News
Chronic Illness, A Factor in Suicide Risk
By Meghan Bellamy In recent years CDC Statistics have reflected that eight of the top ten causes of death in the US were chronic illnesses, with the tenth being suicide. In 2020, that changed with the insertion of Covid pandemic deaths ranking third, yet chronic disease and suicide remain prominent causes of death in […]
The Cost of a Life…and a Need for More Suicide Prevention Research
As so many of us know all too well, the costs of suicide are immeasurable, extending beyond the unfathomable loss of an individual to considerable lifelong impacts on family, friends, coworkers, communities, and society. As this recent report on the Economic Cost of Injury from the CDC highlights, losses associated with suicide are also economic, costly, […]
Internal Rhythms, Sleep, and Suicide
In this recent summary From the Scientist, the researchers highlight how chronotype, or internal rhythms, raise the risk of sleep disturbance and associated suicidal thoughts in individuals more inclined to be night owls. Studies show that the restoration and reduced stress response that comes from sleep occurs during rapid eye moment (REM) conditions, which tend to […]
We Know So Much More Now…
From the Clinician AND From the Lived Experience Last spring we posted about mind-body insights and tools for stress regulation that we learned from Dr. Kathleen Mackenzie at the Active Minds conference, and recently we had a chance to catch up with her directly. Dr. Mackenzie’s insights are especially powerful since they stem from a […]
JKBF bestows second Biological Research Award at Suicide Summit
In October JKBF was pleased to partner with the International Academy of Suicide Research (IASR) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in giving an award in support of an early career scientist who focuses on exploring biological contributors to suicide. At the virtual 2021 International Summit on Suicide Research we presented the second James Kirk Bernard Foundation Award for Excellence in […]
Is there a role for physical activity in reducing suicide risk?
by Rachael Troughton, MSc, MBA In 2019, nearly 48,000 people died by suicide. Research reports that up to 25% of American adults have considered or attempted suicide. While 90% of people who die by suicide showed symptoms of a mental health condition, according to those close to them, only 46% were formally diagnosed. This means interventions that […]