Yahoo News: Janice Yazzie works in the behavioral health department for Native Health in Mesa and, with attention turning to Suicide Prevention Month, she is talking about the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding suicide so people can get help.
Yazzie spoke with Native Talk Arizona on Wednesday evening to discuss the issue and the need to raise awareness within tribal communities.
“When we talk about stigma around suicide, it’s due to the lack of understanding about what suicide is,” Yazzie said. “These stigmas can lead a person to different, negative emotions, like feeling embarrassed, or misunderstood, or maybe even being criticized. So this month highlights educating ourselves and other people about the facts about suicide.”
For Suicide Prevention Month, tribal communities throughout the state are holding various events and speaking engagements for community members to discuss this usually taboo topic.
“We are here to remind you that you are special. You are unique. You are important. You are a Five-Fingered Holy Being,” said Sherylene Yazzie, executive director for the Navajo Department of Health during a signing event proclaiming September as Suicide Prevention month on the Navajo Nation. “You come from a long line of resilient warriors. You are Diné and we are happy that you are here with us today.”
Suicide is a leading cause of death
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., and in 2022, nearly 50,000 people died by suicide. There were 1.6 million attempts that same year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
In 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for American Indian/Alaska Natives between the ages of 10 and 34, according to the Office of Minority Health. Non-Hispanic Indigenous people in the United States die by suicide at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Navajo Nation Mortality Report shows suicide as the eighth leading cause of death among Navajos from 2015 to 2017. The 2020 report, based on data from Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, highlights risk factors such as mental health issues, alienation, alcohol abuse and a history of physical and sexual abuse.
“Suicide prevention has always been an issue I’ve come across working with kids over the years,” said Loren Anthony, a Navajo actor, singer and community advocate. “Because I’ve lost a lot of kids over the years, working with either through probation or when I was running the Juvenile Substance Abuse Crisis Center in Gallup.”
Anthony is widely recognized as a dedicated advocate for his community. He is the founder of Chizh for Cheii, an organization for which he and volunteers deliver firewood to Navajo elders. In addition to his advocacy work, he gives public talks, and over the summer, he addressed suicide prevention. He acknowledged that while discussing suicide is taboo in Navajo culture, it’s an important issue that needs to be addressed and destigmatized.
“Seeing these kids go through that, a lot of it is not talked about because it is taboo in the Navajo culture to talk about death,” Anthony said. “Because we always want to stay in harmony, but a lot of time people don’t know how to get back into harmony. They don’t know how to get back into hozho (harmony) because they don’t have the teaching tools or the fundamentals. So we have a lot of kids that are lost.”
Healing practices in the past were Navajo traditional and ceremonial practices, Anthony said, and today it is not as prevalent and somewhat nonexistent, especially for youth who live in an urban setting.
“From my experience, suicide is not just an epidemic, it’s not just an individual cause,” Anthony said. “It’s a worldwide spirit that is attacking our kids that we are forgetting the spiritual element to these things. We have our statistics, science, but we are forgetting the involvement of the creator. Forgetting the involvement of ceremony and praying for our kids.”
Looking for the warning signs
When getting the notifications of a youth taking their own life, Anthony said he remembers feeling mixed emotions from sadness, frustration, anger, guilt. He emphasized the importance of community members and advocates supporting one another by being good listeners and recognizing warning signs.
Regarding the warning signs of someone experiencing depression, Janice Yazzie said individuals may express a lack of interest in activities, struggle with insomnia or excessive sleeping, experience low energy, speak negatively about themselves, express that they have disappointed their families or others, have a lack concentration and have either a reduced or increased appetite.
Anthony reflected on the signs he observed in the youth he worked with, which indicated something was wrong: kids skipping school, losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, neglecting personal care and starting to give away their belongings.
“Just little hints of saying goodbye,” Anthony said. “It slowly builds up over time. A lot of what happened to these kids had come unexpectedly to me, but a lot had to do with substance use. It had a lot of the whole cause to it.”
Janice Yazzie said Native Health offers counseling services and community talking circles at Phoenix locations. For additional support, adults can contact Solari Crisis and Human Services at 602-347-1100. Those in the LGBTQ+ community can reach out to the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text 678-678. Teens can also access help through Teen Life Line at 602-248-8336 or 1-800-248-8336.
Although these numbers are helpful, Anthony said getting involved with the community could make a huge difference. He said true health care is not just physical but the whole being of a person, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
“K’é (family) is medicine,” Anthony said. “Knowing that there are people out there who are related to you. If you know that concept, you know you are not alone and you’re loved. K’é is instant love.”
Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com.
Suicide, crisis hotlines for Arizonans
Services for Arizonans in crisis include:
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Dial 2-1-1 at any time to reach the free 2-1-1 Arizona information and referral service and connect with free resources available locally throughout the state.
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Solari Crisis & Human Services offers a free, statewide crisis line 24/7/365 – dial 844-534-HOPE (4673). Help is also available 24/7/365 via text by texting “hope” to 4HOPE (4673).
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Dial 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish. It’s free and confidential for those in distress who need prevention or crisis resources for themselves or loved ones.
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La Frontera Empact Suicide Prevention Center’s crisis line serves Maricopa and Pinal counties 24/7 at 480-784-1500.
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Teen Lifeline’s 24/7 crisis line serves teens at 602-248-8336 for Maricopa County and 1-800-248-8336 statewide.
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The Trevor Project Lifeline serves LGBTQ youth at 866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678-678.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: During Suicide Prevention Month, Native health advocates offer advice