32 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • JUNE 2020
PANDEMIC DESPERATION
SUICIDE FEARS RISE THE
BY EDEN LAIKIN
In August 2018, Richie G. found himself
depressed, full of fear, anxiety, and selfpity,
despite being clean from drugs and
alcohol for 16 years.
He had begun shying away from selfhelp
meetings, his business went bankrupt,
his house went into foreclosure,
the bills were way behind, and he was
borrowing money from whomever he
could.
“I was so full of shame and guilt that
I thought my only way out was to kill
myself,” he tells the Press. “Suicide, I
thought, was my only option to be rid
of facing everyone and dealing with all
the deception.”
Richie did not confide his feelings in
anyone.
“I just kept going, as if everything
was good,” he says. “If someone asked
me how I was doing, my answer
would always be the same .. terrific. “
Richie says he believes God intervened
in his life. One day as he was driving,
and the suicidal thoughts became overwhelming,
something compelled him to
pull his car to the side of the road and
call the National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline.
“I wound up calling them on three different
days and each time they helped
me get through another day,” he recalls.
“I will forever be grateful.”
Richie says he started making 12-step
meetings regularly again in January
2020. Since then, he has had no thoughts
about suicide and feels like he never left
the self-help program.
“I’m at peace with all of my demons and
progressing in my recovery one day
at a time,” he says. “I now have an even
bigger support group. I call more fellow
members and help more newcomers
than ever before. On September 3, 2020,
I will have 18 years clean.”
He is not alone in his struggles.
A U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental
Addiction and isolation are a recipe for disaster. (Getty Images)
Health Administration (SAMHSA)
report shows that in 2018, more than
10 million adults aged 18 or older
thought seriously about trying to kill
themselves. More than 1.2 million
Americans attempted suicide in 2018,
according to the American Association
of Suicidology; Of that, 48,344 completed
suicide. The rate of suicide is highest
in middle-aged white men.
That same year, 100 people in Suffolk
and 90 in Nassau took their own lives.
Experts say substance use is the second
most frequent risk factor for suicide;
mood disorders and depression —
which many are experiencing because
of the coronavirus pandemic — are the
most frequent.
Meryl Cassidy, executive director of
Response Crisis Center, told the Press
the 24/7 center has seen more than a
25 percent increase in calls and live
“chats” from people expressing suicidal
thoughts since the COVID pandemic
began.
Cassidy, who also co-chairs the Suicide
Prevention Coalition of Long Island,
said the biggest increases were seen in
their chat program, due perhaps to the
increased privacy that chat offers while
people are sheltering in place.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
routes calls to local centers. In
Suffolk County, calls go to the Response
Crisis Center and in Nassau they are
sent to the Long Island Crisis Center
(LICC).Joe Walsh, the LICC’s director,
suggested that people should be aware
of the connection between addiction
and suicide risk.
“Research tells us that those diagnosed
with substance use disorders have a
suicide risk several times higher than
the general population,” Walsh told
the Press. “That is why we want people
to know that it’s always okay to ask
for help for themselves or for someone
they love. No matter what issues
someone may be facing … sometimes
hope and healing begin with a single
conversation.”
OPIOID
CRISIS
Suicide prevention advocates offer
suggestions for those who think a loved
one is experiencing suicidal ideation:
talk to them in private, listen to their
story, let them know you care about
them, ask directly if they are thinking
about suicide, and encourage them to
seek treatment or contact their doctor
or therapist. Avoid debating the value
of life, minimizing their problems, or
giving advice.
Richie G. hopes that sharing his experience
will benefit others who are
contemplating suicide.
“I would tell them what the Suicide
Hotline people told me, which was ‘to
open up to my loved ones — as hard as
it might be — because the love that I’d
get in return is so rewarding,’” he says.
PRESS HEALTH
"Those diagnosed with substance use disorders have
a suicide risk several times higher than the general
population,” says Joe Walsh.
HELP BOX
During times of uncertainty, it is
important to practice self-care,
experts say. Try not to listen to
news about the coronavirus too
much. Turn off the TV, do some
deep breathing, listen to some
music, take a walk, etc. If you need
any support, crisis counselors are
available 24/7 to provide free and
confidential help.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-talk (8255) or text
HOME to 741741 or for live chat visit
suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat
Long Island Crisis Center’s hotline
516-679-1111.
Response Crisis Hotline
631-751-7500.
If you or someone else is in
any immediate danger, call 911
immediately.
American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention.website: afsp.org
Suicide Prevention Coalition of
Long Island website: preventsuicideli.
org
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