AUSTIN — The taboo subject of suicide has been brushed out from underneath the rug nationwide after the apparent suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade and CNN host Anthony Bourdain this week.
Dr. Kim Kjome, a psychiatrist at Dell Medical School, said suicide can effect everyone, especially celebrities.
“The assumption is in the United States and in other places is that somebody can’t be depressed or suffer from a mental health condition if they have success," said Kjome. "That success is some sort of marker that keeps them safe. In fact, people that are celebrities often have an increased rate in suicide and the reason why is they often times they have more at stake.”
The two most recent celebrities are just a few of the nearly 45,000 Americans who take their own lives every year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. As the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, the foundation reports that suicide often happens when a person suffering from a mental health condition has stressors that exceed past the ability to be able to cope.
There are several warning signs before a person kills him or herself, according to the foundation. One sign is telling others about wanting to die. The foundation reports that 50 to 75 percent of people tell someone about their suicidal thoughts before they act.
“Before somebody needs help there going to show signs of distress," said Dr. Kjome. "If someone is depressed, they are going to be having trouble with their sleep maybe sleeping too much or too little. They may not want to do things. They’ll avoid things. They’ll stop going out. They’ll stop wanting to do things with their friends.”
Read more warning signs HERE.
In Central Texas, there are several resources for suicidal people or friends and family of suicidal people, who have questions and concerns. They're listed below by county:
- 24/7 Crisis Services: 512-472-HELP (4357)
- Press 1 for English, then 1 again for mental health crisis support
- Applicable for Travis County
- 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 1-800-841-1255
- Applicable for the following counties: Williamson, Caldwell, Burnet, Bastrop, Lee
- 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 1-800-888-4036
- Applicable for the following counties: Bell, Lampasas, Coryell, Milam
- 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 1-866-752-3451
- Applicable for the following counties: McLennan and Falls
- 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Number: 1-877-466-0660
- Applicable for the following counties: Hays, Blanco, Bandera, Gillespie, Llano, Mason, Medina, Comal. and Uvalde.
You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It's available 24 hours a day and seven days a week.