PICAYUNE — The alarming number of suicides in the county this year has the coroner worried and he is asking family members and friends of distraught people to pick up on possible clues to mental distress.
If the clues are observed, then family and friends can set about getting the person the help he or she needs before it is too late.
Since the first of this year, there have been about eight confirmed suicide cases in the county. While other cases, such as substance overdoses, could be classified as suicide Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said those cases did not have enough evidence for him to classify them that way.
“Some times those numbers are skewed down,” said Gulf Coast Mental Health county coordinator Kimberly Sauls.
The disturbing thing is that four of this year’s eight suicides have taken place in the past three-and-a-half weeks, Turnage said.
Family members should be aware that many times there are warning signs a person close to them is considering suicide, things such as getting their affairs in order, calling long lost friends and family or even by a verbal statement.
“They say it in passing but the family member doesn’t take it seriously,” Turnage said.
Some other signs a person is considering suicide include substance abuse — or an increase of it, depression, withdrawal from family and friends, a sudden interest in owning a weapon and lack of emotion.
“That’s things to be aware of. There’s no way we can help that person once they’re gone,” Turnage said.
Suicide might seem like the answer to difficult situations, but a sudden death in a family complicates the mourning process for those left behind, Turnage said.
If a person is considering suicide, or if family members have noticed the signs, there are avenues for help. Turnage said calling the Pine Grove outreach office at 601-799-0844 or going to the emergency room at Highland Community Hospital can help. Sauls, a licensed clinical social worker at Gulf Coast Mental Health, said that during operating hours people can get help by walking into the agency’s office at 211 U.S. 11, which is across the street from Picayune’s soon to be completed Train Depot.
If a person needs help after hours, he or she may call Gulf Coast Mental Health at 1-800-681-0798 and leave a message. An on-call licensed counselor will return the call in a timely manner, Sauls said.
Chancery Clerk David Earl Johnson said there also is help at the county level, if the patient doesn’t have substance abuse problems or pending charges against him or her. If the person in question does have a substance abuse problem, then that person first will have to attend treatment for that problem. A private institution can help those with pending charges.
Family members can ask the patient to seek help, or, if the person is unwilling, commit them. Johnson said people with the mental capacity to know they need help can voluntarily seek help while those who refuse help and clearly need it can be committed by going through court.
Johnson said there are two facilities used by the county for those who are committed: The Gulf Coast Crisis Center and Whitfield. About 70 percent of the patients admitted to the Gulf Coast Crisis Center are prescribed medication and are released within 15 days. Those patients can then go back to a normal life.
A problem with medication involves a lack of money to purchase the medication, or the patient will begin to feel better after a short time and stop taking the medication. Some people also stop taking the medication because they don’t like the side effects. No matter the reason, patients who don’t take their medicine will begin to suffer the same mental stress they had before treatment.
Local News
Coroner is concerned that local suicides are on the the increase
- Local News
-
-
SAFETY DAY
Picayune Police officers made a visit to the First Baptist Church of Picayune’s preschool class for their Community Helpers Safety Day. During the event the kids got to meet police officers and trigger lights and sirens in patrol vehicles.
- Escapee caught in county Pearl River County Sheriff’s deputies have captured the inmate who escaped from Mississippi Department of Corrections custody on Friday after attending his father’s wake in Picayune.
- Council discusses which funds to spend first On the same day as the ground breaking for the addition to the historic City Hall, city council members discussed which funds to spend first in its construction.
-
Poplarville aldermen honor Holliday, get audit report briefing
The city board of aldermen honored former District Three Supervisor Hudson Holliday at its Tuesday night meeting.
Mayor Billy Spiers presented Holliday with a framed resolution of appreciation for his dedication and service to the city while serving as county supervisor.
-
MRI INSTALLED
This $1.2 million Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment was installed at the new location of Highland Community Hospital.
-
Hall suspected of robbery after escaping
A man who escaped from jail after attending his father’s wake is suspected of having carried out an armed robbery on the Texas-Arkansas state line. Johnny Hall escaped from Mississippi Department of Corrections custody on Friday while attending his father’s wake in Picayune.
-
City Hall expansion groundbreaking held
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday at the construction site for the expansion of the historic Picayune City Hall. “You can see our future when you look down Goodyear Boulevard. You see Chimney Square, our high school, The Link at First Baptist Church, Jack Read Park and then our historic City Hall.
-
PRC athletic director says he’ll recommend random drug testing
Pearl River Central athletic director Andy Kivlan told the school board at its Monday night meeting that he will most likely recommend that students participating in extracurricular activities, including band and ROTC, be subject to random drug screening.
-
Supervisors adopt resolution encouraging more economic development in South Miss.
Following a short presentation by State Sen. Tony Smith (R-Picayune), the board of supervisors adopted on Monday a resolution encouraging state officials and agencies to exercise “fairness and parity” regarding location of new industries in Mississippi.
-
MDEQ wants comprehensive waste disposal plan from county
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has told Pearl River County it wants a comprehensive waste disposal plan for the county. Supervisors indicated at their Monday meeting that they are not happy with the request.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
