Mental Health is Main Focus of Suicide Prevention Month

Preventing suicide requires breaking the stigma, addressing substance use disorder, providing access to healthcare and affordable housing

In the shadows of our communities, homelessness and housing instability are not just issues of shelter; they are intertwined with a web of complex challenges that include mental illness, substance use disorders, violence, and even suicide.

Each night without a safe place to call home can deepen the struggles of those affected, leading to a cycle of despair that is difficult to escape. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing these critical issues, our work is essential not only in providing immediate relief but also in fostering long-term solutions that promote healing, stability, and hope. By connecting the dots between these interconnected problems, we can advocate for comprehensive support systems that empower individuals to reclaim their lives and build brighter futures.

Globally, suicide is a major public health problem among the homeless community. When lumped together in the “violent death” category, suicide, homicide, and pedestrian crashes together make up the third leading cause of death amongst this population.

The reasons are varied, but reports claim death by suicide is caused by economic disadvantage – no housing, issues around social care, availability of mental health support and the workings of the benefit system – compounded by an overall lack of willingness by members of the community to help people who ask for it.

When the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its opinion in Grants Pass v. Johnson in June, it laid a foundation that could make the mental health of persons experiencing homelessness worse across the country, which may result in more suicides. 

Any Suicide Rate is Too High
Studies confirm that chronically unhoused adults are more likely to suffer from mental illness and substance use disorders than those with stable housing. Between the years 2000 and 2022, suicide rates increased by an alarming 36 percent, and has disproportionately affected some groups more than others – America’s Indigenous population, Veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people living with disabilities.

• According to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, Veterans enrolled in VA care with a history of homelessness had a rate of suicide that was 186.5 percent higher than Veterans enrolled in VA care who had no history of homelessness
• Suicidal ideation is a common finding within the homeless community, especially among youth. A 2024 meta-analysis of runaway and homeless youth demonstrated a 38 percent lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and a 27 percent lifetime prevalence of active suicide attempts.
• Limited data are available on suicide among people with disabilities. However, a recent survey highlighted that in 2021 adults with disabilities were three times more likely to report suicidal ideation in the past month compared to people without disabilities (30.6 percent versus 8.3 percent in the general U.S. population)
  • Prior research also shows that the prevalence of reported mental distress, which is a risk factor for suicide, was 4.6 times higher among people with disabilities (32.9 percent) than among people without disabilities (7.2 percent).
• In 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for American Indian/Alaska Natives between the ages of 10 and 34.
• Non-Hispanic Indigenous people in the U.S. die by suicide at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group.
• The Navajo Nation Mortality Report shows suicide as the eighth leading cause of death among Navajos from 2015 to 2017. The 2020 report, based on data from Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, highlights risk factors such as mental health issues, alienation, alcohol abuse and a history of physical and sexual abuse.

It’s important not to ignore the connection between substance use and suicide.

• Opioids are implicated in 20 percent of suicides, marijuana in 10 percent, cocaine in five percent, and amphetamines in three percent, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In addition, people who use multiple substances are at even higher risk of suicidality and other psychosocial outcomes.
• 22 percent of deaths by suicide in the U.S. involve alcohol intoxication.
• In the past year, 46.3 million adults aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder.
   

Moving Beyond Awareness

In partnership with Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN), Community Housing Network (CHN) calls attention to National Suicide Prevention Month and National Recovery Month to remember those we’ve lost to suicide, to acknowledge those who are struggling, and to raise awareness about mental illness and substance use disorders.

Every 11 minutes, one death occurs by suicide. It’s an urgent and growing public health crisis in the U.S. In Michigan alone, 1,400 suicide deaths occur each year. But it’s not just about throwing statistics around; it’s about humanizing the issue. Every number represents a person – someone’s friend, sibling, parent, or child.

Suicide has a far-reaching impact and goes beyond the individual. Suicide and suicide attempts cause stressors for loved ones, co-workers and the general community.

We are committed to doing more than just acknowledging the problem. Let’s actively work to change the way we talk about and respond to suicide. The first-ever Federal Action Plan to accompany the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention will drive the results we need.

This includes:
1. Normalizing conversations: Encourage open, honest discussions about suicide and mental health in our communities, workplaces, and schools.
2. Supporting mental health initiatives: Advocate for policies and programs that improve access to mental health care and provide funding for suicide prevention efforts.

• Access to mental health care is a critical component of suicide prevention, yet it remains out of reach for many.
• Some people have a substance use disorder, and others have a mental health condition and are experiencing suicidal thoughts. Some people experience both. Yet many times, they are treated as separate in the behavioral health care system.
   
  A person with a substance use disorder might seek treatment and be ushered through the substance use door, but their anxiety and depression is what exacerbates their substance use and was never addressed. It’s this separate, siloed pathway to behavioral health care that is causing harm. Rather than force individuals to choose treatment for one or the other, they must be met with a more holistic approach to care for both.
  

3. Educating ourselves and others: Learn about the warning signs of suicide and how to offer support to those in need. Share this knowledge with others.
4. Challenging stigma: Speak out against harmful stereotypes and misinformation about mental health and suicide.

Suicide is preventable, but only if we are willing to confront it head-on. By raising attention to the issue and reducing the stigma around receiving mental health care, we can save lives. Let this September be the month we commit to breaking the silence and building a future where mental health care is accessible, accepted, and effective for everyone.

The Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) contributed to this blog.

OCHN is committed to providing intellectual/developmental disability (IDD), substance use disorder, and mental health services to the Oakland County area. If you or someone you know needs help, call (248) 464-6363 or visit www.oaklandchn.org for resources and support.

Common behavioral or emotional changes in someone who may be suicidal and has been planning for a longer period. Those changes, as well as other risk factors, can include the following:

● Unusual behavior with potentially lethal items such as firearms or pills

● Giving away cherished belongings

● Excessive or insufficient sleep

● Withdrawing or isolating oneself

● Getting highly intoxicated or driving recklessly

● Talking about wanting to die, via suicide or otherwise

● Struggling to come up with reasons to live

● Feeling like a burden, unneeded or as if they don’t belong anywhere or with anyone

● Feeling hopeless

● Substance abuse issues

● A history of trauma

● Experiencing mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and personality disorders, especially if not receiving treatment

● Personal or family history of suicide

● Easy access to potentially fatal means

● Loss of interest in activities or school