Maintaining physical health may be the key to a lower chance of death by suicide.

A study by the National Library of Medicine found that physical health conditions were present in about 20% of deaths by suicide by the general population and in over 50% of deaths by suicide in the older population.

The study found that women are more likely to have a physical health problem contribute to death by suicide prior to age 60, but men surpassed women after age 60 with physical health problems that contribute to death by suicide.

“Mental health and physical health are connected, and they can affect each other,” said Stacy Smart, a prevention specialist at the Tooele County Health Department. “Having mental and physical health issues can also prevent someone from getting the help they need.”

Casey Pehrson, a school psychologist in Utah, has developed “The Selfie Method,” which consists of a saying for each letter of “selfie” to help people better their physical health.

“S” stands for sleep. Pehrson said that adults need seven to nine hours a night, and youth need eight to 10 hours. The “E” stands for exercise, with a focus on 30 minutes of physical activity a day. The “L” stands for light, with an emphasis on getting vitamin D to improve mood and physical health. The “F” represents fun, which may be a stress reducer. Pehrson chose the word “interaction” for the letter “I because she said all humans need interaction and face-to-face connections. Lastly, the “E” stands for eating right.

“I believe [the Selfie Method] is a great way to help us remember the things we need to do to keep our physical health in check, which leads to better mental health,” Smart said.

Those who desire to better their physical health should start small so as not to become overwhelmed.

“It is easier to concentrate on one improvement and incorporate that into our lives, and then slowly add more,” Smart explained. “Perhaps that may be getting 30 minutes of walking in each day, drinking more water, or getting the proper amount of sleep.”

Regarding sleep, students in Tooele County who took the Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention, or “SHARP” study, were asked about how much they slept each night. Tooele County Health Department staff reviewed the results along with suicide attempts. They found that those who slept four or less hours per night were more likely to attempt suicide, with over 20% of those who slept four hours or less attempting suicide two or three times, according to data from the survey. The number of those who had attempted suicide one time was also higher in the group who slept four hours or less, at around 12%. Five percent of those who slept a full eight hours reported less than a 5% suicide attempt rate across the board.

Suicide warning signs and clues include someone threatening to end their life, a strong wish to die, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, withdrawing from friends, family, and society; anger, statements of hopelessness, having a previous suicide attempt, and acquiring a gun or stockpiling pills, among other signs. Additional signs can be found online at samhsa.gov.

If you or a loved one are having thoughts of suicide, call 988.

Veterans in need of immediate assistance should dial 988, then press 1 or text 838255 to chat. The Veterans Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, confidential crisis support for veterans and their loved ones. Veterans don’t need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

MCOT teams can be reached by dialing 988 and through Valley Behavioral Health by calling 435-843-3520.

Valley Behavioral Health offers outpatient mental health and substance use treatment for adults and children. They also provide school-based mental health services that provide children with an experienced mental health therapist at their schools. Valley Behavioral Health is located at 100 S. 1000 West in Tooele City and may be reached at 435-843-3520 or online at valleycares.com/tooele-county/.

The SafeUt app can be found on the Apple and Google app stores. The app is designed to provide students in local schools with 24/7 crisis intervention and emotional support in any type of crisis. It may be used for relationship difficulties, loss and grief, depression, anxiety, school issues, drug and alcohol problems, self-harm, or suicide. Although the application is designed for school-aged individuals, it may be utilized by all.

The Trevor Project Lifeline provides information and support for those who identify as members of the LGBTQ community. They can be reached online at www.thetrevorproject.org.

The Life’s Worth Living Foundation provides group meetings for those who have lost a loved one or have dealt with thoughts of suicide. The support group is held the fourth Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at Mountain West Medical Center, located at 2055 N. Main Street in Tooele City. All are welcome to attend.

The Rocky Mountain Hospice Grief Support group aids individuals in working through grief and loss in a caring environment. Group meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Willow Springs, located at 85 E. 2000 North in Tooele City. The group can be reached by calling 903-238-6732 or by email at [email protected].

Live On Utah is the state’s suicide prevention campaign. Live On is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing the culture around suicide and mental health. They have an Instagram page, which can be found by searching @liveonutah.

“There are many resources out there to help all of us with mental health,” Smart said. “If you or someone you know is struggling, know that you are not alone and there are tools to help… We are breaking the stigma of mental health, and people are now feeling more comfortable talking about it. Suicide is preventable, even when we are in our darkest hour. Know that people care; we want you to live, and we can help each other. There is no judgment; life is hard, so let’s lift each other and find hope.”

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