Many people know that disturbed teens are prone to committing suicide. But in Hamilton County, suicide rates are higher among middle-aged and elderly white men, state health reports show.

        More than 1,200 Ohio residents commit suicide each year, a rate of 10.4 per 100,000 population, which is lower than the national average.

ABOUT SUICIDE

• Nationwide about 31,000 suicides occur per year — 83 per day, one every 17 minutes.     • Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.     • In Ohio, the highest rates of suicide occur among men over 85, then among men and women under 25, then among men ages 26-44.     • In the United States, one in five high school students seriously considered suicide, but 2 in 100 make a serious attempt. In Ohio, 23 percent seriously consider it while 3 percent make a serious attempt.     • Contrary to popular myth, suicide rates decrease during the holidays. Suicide rates actually peak during spring.     • Major depression, a largely treatable condition, is the most common trigger of suicide. The risk of suicide among people with depression is about 20 times higher than the general population.    Source: Ohio Coalition to Prevent Suicide and the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania

CALL FOR HELP

Most suicidal people desperately want to live, experts said; they just can't see alternatives to their problems.     For help, call The Suicide Prevention Center (800) 320-HELP or 281-CARE, a 24-hour crisis line run by Talbert House.

WARNING SIGNS

Warning signals people often miss:     • Talks about committing suicide or is preoccupied with death.     • Makes out a will, gives away prized possessions.     • Changes in sleep patterns, insomnia.     • No longer enjoys hobbies, work, school, friends, etc.     • Loses interest in personal appearance.     • Takes unnecessary risks.     • Heightened anxiety, panic attacks.     • Drastic changes in behavior, irritability, agitation.     • Increases alcohol or drug intake.     • Has history of prior attempts.    Source: Ohio Coalition to Prevent Suicide, Annenberg Public Policy Center at University of Pennsylvania

        However, in Hamilton County, white men over age 75 are committing suicide at four times the state average, at a rate of 40.8 per 100,000 population, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

        The numbers are based on the most recently available data from 1990 through 1998. Similar statistics are not available for Kentucky and Indiana.

        The first step in reducing suicides would be to break the social taboos about even talking about the issue.

        “If there was ever a subject to be brutally frank about, it is suicide,” said Tricia Marks, president of the Dayton-based Suicide Prevention Center Inc.

        She and other suicide experts were among the speakers at a recent public hearing in Norwood, held by the Ohio Coalition for Suicide Prevention. The coalition plans to make recommendations by year's end to the Ohio Department of Mental Health on what should be done to reduce suicides statewide.

        Suicide runs higher in certain pockets of the population, pockets of hopelessness such as angst-ridden teens or desperately ill seniors.

        The statewide suicide rate among young people ages 15 to 24 is 9.4 per 100,000. Among Hamilton County white men ages 35 to 44, the suicide rate is 22.7 per 100,000.

        Coalition members in Norwood said they did not know why suicide rates run high among middle-aged white men. Some speculated these men are less likely to seek professional counseling, or even confide in friends, when they suffer emotionally wrenching events such as divorce or loss of a child.

        Other suicide trends revealed during the forum:

        • Women attempt suicide more often than men, the experts said, but men were far more likely to succeed. Women tend to use pills, which are slower acting and can be counteracted with medical treatment, but men overwhelmingly prefer the finality of a gunshot.

        • Official suicide rates for African-Americans, male and female, are much lower than for whites. Some experts questioned whether the official numbers include “suicide by cop” or other forms of self-destructive behavior.

        “I've seen suicide by cop. Some of these people think what they're doing is honorable,” said Terry Hocker, program director for the CAN-DO Resource Center in Over-the-Rhine. “How do you break through to someone who says, "I'm so tired and out of hope, I don't care what happens to me'?”

        • Suicide is a more common cause of death than homicide, AIDS or auto accident. In light of that, coalition members said, more funding and support should be available for suicide prevention and research.

        Nevertheless, there has been some progress made in Ohio at reducing suicide rates.

        The state's suicide rates are lower than national averages across all age parameters. From 1990 through 1998, Ohio's suicide rate overall dropped from 11.9 per 100,000 in 1990 to 10.4 per 100,000 in 1998.

        Ms. Marks noted that there has been some increased awareness of and treatment of depression. She also pointed to the work of many public and private agencies running hotlines and prevention services.

        More needs to be done, added Melinda Moore, executive director of the suicide prevention coalition, but given the tough economy and proposed cuts in the state budget, nobody expects much more money to be thrown at the issue.

        Instead, there were calls for closer collaboration among agencies. There was even talk of dumping programs that don't work well enough.

        “This isn't a time to reinvent the wheel,” Ms. Marks said.

        “For Ohio, I hope we can build on what we're already doing successfully.”

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