VIRGINIA: Firearms Still More of A Threat to Possessor Than Assailant

Suicide by firearm not only makes up 60% of all suicides, but also makes up majority of firearm deaths overall.

Firearms continue to be more of a threat to the possessor rather than any assailant or accidental victim. Over 40% of all Virginia suicides in 2006 had a history of mental illness or a recorded prior attempt.

By Dawn Dickson Van Ness

On Saturday, November 21, 2009, the bodies of a Bristol, Virginia, couple were found on their property by Washington County Sheriff’s Officers, according to the Associate Press and Bristol Herald Courier.  The murder-suicide is only a recent example of the ongoing tragedy of suicides in Virginia, which has steadily grown in rate and number.

Who is at Risk

Suicides employing firearms were present in all age groups from 10 to over 85 from 1999 to 2006.  Men and women of different ethnicities were present in each category.

However, white males between the ages of 21 to 45  end their lives in greater numbers.  Overall, the 45-54 age group showed the most pronounced upward trend.

Virginia's state programs focus on youths, the elderly, and veterans, leaving a large swath of people overlooked. However, rates have fallen or not increased in those categories, which may indicate these programs' worth.

Google Docs:  Data derived from Center for Disease Control Wonder database.

Virginia Department of Health’s Violent Death In Virginia Report of 2006

Released in April 2008, the VDH’s report from the office of the Chief Medical Examiner analyzed the violent deaths from 2006 detailing the breakdowns of age, ethnicity, manner, locality as well as time of year.

According to the report, of the 895 deaths due to suicide, over 50% had mental health problems noted; over 40% of which had received treatment in the two months prior to event.  This is consistent with a report focusing on senior suicide which reported depression and hopelessness by medical professionals two weeks prior to suicide attempts.

Nearly half of all suicides were foreshadowed by the persons either disclosing intent or contemplation, if not actually having a prior attempt.

That, however, leaves over half of all suicides unforeseen or unexpected.

Contrary to popular belief, the 2006 analysis reported suicides were most common in July—holidays were not a factor.

Norther Virginia had the lowest rates, while southwestern Virginia had the highest rate, twice that of the state.

Critical Signs

No list is definitive, but many websites list commonly noted signs prior to suicides.

• Talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself
• Previous attempt(s)
• History of mental health problem(s)
• Recent life crisis: divorce, job loss, severe illness
• Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide
• Hopelessness and frustration
• Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
• Recklessness, carelessness
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Withdrawal from family and friends

How to Avoid Increasing the Risk of Suicide

The National Center for Suicide Prevention’s training website refers to the need for face-to-face training for those in a position to evaluate youths—particularly noteworthy is the advisement about “talking to the young person without increasing the risk of suicide.”

Brochures, such as the VDH’s Prevention of Suicide in the Aging, not the critical need to take the signs seriously, take the person seriously, ask for professional advisement and help, and remove devices of suicide are critical.

Learning About Suicide

Suicide, The Forever Decision by Paul Quinnett, Ph.D, is available for free and can be downloaded to a computer; it is recommended for those haunted by suicidal thoughts or for those who would reach out to them.  It is available on the Kristen Brooks Hope Center website.

Kristine Brooks Hope Center and National Hopeline Network

Reese Butler II, the current board president and CEO of KBHC, emphasizes that empathy is the number one attribute of those who can successfully help those who feel hopeless.

“You can have all the education in the world—be a certified counselor,” said Butler.  “But to be effective, you have to have genuine empathy the person can feel.”

Currently there are over 200 KBHC crisis centers nationwide.

“We are working on providing free face-to-face counseling,” said Butler when asked about the expense and the limited accessibility to professional help.

Currently there are 24-hour hotlines and online chat support from organizations such as KBHC as well as others.  Butler emphasized the amount of training, which was both a large investment of time, but also something that was manageable for those who wanted to get involved.

“Those on the phone have had 50 hours of training,” said Butler.

The training itself costs $500, and volunteers are asked to put $250 toward it which the organization will match.

