Suicide prevention – Spencer Foundation breaks through

The first thing I did in the interview with Sally Spencer-Thomas was play the PSA from faux “Dr. Rich Mahogany” – a tough guy who knows how to talk men through their pain.

The first thing Dr. Spencer-Thomas did was dispel the myth about the holiday spike in suicides.  ”(Suicide rates) are at their highest in the spring, but that doesn’t mean we should take our eyes off the issue.”

Colorado ranks 5th highest for its per capita suicide rate.  In 2015, 1,093 people took their life in Colorado.  That exponentially higher than the homicide rate, and almost double the fatal auto accident rate, as well as double the breast cancer rate.

And most of the people who die by suicide are men of working age, says Spencer-Thomas, whose foundation is named for her brother. Carson J. Spencer took his life at age 34.  That’s why recent success with mining, oil and gas workers (the industry ranks 2nd in its suicide rate) and the entrepreneurial community in Boulder is so important.  

“Our ‘Working Minds’ program builds capacity to do sustained and comprehensive work in suicide prevention.”  The foundation also does work with first responders.

THE BOTTOM LINE: if you need help, call the national LIFELINE: 800-273-8255.

OTHER RESOURCES:

www.ManTherapy.org

www.WorkingMinds.org

www.CarsonJSpencer.org

PSA from www.ManTherapy.org, Sally Spencer-Thomas