Connection Between Increasing Gun Ownership And Suicide

Florissant MO

13 April, 2022

10:57 AM

Description

Press release from the University of Missouri-St. Louis: April 10, 2022 Gun ownership in the Black community is on the rise, and so is suicide among Black males between 15-24 years old. There could be an unfortunate link because more homes have guns, and the increased access to guns can impact the rates of suicide by firearms. The Safer Homes Collaborative, a suicide prevention education program led by the Missouri Institute of Mental Health at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, aims to educate gun owners and sellers about the potential hazards of having guns in the home or other accessible areas. The program works to build awareness of keeping guns stored safely, particularly in the presence of those who may be in crisis, and recently, a focus on the Black community has been necessary. Bill Mays, a former gun owner, firearms trainer and member of the collaborative, said there is now more access to guns than ever before. "It has increased tremendously," Mays said. "I mean you can get a gun now from anywhere. Our gun culture has exploded." In Missouri there are virtually no barriers to obtaining and carrying a firearm. There is no waiting period when purchasing a gun. There's no requirement to obtain a permit for open carry. License and registration are also not necessary. Mays said many of the African Americans he has trained are unaware of how easy it has become to get a gun. In 2015, gun ownership in the Black community was at 14%. Last year, that rose to 25%. The desire for self-protection accounts for much of the increase, but statistics suggest it could also be putting Black men in particular at greater risk. According to a study by the Congressional Black Caucus in 2019, "suicide ranked as the third-leading cause of death in Black men ages 15-24." The Black male suicide rate is higher in Missouri compared to the national rate. The increase in Black male suicide is due to a variety of psychological, social and socioeconomic factors. Mental illness such as depression and anxiety – often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in Black males – plays a big part in Black male suicide as well. One of the factors that leads to depression and anxiety is racial discrimination that can negatively impact socioeconomic mobility. Other elements include bullying, poverty and isolation, which increased exponentially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dysfunctional family environments, exposure to suicide and access to lethal means are also risk factors. The tragedy of suicide by firearm in the Black community, Mays believes, will continue as guns remain ubiquitous and many still struggle with mental illness. Mays has not only worked as a crisis counselor but also had his own experience with suicide. He knows of the mental and emotional turmoil one experiences when feeling suicidal. "I lost my job and was in poverty at that time," Mays said. "Just having a bad time and was there by myself. And I was like, 'Man, forget this.' You don't have to be mentally ill to be in that state, but you can be depressed. Depression can take you there." But when Mays went to get his firearm, it wasn't there. He'd pawned it two days earlier for extra money. Then he got a call from his daughter who talked with him and intervened. He was lucky, as 90% of those who attempt suicide with a firearm die. There isn't much time between deciding to take one's life and taking action. "Between 25% and 75% of suicide attempt survivors said it was anywhere from five minutes to an hour from the time that they made the decision to attempt suicide," said Katie Ellison, project director of Safer Homes and attempt suicide survivor. "So, that window is really, really brief. For adults who are in that mindset, they are not always problem solving with their best skills, their best tools available to them. They can be looking for that immediate relief to the psychological pain they're experiencing." So, unless there are deterrents, suicide by firearm is likely to result in death. Safer Homes raises awareness with gun owners about how to store firearms more safely. This press release was produced by the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The views expressed here are the author's own.