COMMUNITY
ADVICE FOR TEENS
DO MARICOPA YOUTH HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES?
personally. One attempt he thwarted just through being a listening ear and talking. Healing from a suicide attempt “is as simple as talking about it,” Spencer said. “You never know that the other person might be considering the same,” he said. “If they hear your story, hopefully it helps.” Having the uncomfortable talk Talking with children about the birds and the bees or “good touch, bad touch” feels uncomfortable enough. But discussing suicide? “I’ve had some parents say, ‘Well, I don’t want to talk about it because that puts the idea in my kid’s head.’ But the idea is already there,” Reinhold said. However old they are, kids will hear about suicide through TV, books, friends, school and social media. For some sufferers, the thought appears in the mind organically. “Kids are exposed to it and the more we keep it kind of hush-hush, the more we make it taboo, and they don’t feel comfortable to open up if and when they need to,” Reinhold said. “Have those open conversations regularly.” Born added that doing so allows parents to control the narrative around suicide. “You can control how the conversation is going to go and what information gets disseminated. When you bring up the topic, you have control over what information is being shared,” she said. In the years following her ex-husband’s death by suicide, Born said she had “lots of uncomfortable talks” with her children to keep communications open and honest. “We’re trying to eliminate that stigma. Only by talking about it is that going to happen,” she said. “Otherwise, we’re creating generations of trauma, of people not being well and it will just continue.” And Davis, who spent years working as a paramedic before joining the Clark County Office of the Coroner in Las Vegas, acknowledges most people don’t see or talk about death on a “day-to-day basis” like his colleagues do. But avoiding the topic can be a detriment to families and communities. “Our general unwillingness to talk about suicide deaths is a detriment to our ability to come up with solutions,” Davis said. “To come up with the root causes of these preventable deaths and implementing effective community or government programs that can address those issues.” Jeff Chew and Kaylin Hansen contributed to this report. 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
“It’s not forever. It will get better. Find somebody you can talk to that will just listen — an adult, a teacher, whoever it is. The more we bottle things up, the more we stew on it. Get it out on paper, type it into a phone. Just get it out of your head.” Brianna Reinhold, Northern Lights Therapy “As somebody who did struggle at some point in time, just remember it’s a mind thing. You just got to keep pushing because it will get better. Just try to do stuff, get some air, sleep well and make sure you eat well.” Isis Anderson, MHS junior
“Please find any type of way to express yourself: letters, words, drawings, anything before it’s too late. It will help in the long run, I promise.” Anonymous, 14, Glennwilde
“Everyone handles things differently but just make sure you realize that there is always someone who cares about you and loves you. Hiding and bottling up your feelings will only make things harder because you’re constantly holding it in. It’s OK to cry, it’s OK to talk, and it’s OK to be sad. Never be ashamed of yourself.” Anonymous, 15, Glennwilde
12% YES
22%
“If you are struggling, always know that you have
66%
I DON’T CARE OR HAVE NO OPINION
“Do what you think will help.
friends to help no matter what. Don’t ever just stay quiet about it, there’s people around to help you. Take care of yourself and don’t just leave yourself stranded.”
NO
Try to connect to people. A big help personally right now is something small like just saying, ‘Have a nice day.’”
Source: InMaricopa poll of 250 readers, ended Dec. 6
Elle McDermott, MHS sophomore
SUICIDE DEATHS IN PINAL COUNTY
YOUTH SUICIDE DEATHS IN PINAL COUNTY
Anonymous, 16, Palo Brea
Table 1
111
120
6
“Talk to your friends. Consider the fact that they are your friends, which means maybe they might want to help.” Anonymous, 17, Santa Rosa Springs
No
66%
90 89 *
85
I don’t care or have no opinion 4.5
22%
90
6 6
71
6
Yes
12%
60
3
4
4 *
4.5
3
30
1.5
3
0
0
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1.5
Source: Pinal County Medical Examiner * As of Dec. 4
Source: Pinal County Medical Examiner * As of Dec. 4
1
SUICIDE DEATHS IN ARIZONA
YOUTH SUICIDE DEATHS IN ARIZONA 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Table 1
0
Table 1
1,596
60
2020 2021 2024 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023
71 1,496
1,600
3
1,479
52
1,364
49
85
4
1,320*
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Table 1
44 46
111
6
45
1,200
90
3 6 4 4
22 *
89
30
800
6
6
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4
15
400
0
0
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
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1
1
Source: Arizona Department of Health Services * As of Dec. 4 Source: Arizona Department of Health Services * As of Dec. 4
InMaricopa.com | January 2025
January 2025 | InMaricopa.com
32
33
Table 1
Table 1
1
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