Photo By Cynthia McIntyre | Theresa Martinez, Alcohol and Drug Control Officer at Fort Hunter Liggett, California,...... read more read more
Suicide is a Symptom of Pain
Chaplain (Maj.) Levi Marshall calls it “awfulizing.”
“Everything is awful,” he says of the often irrational state of mind that may influence some people to take their own lives. “You fall into that state of darkness where everything is so awful, you ask ‘Why would I want to live?’”
For others, it may be a single event that triggers a suicidal impulse, one with few warning signs. “That’s why we can’t predict it a lot of times,” said Marshall.
For those who survive a suicide attempt, nearly everyone expresses gratitude that they did not succeed, said Marshall. “I hear it every time,” he said. “’I’m so glad I was unsuccessful.’”
Suicide is now seen as a medical issue, because the psychic and emotional pain is so overwhelming that it short circuits rational thought. “Eventually the threshold comes down,” said Marshall. “You begin to think more rationally. Your coping skills set in and you realize there is a way to work through this.”
Expectations we have of ourselves often add to the belief that life must end in order for the pain to end, he said. “Helping them find possible solutions, identifying their strengths and the good things about their lives – you’re able to redirect how they perceive themselves,” said Marshall. “Sometimes that’s all it takes is just a little bit of encouragement to get them to hold on longer. Before you know it this person starts to gain traction on their own.”
Those Left Behind
Loved ones, friends and co-workers often feel there was something they did (such as an argument), or didn’t do (too busy to listen) that caused the suicide. “A lot of people feel guilty. They say ‘How did I not see this?’ They take on blame, and we try to counsel them out of it.”
The biggest unanswered question is often “Why?”
“We try to get them to talk about the loss, how they felt, to verbalize it,” said Marshall. “It can affect morale. The blame game can go on. We can wrongly attribute our last actions with that person as a causation.”
Family members are often angry at the loved one who died by suicide for abandoning them. “They have a right to be angry,” said Marshall. “I believe the ones left behind wrestle with so many unanswered questions. It’s a human tendency to make up an answer so we can get to some state of closure or perceived closure.”
Suicide is a Medical Issue
Theresa Martinez, FHL Alcohol & Drug Control Officer, said that suicide prevention is her passion. She was a counselor while on active duty in the Army inpatient psychiatry unit and saw many horrific results of attempted suicide.
“The strongest theme that went throughout my time being there is that those people were so grateful that they didn’t complete suicide,” said Martinez. “They had a second chance.”
“Everyone needs to understand that suicide is a medical condition. The most important message that family, loved ones, others have, is that they are not responsible for what happened. That guilt and stigma is what keeps us from talking about it.”
She said that clinical depression affects about 11 million Americans. “Of those, about 35,000 die by suicide every year.” She believes the vast majority of people with depression are untreated.
“A lot of times people don’t want to get the treatment that they need.” She said when they go on medication and join in group therapy, they discover they were not alone. “It was really rewarding, so fulfilling to see people get better.”
Martinez said substance abuse dulls the emotional pain and contributes to suicidal behavior. “So reducing substance abuse is a big factor,” she said. “Substance abuse is a symptom of pain. Suicide is a symptom of pain.”
Prevention Programs for Young People
Martinez said, “I see that prevention really starts with children. One of the long term goals I have is to understand early childhood trauma and how that connection not only leads to suicide and substance abuse, but also different medical conditions. That’s where, to me, prevention begins.”
Other preventative measures include prescription take-back days, allowing people to safely dispose of their medications that could wind up in the hands of children, and Employee Assistance Programs in the workplace provide no-cost, confidential counseling sessions with licensed clinicians.
“We need to be able to talk about it, not avoid it,” said Martinez. “We have to work through the pain, to feel it, and you can’t do that if you’re under the influence.”
One of her biggest success stories was when she taught a drug and alcohol prevention program to a unit of Marines at the Presidio of Monterey (POM). Using self-evaluations the Marines saw where they were on a progression toward higher-risk behaviors.
“It’s very eye-opening,” said Martinez, who said many who thought they were handling things well saw for themselves that they were walking a fine line toward more risky behaviors. Their commander expressed his gratitude and presented her with a certificate. “They had zero problems after the program was implemented,” she said. “They’re holding each other accountable.”
Martinez said, “The greatest part of my job is it can change not only one person, but that person can change another, and it goes on and on. The best form of praise I could receive is knowing I’m offering something that changes peoples’ lives.”
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24/7 800-273-8255
| Date Taken: | 09.03.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 09.03.2019 15:11 |
| Story ID: | 338209 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
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