 

Read more.

The Van Gogh Perspective (Part 3 of 3)

Continued from Part 2

Van Gogh's Final Days

Vincent Van Gogh had a very personal reason for visiting Paris after leaving the asylum.  Not only had he never met his sister-in-law Johanna except through her letters, he was also eager to see his new nephew for the first time.   Although he and Johanna had been exchanging letters since her marriage to Theo, the meeting was important for both of them.  She would later write that "I had expected a sick man but here was a sturdy, broad-shouldered man, with a healthy colour, a smile on his face, and a very resolute appearance."  Van Gogh in turn described Johanna as "charming and very simple and nice".   Despite being with his family, Van Gogh was disturbed by "the noise and bustle" of Paris and was afraid of having a relapse.  

By May, 1890, he had left Paris and was safely settled in nearby Auvers-sur-Oise.  Now a suburb of Paris, the peaceful commune was a favourite hangout for artists.    In deciding that he should live there, Theo Van Gogh had arranged for his brother to say in the home of a homeopathic doctor and psychiatrist named Paul Gachet.   Since Dr. Gachet was an amateur painter himself, the Van Gogh brothers had decided that he would be the ideal doctor to oversee Vincent's recovery and allow him to continue his painting.   

Despite having numerous artists as patients (including August Renoir and Edouard Cezanne), Dr. Gachet had his own eccentricities and Van Gogh had problems with the treatment he received.  Van Gough eventually concluded that Dr. Gachet was "sicker than I am, I think, or shall we say just as much."    Although the doctor was full of advice on how his patient could recover (including giving up alcohol and smoking), Van Gogh refused to follow it    

If Van Gogh had been optimistic before coming to Auvers-sur-Oise, his misgivings about Dr. Gachet's treatment likely made him more depressed than ever.  Along with his depression, he also seemed more apprehensive about his condition getting worse.  Although Van Gogh's time there was one of his most productive periods with many fine works being produced (including a portrait of Dr. Gachet and his daughter), his letters to Theo were filled with concerns about his future prospects.  Theo in turn was worried about his brother as well as his own career as an art dealer. 

Despite hints that Van Gogh was slowly growing worse, what happened on July 27, 1890 took everyone by surprise.   After the sound of a shot was heard behind the Auberge Ravoux where he had been staying as a lodger, a severely wounded Vincent Van Gogh  stumbled into the chateau.   While his condition appeared to be stabilized at first (he was even smoking a pipe at one point),  he eventually slipped into a coma.  

According to medical sources, the attending physician underestimated how serious the wound was and made no attempt to remove the bullet.   Theo, summoned from Paris by an urgent telegram from Dr. Gachet, managed to arrive in time to have his brother die in his arms.  While no gun was ever found, there seemed little doubt that his death was a suicide. 

In describing Vincent's death, Johanna later wrote  that "Fear of the illness that was threatening him once again, or an actual attack drove him to his death."   Although Paul Gachet faced considerable criticism over his patient's suicide just ten weeks after treatment began, he defended himself by pointing out that Vincent failed to follow much of the actual advice that he had been given.   Vincent was buried in Auvers-sur-Oise.

The Aftermath

And Vincent Van Gogh wasn't the only casualty.   Theo, grieving over his brother's death and guilt-stricken over being able to prevent the suicide, developed serious medical problems of his own.   His health had already been poor and he never recovered from the shock of losing Vincent.   Just a month after settling Vincent's last will and testament (he was the executor), Theo began experiencing severe headaches and mood swings as well as terrible nightmares.  

He quit his job and eventually broke down completely by the middle of October when he was admitted to a Paris clinic with a possible stroke.   His condition worsened and Johanna took him home to the Netherlands where he died on January 25, 1891.  He was only 33 years old. 

Although the official cause of death was dementia paralytica (possibly syphilis-related), the emotional trauma of his brother's suicide likely played a major role.  While he was first buried in his native country, Theo's body was exhumed in 1914 and
buried next to his brother in France. 

As for Johanna, although she later remarried, she continued to act as a major driving force in promoting the memory of Vincent and Theo Van Gogh until her own death in 1925. 

Already praised for his amazing art during his lifetime, Van Gogh's reputation grew steadily after his death.    The extensive collection of letters that he wrote were first published in annotated form by Johanna in 1913.   Along with providing a compelling look at the lifelong friendship between Vincent and Theo,  the letters also show Vincent's  relationship with some of the most famous artists of his time (including Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec) and the emotional support that he depended on for so long.   Although the letters were originally undated, careful work by Van Gogh's various biographers, as well as historians associated with the Van Gogh Museum have made the letters an imp0rtant resource for art historians and psychologists alike.

The letters may be a good resource for people coping with mental illness as well.   Despite his tragic death, Vincent Van Gogh coped successfully with his mental illness for many years with the help of caring family members.    The symptoms that Vincent carefully described in his letters are ones that many people with psychiatric problems need to wrestle with on a daily basis.  His sad fate also demonstrates the need for prompt intervention and a good relationship between patients and their caregivers.  

Would Vincent have been as great an artist with modern medical treatment available (including medication)?  Could he have lived longer and provided the world with even more amazing paintings?  Some questions can never be answered.

 

 

How Effective Are Media Guidelines for Reporting on Suicides?

The media have a powerful influence on those at risk of suicide. Evidence linking sensational media reporting with imitative suicidal behavior continues to grow, prompting the widespread development of guidelines for media professionals on the reporting of suicide. While such guidelines have been widely implemented, only a small amount of research has addressed their use and effectiveness. An article published in a recent issue of Crisis:The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention presented the results of a systematic literature review aimed at critically evaluating the evidence concerning the use and effectiveness of media guidelines for reporting on suicide.  All research publications that addressed the effectiveness of media guidelines against a variety of outcome measures were examined.  The findings highlight cases in which guideline implementation has successfully mitigated imitative suicides. Significant variability in the effect of guidelines on the quality of suicide reporting was observed between studies, and research suggests journalist awareness, use, and opinion of guidelines is generally low. The critical positive effects of media collaboration and training on reporting are noted.  Overall, the findings of this review suggest that the guidelines can change reporting style and prevent imitative suicide, but that approaches centered on consultation, collaboration, media ownership, and training are likely to achieve the greatest success.

For the abstract.