According to the latest national statistics, from 2005, there’s a suicide every 16.1 seconds in the United States. In Kentucky suicide deaths are nearly three times more common than homicides.
Kelly Gunning, a leading mental health advocate, says the holidays, a time of “peace, joy and happiness,” can also be a dark time for those who are deeply depressed. "They see that as what they're missing, not about what they are trying to create for the holiday, so they dwell on it in a negative way, where as they lose hope,” Gunning, with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Lexington, said.
"Any depression lasting two weeks or longer, it's time for a clinical intervention."
Gunning says NAMI teaches that if you are worrying about someone being suicidal do not hide from the signals. "Ask this person straight up, have you thought about hurting yourself, have you thought about killing yourself, are things that bad for you and please tell me the truth, because I will try to help you if that's how your feeling, but I have to know, I have to know." Bottom line, Gunning says trust your “intuitive feelings.”
