Mark’s Blog
August, 2023
I received two items of news this morning, within about an hour of each other. First, at my Wednesday Morning Men’s Group, a member shared of a neighbor’s son recently committing suicide. A young man, in his 20’s—now gone. The second item came in the form of an article on a newsfeed: “US Suicide Rates Hit Record High of Nearly 50,000 in 2022, Provisional CDC Data Show.”*
Unfortunately, news of a friend or friend’s acquaintance having someone close die from suicide has become frequent. I’m sure I’m not alone in observing this.
Along with many of you, I shake my head and sigh heavily, “What can be done?”
Actually, there are a few things that help, called “protective factors,” which are the opposite of risk factors. Here are a few protective factors related to reducing the likelihood of suicide:
feeling connected to others
having purpose in life
feeling connected to social institutions like church, school, etc.
Connection to others is key.
A few questions to think about:
Do I, or people I know, have enough (or any!) connection to others outside of the home?
Would I, or someone I know, benefit from further involvement in some type of group which could provide meaning and purpose?
If you have comments, feel free to write me at [email protected] to let me know your thoughts.
See you next month!
Mark
For additional help visit the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for more information at 988lifeline.org