Suicides are having a major impact on our society and our industry. Here are a few facts to consider:
- In 2016 there were 44,965 suicide deaths in the United States. That is nearly the combined total of homicide and traffic accident deaths in that same year.
- Males are 78 percent of the total suicide deaths, and it is the second leading cause of death among males 25 to 54. This age group is a major portion of our workforce.
- As I’ve stated before, the construction industry has more suicides than any other industry.
In order to address the issue of suicide, we need to dispel two common myths. The first myth is that a person talking about ending their life isn’t serious, or they are just trying to get attention. If someone is talking in that manner, they are thinking of ending their life, and they should be taken very seriously.
The second myth is that once a person has decided to end their life, nothing can be done. If at this point, action by anyone can prevent a suicide and save a life. There are three elements to a suicide: ideation, plan and action.
- Ideation is having the idea.
- Plan is developing a plan.
- Action is implementing the plan.
The action step can often be triggered quickly (minutes, hours or a few days). However, any individual who is aware of the warning signs of a suicide can intercede before the action step occurs.
Remember suicides are preventable!
In next month’s blog I will discuss common clues and warning signs of a possible suicide.