“There is a major time commitment,” said Butler.  “They learn how to talk with someone who is homeless, how to talk with a young person, how to talk with the elderly or disabled.”

But the common goal is to take advantage of ambivalence and offer hope.

“All the studies say the same thing,” said Butler.  “At that moment when someone is about to pull the trigger or swallow the poison, there is ambivalence.  ‘Do I really want to die?’  And everyone who survives agrees that it was the worst thing they could have done because they wanted to live—they wanted to live without pain, but not to die.”

Getting Help

Resources are not only there for those who are suicidal but also for those who would help those who are suicidal.  Finding advice and support, locating resources, and making it available is accessible to everyone.

Getting Help by Phone

(800)442-4673 …..1-800-442-HOPE — same routing as 1-800-SUICIDE

(877)838-2838 …..1-877-Vet2Vet Veterans peer support line

(800)784-2432 …..1-800-SUICIDA Spanish speaking suicide hotline

(877)968-8454 …..1-877-YOUTHLINE teen to teen peer counseling hotline

(800)472-3457 …..1-800-GRADHLP Grad student hotline

(800)773-6667 …..1-800-PPD-MOMS Post partum depression hotline

Getting Help by Phone outside of the U.S.:

www.befrienders.org

For online chat support:

*None of these are 24/7 but will tell you if online counselors are available.

http://newhopeonline.org/counseling/liveperson.html

http://www.realmentalhealth.com/chat/default.asp

http://www.kidshelp.com.au/teens/get-help/web-counselling
(only available in Australia)

For email support 24/7: jo@samaritans.org
*It may take a few hours or more to generate a response.

Intervention – Legal Limits and Virginia Code

According to Virginia code § 37.2-808 regarding emergency custody–issuance and execution of order, a magistrate of the city or county can grant a petitioner a warrant for someone who may be in imminent danger of self-harm.  This, however, is granted only after a strong case is made and would then entail the person being taken out of his or her residence for a set time and evaluated.

Federal Prohibition on Gun Possession by Mentally Ill or Previously Institutionalized Persons

According to federal law, a person who is declared mentally defective or has been involuntarily committed to a mental institution may not purchase a gun.  The enforcement of the law is up to the states—Virginia demonstrated its ineffectiveness in 2007.

A New York Times 2007 article by Michael Lou, which investigated the Virginia Tech murders, there is a lack of effective communication between states and the  federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System which would alert sellers and police of a persons eligibility status.

For those worried about a firearm in the possession of a person contemplating self harm, there is legal room to confiscate the weapon, but only if there is a recorded history of mental illness.

Currently there is a Virginia Commission on Mental Health Law Reform.  The website states there is a “comprehensive examination of Virginia’s mental health laws” that will change laws so they will effectively “serve the needs of people with mental illness.”

Local Virginia Suicide Prevention Sites

VDH lists local sites which can help create programs in your area and provide assistance with program planning.

Other Resources

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK, http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC): http://www.sprc.org
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide: http://www.sptsnj.org
• SPAN USA: www.spanusa.org/C_suicide-resources.html
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): http://www.samhsa.gov/
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Suicide Prevention Activities http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/PreventingSuicide.htm
• American Association for Suicidology: http://www.suicidology.org/

INFO LINKS

PDFs and Podcasts

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/index.html

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/medExam/pdfs/VVDRS_20061.pdf

REFERENCE LINKS

Center for Disease Control WONDER – http://wonder.cdc.gov/

Commission on Mental Health Law Reform -http://www.courts.state.va.us/programs/cmh/home.html

Emergency Custody Order – http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+37.2-808

Kristin Brooks Hope Center – http://www.preventsuicide.us/hopeline-new/

RELATED ARTICLES

FAMILY IS IN SHOCK AFTER MURDER-SUICIDE by Claire Galofaro -

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/family_is_in_shock_after_saturday_murder-suicide_in_bristol_va/36164/

US RULES MADE KILLER INELIGIBLE TO PURCHASE GUN by Michael Lou – http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/us/21guns.html?_r=1

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