NAMI Benefit Awareness NIT Tournament

FOCUS: DEPRESSION/TEEN SUICIDE

Please come and join us for the 2nd Annual NAMI Benefit Awareness Tournament. For you that don’t know, NAMI stands for the Nalional Alliance on Mental Illness. We have chosen to partner with NAMI to help shed some light and bring awareness to the struggles and stigma that can exist around Mental Health. For 2012, we are focusing on the aspects of Teenage Depressesion and Teenage Suicide.

The idea for this event was an experience that one of the owners of MSP, Jeremy McDowell had in late 2009. One of his teenagers had battled depression and was diagnosed in September of 2009. They took all the proper steps with seeking professional help and getting their teenager to counselors and psychiatrists. Jeremy’s family learned a lot about depression and found out immediately they were very uneducated about depression and mental illnesses overall because of the stigma put on mental health by the general public. Just when it appeared everything was headed in the right direction their teenager had a serious suicide attempt in March of 2010.

Fortunately, the teen survived the overdose attempt and is doing much better today. It is alarming to know that suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death for young people (only behind accidents). Unfortunately this has stricken the McDowell family even more as they have had to two other friends of the family that have attempted to commit suicide in the last six months.

When doing more research for this event, there were some very alarming statistics and facts regarding teen suicide:

  • Every hour and 40 minutes (roughly the length of one softball game) a person under the age of 25 commits suicide.
  • Black males have shown the largest increase in suicide rates among adolescents. Rates are also two to six times higher for gay and lesbian youth.
  • Most adolescent suicides occur in the afternoon or early evening, in their own home.
  • Four to eight percent of adolescents report an attemp within the prior 12 months; that is, within a typical high school classroom, it is likely that three students (one boy and two girls) have made a suicide attempt.
  • Up to 60 percent of high school students report having thoughts of suicide.
  • For every teen person who completes suicide it is estimated there are 100-200 who attempt it.
  • Eighty percent of teens who killed themselves gave clues of their intentions.
CLICK HERE for more information regarding teen suicide.

Teen Depression/Suicide Information

CLICK HERE to download a pamphlet on Teen Suicide from the Mental Health KC organization.
Did you know?

  • Suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death for young people (behind accidents).
  • Every hour and 40 minutes a person under the age of 25 commits suicide.
  • Black males have shown the largest increase in suicide rates among adolescents. Rates are also two to six times higher for gay and lesbian youth.
  • Most adolescent suicides occur in the afternoon or early evening and in their own home.
  • Four to eight percent of adolescents report an attempt within the prior 12 months; that is, within a typical high school classroom, it is likely that three students (one boy and two girls) have made a suicide attempt in the past year.
  • Up to 60 percent of high school students report having thoughts of suicide.
  • Approximately 5,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old commit suicide each year.
  • For every teen person who completes suicide it is estimated there are 100-200 who attempt it.
  • Eighty percent of teens who killed themselves gave clues of their intentions. 
Do’s and Don'ts

Family and friends of a depressed or suicidal person often wonder what they should or
shouldn’t do to help. Discussing the subject of suicide openly and honestly is one of the most helpful things one can do.
It is important to remember - most suicidal people do not want death, they just want the pain to stop.
Even the most severely depressed person may have mixed feelings about death. Here are some guidelines in talking with a depressed or suicidal person:
Do’s
  • Do listen
  • Do show you care
  • Do ask direct questions
  • Do trust your instincts
  • Do take all threats seriously
  • Do get the person to a trusted adult or professional who can help
Don’ts
  • Don’t discount the person’s feelings, reactions or thoughts
  • Don’t hesitate to talk about suicide directly
  • Don’t try to console someone with empty reassurances
  • Don’t be judgmental or lecture
  • Don’t be sworn to secrecy
  • Don’t assume he/she will get help on their own
  • Don’t assume he/she is not serious
  • Don’t be afraid to tell someone who can help 
Warning Signs

Often people with problems send out signals as a cry for help. If someone you know is experiencing several of the warning signs that
follow, tell a responsible adult or a mental health professional.
  • Sudden or dramatic changes in behavior, personality or appearance
  • Sadness, depression and lack of energy
  • Apathy and withdrawal from friends
  • Truancy, low grades
  • Anger, rage, mood swings and irritability
  • Lack of interest in school and other activities
  • Inability to make decisions or concentrate
  • Poor self esteem and feelings of guilt, shame or rejection
  • Family problems
  • Loss of a loved one or significant relationship
  • Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
  • Sleep or eating disturbances
  • Ending significant relationships or commitments
  • Increased or decreased appetite
  • Alcohol and/or drug abuse
  • Giving away possessions
  • Thoughts, plans or threats of suicide
  • Preoccupations with death or themes of death
  • Previous attempts at suicide
  • Excessive risk taking

Photos from the 2011 NAMI Benefit

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