BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, September 9th, 2021
On September 10, we observe World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD); A day that provides the opportunity for organizations and individuals to unite to promote suicide prevention awareness. Waismann Method Opioid Specialists and Treatment Center is joining this occasion to open the conversation and spread the word about actions we, as a society, can take to promote healing and prevent this continuous tragic loss of life.
Although suicide efforts are not always successful, it is vital to be aware of the risk factors that can increase the risks of someone to consider or attempt to end their life. For this reason, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides information to help those at risk or their loved ones to identify common warning signs. It also presents the public with resources and ways to get involved and be part of the solution.
Waismann Method® founder and director Clare Waismann, a Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) and Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor (SUDCC), said hidden emotional pain — and the associated depression — could be the culprit behind suicide attempts and overdose deaths.
“The lack of accessible and effective mental healthcare has plagued our society resulting in the destruction of countless people’s lives for far too long. A person in crisis should receive a timely and effective response that will guide them to treatment based on dignity and medical science. We, as a country, can do more and surely, much better.”
Throughout this challenging last year and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a second epidemic looming. It’s an overdose crisis, and the number of people dying from fentanyl overdose continues to rise. In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reported an overall drop in the suicide rate from the previous year. But they also revealed overdose deaths, most involving opiates, spiked by 11 percent. In fact, the CDC places 2021 on track for a record-breaking number of lives lost.
The relationship between suicide and drug overdose is tricky; they are both significant causes of mortality. Overdoses accounted for nearly 93,400 deaths in 2020, according to CDC data. It is difficult to tell the difference between intentional and accidental overdoses, however. Precise, current data about these overdoses is limited, so the actual suicide rate is likely underestimated. Research from Harvard shows that more than 70 percent of suicide attempts involve less than an hour of consideration or planning.
“I often wonder how many classified overdoses are actually unintentional suicides,” she said. “When emotional pain becomes overwhelming, people may become hopeless and desperate. Their only focus becomes stopping the pain, regardless of whether they live or die. In many cases, drugs are the weapon of choice.”
Depression is a serious illness that affects brain chemistry, and it can be significantly impacted by genetics, hormonal levels, medical conditions, and substance abuse. Stress, anxiety, loneliness, and life changes, such as job loss, can prompt feelings of guilt and hopelessness and a reduced interest in activities. These factors can potentially lead to reckless substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. Roughly 60 percent of people who commit suicide struggle with major depression.
COVID-19 has created a perfect storm for individuals who wrestle with depression. Greater social distancing, loss of income due to business closures or downsizings, and restricted access to healthcare, including mental health services, have led to more isolation, fear, and anxiety.
Individuals battling depression, either due to the pandemic or other mental health reasons, may turn to lethal drugs, such as opioids, to numb their emotional pain.
We need to provide immediate access to mental health and medical support to those struggling with mental health and substance use issues. Evidence shows that implementing multifaceted support services, having open conversations about suicide, reducing access to means of self-harm, and supporting loved ones are just some of the actions we can all take to help save lives.
About Waismann Method®:
Clare Waismann RAS/SUDCC founded Waismann Method in 1998. Since then, the center has been operating exclusively in So. California and is recognized as the premier medical opiate detoxification and rapid detox center in the United States. Opioid treatments are provided in a full-service accredited hospital under the leadership of medical director Michael H. Lowenstein M.D. Dr. Lowenstein holds four board certifications, including addiction medicine, pain management, and anesthesiology.