suicide rates in Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County has the 3rd highest suicide rate in the State of Oklahoma. This is frightening to me! The population of Pott. Co is around 30,000. Recently, I began coordinating a program that targets children ages 12-19 for meth/suicide prevention. When researching some of the data; I was astounded at the rate and the concern of prevention, effectiveness, and ideas of how to decrease the suicide rate. How do we as a community combat this issue? One person cannot do this alone. Currently I am researching data and planning to gather with various community organizations that can offer statistic s and resources. Have any ideas?
October 31st, 2009 at 6:36 pm
If there is not one already, consider setting up a suicide prevention hot line system. You might get some college students to man the phones. Where do you get statistics? When I have heard of a suicide, it is never in the paper and I agree with that consideration. I have just never heard of any numbers. I personally have heard about two instances in the past year. It was heart breaking for me and I was not close to either party. Having lost three young members of my family for other reasons, I can imagine how horrible suicide would be to a family. You just feel so lost and helpless with any death and thinking you might could have done something to prevent a suicide would bear on your mind. It is a good thing you are doing. Keep us informed. Good luck!!
November 1st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
It is such a sad and lonely life to think that is your only out. When I was in school we had break out session with a counselor. You either volunteered to come and talk about your problems or if someone was worried about you they could refer you to talk alone or in a group. Teenagers need to feel engaged, loved, supported and respected. Most do not get the support or above referenced at all or very little. Where do they go to feel important? There is nothing here for them, a very small group that actually wants to help. No free activities, no aspect of any future other than what is here. Most feel they are stuck here, in this dark hole they consider Shawnee. Trust me, I have been there. I never considered suicide but I felt the hopelessness of Shawnee. The feeling of never being anything, that no one would notice if you disapeared but I was lucky. I got out for a little while and experienced what other people thought of me and I was able to rise up and begin what I wanted in life. You want to help, start with the focus group of ages you listed, pull them out of class. When I say the focus group, I’m not talking about the popular person, the beautiful person. Start with the group that has single homes that live on welfare, ones that you notice that are withdrawn or are only conversing with their own group. Watch the teachers and watch which students they don’t engaged, trust me. I skipped a lot but sadly my teachers put me as present, they didn’t even notice I wasn’t there most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, the preppies, smart ones, and ones with two income family can and will get that way but most of the time they have a way out. The emos, watch them, ones that don’t fit in with anyone or the severely smart, AP students. See if the school would let you do a survey. Put down some questions about the future, present and past you could get a lot of information there. Don’t forget the alternate school, they need it too. Good luck and thanks for letting me know the statistics.
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I applaud your effort. Have you spoken with Corporal Dan Shumaker with the Shawnee PD? He would be a good contact. Also talk with the Shawnee HS Resource Officer. Do the statistics show any correlation between suicide of children in domestic violence (parents/significant others). I agree with the above comment about the suicide prevention hotline. With both OBU and St. Gregory in the city, you could get some students to man the phone lines. Have you thought about getting adult volunteers to work with you?