State of Despair | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Suicide survivors and those who lost loved ones seek paths to healing

Jessie Bekker — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:28:20 +0000

Suicide ends lives, but it also creates new beginnings for those who attempt to kill themselves but live, and those who must find the will to go on without lost loved ones.

Las Vegas at forefront of new effort to head off veteran suicides

Briana Erickson and Mia Sims — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 18:35:28 +0000

Military veterans die of suicide at a far higher rate than their civilian counterparts, but Las Vegas is one of eight cities at the forefront of an effort to change that.

Rural Nevadans at greater risk of suicide

Jessie Bekker | — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 16:11:54 +0000

Data from the state show that residents of rural Nevada take their lives at a rate 43 percent higher than in Clark County and 56 percent higher than in Washoe County.

Suicide problem in Nevada likely worse than reported

Jessie Bekker — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 16:04:01 +0000

Difficulties determining the intent of the deceased, a lack of trained medical examiners and possibly the stigma surrounding death at one’s own hand likely reduce the number of reported suicides.

Nevada Legislature passed 3 bills to address state’s suicide problem

Jessie Bekker — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 15:55:43 +0000

The legislation provides for awareness training for families of at-risk individuals and increased suicide prevention efforts in public schools.

Easy availability of guns hikes risk of rash decision to end one’s life

Jessie Bekker — Thu, 16 May 2019 20:21:43 +0000

Research shows access to firearms increases suicide risk. But that doesn’t mean owning guns causes suicide. Instead, it means people having access to guns in their most vulnerable moments can prove fatal.

Gambling leads some to increased risk of suicide

Jessie Bekker — Thu, 16 May 2019 20:20:06 +0000

Betting leads some problem gamblers to other risk factors for suicide, like financial and relationship problems. At least 20 percent have considered ending their lives at some point, the National Council on Problem Gambling says.

What to do, where to turn if you or a loved one are feeling suicidal

Jessie Bekker — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:44:26 +0000

Experts on suicide have compiled guidelines on what you should do if you or a friend or loved one are having thoughts of suicide and where to turn for help.

Nevada’s stubborn suicide problem persists as other states catch up

Jessie Bekker — Thu, 16 May 2019 19:22:55 +0000

For years Nevada had the highest suicide rate in the nation before it began to fall in the rankings. The Silver State isn’t getting an upper hand on the problem; the rest of the U.S. has been catching up.