Native Americans - Suicide Prevention and Depression
My name is Evelin Cervenkova. I am the founder of the Lakota Oyate Information in Germany. Already for 19 years I am interested in psychology, healing and cause of neurosis and depression. In the association of psychiatry experienced people I am working to improve health care for psychological ill people.
Depression, a psychological disease, appears very often in high industrialized countries. In Germany every third or fourth person does suffer from depression sometime in his life.
Here in Germany is suicide on the second place of cause of death at teenagers. At young adults is suicide on the third place of cause of death.
Incidence of suicide among Native American young people, ages 15-24, is nearly three times than of the U.S. national rate (Indian and Alaskan Native rate is 37.5 per 100,000 vs. 13.2 per 100,000 U. S. all races according to the Indian Health Service Trends 1989-91).
We are very concerned, knowing that Montana State prison is a facility where the Suicide Rate is one of the highest in the nation. In addition to this, there have been documented cases of severe mistreatment, abuse and neglect of mentally-ill prisoners.
What are the reasons for existence of depression?
The sum of negative experiences of life causes depression. Such negative life experience begins often in the childhood.
A child, who does often hear, that it is stupid, lazy and unwelcome, cannot develop no self-confidence and becomes depressed.
Authoritarian educated children have never learned to think and act independent. Such children have an inclination to be depressed.
Children, who are often left alone can be depressed.
Victims of sexual abuse feel "soiled" and feel they are not worthy, or feel they are at fault (guilt), even though they are the victims. Sexual abuse by parents or family members (incest) is very tragic. Sexual abuse by "authority" figures, i.e., teachers, doctors, and priests (elders and healers) is particularly damaging.
Constantly strain on nerves in the daily life are the most reasons for existence of depression.
Very often are women affected by depression. Women have to educate children and go to work ore the are unemployed.
Further reasons for depression are loneliness and social disadvantage. Long time unemployed persons and their children are especially social disadvantaged. The number of unemployed people does increase particularly in Eastern-Germany. There is the unemployment rate between 19 and 26 %. On reservation of Native Americans in the USA should be the unemployment rat till 93 %.
Some suicidologists believe that the extremely high suicide rate among Natives is due to the suppression of their religion and culture by the Federal Governments. This suppression is still seen in the prison administrations; Canadian prisons have only recently allowed Native sweat lodge ceremonies; most American prisons routinely deny permission.
How you can find out, if a person is depressed?
The person suffers from insomnia.
The person is unable to concentrate.
The person has loss of weight.
The person is hyperactive or has no energy.
The person does cry.
The person feels worthless.
The person appears sad.
The person thinks about it to commit suicide.
When depression comes into existence in connection with social problems and social disadvantages, so we should talk to politicians about it.
The Native Americans themselves are interested to take action against the high suicide rate of their people.
Reservation communities are usually dependent upon the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to provide support in terms of crisis. IHS does not offer any services that are focused on suicide prevention or intervention. The BIA does not offer these services either.
The suicide prevention of Native Americans needs financial support.
Perhaps you know Native Americans who are interested on working on suicide prevention projects? I would like to introduce such suicide prevention projects of Native Americans in German spoken states the it can be supported.
My emailaddress is: Email: Lakotaoyateinfo@web.de
Evelin Cervenkova Founder of the Lakota Oyate information http://mitglied.lycos.de/frlakota/ Email: Lakotaoyateinfo@web.de
CONTACT INFORMATION:
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