Florida is among the states data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that has seen an increase in suicides from 1999-2016.
- Pasco among top Florida counties to see high suicide rates
- Pasco's suicide death rate above state, national average
- SEE BELOW: Suicide prevention resources
In the Tampa Bay area, Pasco County is one of those that's struggled most with the issue. According to information from the Florida Department of Health, Pasco's suicide death rate was well above the state and national average in 2016 at 18.1 per 100,000 people.
The national average is 13.42 per 100,000 individuals, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Pasco County has also consistently ranked in the top quartile for suicide rates in Florida since 2002.
"When we don't talk about it that's when suicides happen," said Hannah Jines, board chair for AFSP's Tampa Bay chapter. "We have to talk about it, even though it's hard."
That's something Jines knows all too well. Her father died by suicide in 2009. A retired Navy master chief, Jines said he struggled with depression.
"With the loss of my father, I've had my own thoughts of suicide, and I've struggled myself. I never thought I'd be where I am today, healing," Jines said.
Dr. Nick Dewan, BayCare Health System's Chief Medical Officer for the Behavioral Health Division, said it's hard to pinpoint exactly why suicide rates are on the rise or why some counties, like Pasco, are seeing higher numbers than others.
He said it may be a combination of family, social, and economic disruptions coupled with the opioid crisis. Dewan said it's a trend local providers noticed more than a year ago and have been working to curb.
While he said BayCare has a number of resources available across Pasco that help restore the physical and mental health of people who hurt themselves, getting preventive care to those in need is harder. The reason is a hurdle both Dewan and Jines point to: the stigma associated with depression and other mental health concerns.
"If you broke your leg, you wouldn't hesitate to go to the doctor," Jines said. "So, if you have a mental health condition, you shouldn't hesitate to see a psychologist or talk to a family practitioner if you need to."
Jines said resources for those in need include AFSP's survivor outreach program. It connects family members of those who died by suicide to others who've gone through the same thing.
Jines said this is meant to fight that stigma and let families know they have somewhere to turn. She said events like International Survivor of Suicide Loss Day gatherings and Out of the Darkness Walks are also meant to keep conversation about the issue going.
"We could always be doing better -- always," Jines said. "It's just been a few years since we brought the Pasco walk and the Pasco survivor day to the county, and it definitely has been a need."
Dewan said there's an effort among the health care community to educate patients and communities about health literacy and help seeking behaviors -- teaching people to recognize an issue and how to get help.
According to the CDC, signs someone may be considering suicide include feeling like a burden, being isolated, increased anxiety, feeling trapped or in unbearable pain, increased substance use, looking for a way to access lethal means, increased anger or rage, extreme mood swings, expressing hopelessness, sleeping too little or too much, talking or posting about wanting to die, and making plans for suicide.
Jines encourages people to talk to loved ones if they suspect there's a problem.
"If you see that they're struggling and they're not acting themselves, ask them directly: 'Hey, I see that you've been really depressed lately, I know you've been going through a lot of stuff, and I just want to make sure you're okay. Are you thinking about suicide?'" she said. "Asking directly about that is actually so important, especially if someone is struggling. It's almost like a relief that someone has asked that, and it's okay to talk about it."
For those who may be struggling, Jines has a message: "There's hope out there. There really is, and there are people who care, even if it doesn't feel like it."
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, here are resources you can turn to:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
211 Tampa Bay Cares (Dial 211)
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Tampa Bay Chapter