What does Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams, and Don Cornelius all have in common? They all had so much to live for, and were loved by many, yet they committed suicide. Taking Donny Hathaway as an example, Donny committed suicide at age 25 in 1979. He was a talented singer and songwriter who had been signed to Motown Records since the age of 12. He wrote songs for other artists like Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. Yet despite his success in the music industry, he was still struggling with depression and struggled with suicidal thoughts. Suicide is a major public health issue that has the potential to affect any person in community, no matter the race, ages, genders, or economic status. There are many reasons cited as to why people commit suicide which include depression, anxiety, financial problems, relationship problems, homelessness, drug addition, loneliness, and more.
It has been written that many people who commit suicide have mental health challenges that have been diagnosed with depression or other mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and these are illnesses that often go untreated due to lack of access to quality care and/or the stigma attached to mental illness. Reasons for suicide vary from person to person but aside from. mental health issues or substance abuse, other factors may be socioeconomic status, and environmental factors. Socioeconomic factors may include poverty, homelessness, family instability and abuse in childhood. Environmental factors are factors like the threat of legal action or persecution for crimes related to sexuality or identity. The suicide rate among the homeless population is said to also be higher for people who are experiencing homelessness for the first time. A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University in New York City found that 30% of homeless people had attempted suicide, and that this number was much higher for those with substance abuse or mental illness. The study also found that substance abuse and mental illness were more prevalent among those with a history of homelessness.
In terms of substance abuse, the addiction epidemic that is devastating our Commonwealth is because of the availability of deadly and highly addictive opiates and it is destroying our communities. If we look at the root cause of the availability of deadly opiates and its contribution to the addiction epidemic, we can find documented evidence that it began with pharmaceutical companies working with physicians to promote their opioid painkillers and encouraged physicians to prescribe their drugs more often. Physicians then prescribed these drugs to patients more often without considering the addictive properties of which they were aware when alternative pain management techniques may have been a better option. For example, the use electro-dermal patches are one type of device that is used to manage pain without the use of drugs. These patches have been around for about 50 years and have been used by millions in hospitals, clinics, and homes. They are a safe way to manage chronic or acute pain without the need for opioids. The benefits of electro-dermal patches include providing a non-drug option for managing chronic or acute pain, being able to deliver consistent stimulation at different levels, being able to adjust the intensity or duration on demand, and providing relief from both physical and emotional stressors, and would eliminate accidental or intentional deaths from overdoses of opiates like fentanyl from which it is said Prince overdosed and what took him out.
However, specifically in underserved communities, suicide prevention and treatment are often overlooked by the government and healthcare providers when it comes to suicide prevention in underserved communities vs affluent communities. The level of quality mental health care offered in underserved communities is often inadequate with a lack of access to mental health services. This can lead to more suicides in our communities because there is no help available when our communities need it the most. There is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline that provides free telephone counseling any time of day or night, but this is not enough to combat the rising suicide rates.
For many of our communities, suicide is a sensitive topic that can cause a lot of grief and trauma for the family and friends left behind. If I am elected for the State Senate seat, I will ensure the 2nd Suffolk District has an adequate support system in place for families who have lost a loved one to suicide. As an Ordained Deacon, I know there are various ways in which communities can provide support to those who lost someone to suicide such as offering grief counseling services, bereavement support, and even financial assistance for funeral costs, in addition to support groups, and community outreach programs to name a few. There should also be a website with information on resources and services within the community.
James Grant
State Senate Candidate 2022 – 2nd Suffolk District