Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 10, 1 October 2013 — Suicide workshop teaches warning signs [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Suicide workshop teaches warning signs

By Cheryl Corbiell More than 60 Moloka'i residents quietly gathered at Kūlana 'Ōiwi Hālau on Aug. 22 for an eight-hour workshop to learn about a serious puhlie health issue - suicide. Participants role played case studies, and practiced and discussed preventative behaviors to heeome suicide prevention gatekeepers. Earlier this year, Moloka'i resident Cora Schnackenberg raised concerns with state agencies about suicides in her community and discovered Moloka'i could receive suicide prevention training. The workshop was sponsored by the University of Hawai'i Department of Psychiatry, in partnership with the Moloka'i Community Health Center, a consortium of community and government agencies, and a grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "Statewide over 50 people have received training certification in suicide prevention," said Jane Chung-Do of Hawai'i Caring Communities Initiative. "These certified trainers conduct the gatekeeper workshops and raise awareness

among rural communities that suicide is preventable and what eaeh individual ean do to help their 'ohana." The training is focused in rural eommunities on Hawai'i, Moloka'i andMaui. Chung-Do explained gatekeepers learn to spot behavior signs for suicide risk. "With training, these individuals have an increased comfort in knowing how to eonnect with a person at risk and what resources are immediately available," said Chung-Do. For example, participants learned valuable lessons about "TJ," a fictional case study. This

grade-mne student iives with his recently widowed mother and appears to be like any other teenager living on Moloka'i. TJ's father passed last year and rumors mentioned suicide. TJ seems to have settled into a routine. However, if people who know TJ got together, their eolleetive perceptions would paint a different picture. TJ's teacher has noticed his grades are slipping, the school custodian no longer sees TJ laughing with friends, TJ's buddies might say he has stopped coming to the pizza plaee after school, his mother might say he spends a lot of time alone in his room, and TJ's best friend would mention TJ gave away all his video games. Is TJ being a normal teenager or are these warning signs? "TJ is at high risk for suicide, and is what is called a red flag for help," said Keal-

oha Hooper, Moloka'i Community Heahh Center certified trainer. Although the workshop focused on youth suicide, the risk factors and waming signs are similar for adults. Colette Machado, Office of Hawaiian Affairs chairperson, encouraged workshop participants to listen to their "invisible third eye" to perceive changes in family and friends. Then act on their intuition. "Everyone in a community has a responsibility to watch for waming signs among family, friends and neighbors," said Machado. Suicide touches all ages and families. In Hawai'i someone dies by suicide every two days. Approximately two-thirds of adults who die by suicide communicate their plans in advance, and 85 percent of youths contemplating suicide communicate their plans in advance. Community members need to watch and listen for the whispers for help. The statistics for youth suicides should not be ignored. Historically in Hawai'i about 17 youth die of suicide eaeh year. Males account for 68 percent of youth suicides, while females account for 31 percent. Surveys estimate 4,000 high school students attempt suicide in Hawai'i eaeh year, according to the workshop training materials. The suicide deaths and suicide attempts in Hawai'i are increasing with higher risks in rural communities and among Native Hawaiians and Paeihe Islanders. Workshop participants learned how depression, drug abuse, bipolar disorder, opioid abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panie disorder, schizophrenia and aleohol and cannabis abuse dramatically increase the risk for suicide. Then individual and family factors contribute to suicide, including history of abuse, fascination with death, history of family suicides, changes in family structure, hnaneial difficulties and access to lethal means such as guns. "Unfortunately, suicide is not caused by just one factor, but several in conjunction," said Hooper, the Moloka'i Community Heahh Center certified trainer. Armed with warning and risk factor information from case studies such as TJ's story, participants also learned about community resources available for immediate help and proactive community prevention. "Families ean build protective factors such as ensuring children feel connected. For example, children who eat regularly with their families are less likely to have thoughts of suicide," said Hooper. "Take time to talk with family, friends and neighbors. Ask questions when someone looks or acts different. Take the time to find out what is happening in their life. Everyone plays a part in preventing suicide." ■ Chervl Corhiell is an instructor at the University ofHawai'i Maui College-Moloka'i. and coordinator for TeenACE and ACE Reading programs.

Workshop participants on Moloka'i learned about the red flags of suicide. - Courtesy photo