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<p>More than half of the 52 suicides in Luzerne County this year to date involved men and self-inflicted gunshot wounds, statistics show.</p><p>That is a continuing trend the Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health and Developmental Services agency has been pushing to address in recent years, agency Administrator Tara Vallet said Wednesday.</p><p>&#8220;We are trying to work on the stigma for adult males not seeking help, to get them to realize it&#8217;s OK to reach out,&#8221; said Vallet.</p><p>The agency&#8217;s efforts come as a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shows that suicide rates rose in all states except Nevada from 1999 to 2016.</p><p>The CDC cited many factors contributing to suicide among those with and without mental health conditions, including relationship problems, problematic substance use, a crisis, criminal and legal problems, health issues, housing loss and employment or financial struggles.</p><p>Faith communities also are working to promote awareness and healing for those who may be struggling.</p><p>Pastor Jay E. Jones, of Trucksville United Methodist Church, said he has scheduled a &#8216;Longest Night&#8217; service this Friday aimed at helping people dealing with losses, such as the death of a loved one, a job loss or a relationship break-up.</p><p>The service commemorates the longest night of darkness but ends with a message of hope that the next day may be literally and figuratively &#8220;a little bit brighter.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s recognizing that not everybody &#8212; especially in this season of the year &#8212; is feeling joy,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Hopefully when they leave the service, they will feel more hopeful than when it began.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Most men over 40</strong></p><p>Forty-three males and nine females died from suicide this year to date, according to the county Coroner&#8217;s Office.</p><p>Some statistics about this year&#8217;s 43 deaths to date:</p><p>&#8226; Twenty-seven were self-inflicted gunshot wounds.</p><p>&#8226; Most victims were over 40. The number of deaths by age range: 10-20 years, four; 21-30, four; 31-40, six; 41-50, nine; 51-60, nine; 61-70, two; 71-80, five; and 81-90, four.</p><p>Suicides in the county ranged from 50 to 67 annually from 2010 through 2015.</p><p>County human service officials had cautiously expressed optimism in 2016 when they learned the number of suicides had dipped below 50, which had not occurred since 2009. However, the number of suicides rose again to 64 in 2017.</p><p>Suicides have received more national attention in recent months, largely due to the CDC report released in June.</p><p>The report said the rate increased more than 30 percent in half of the states between 1999 and 2016. In Pennsylvania, the increase was 34.3 percent over that period, according to the report.</p><p><strong>Guns in focus</strong></p><p>Vallet believes the challenge in getting men to come forward stems from a misconception that men are supposed to be strong and that their difficulties dealing with problems, including depression and other mental health issues, are a sign of weakness.</p><p>Her agency is distributing gun locks that require a key, and hundreds of those free locks have been handed out to date.</p><p>Vallet acknowledges that while someone contemplating suicide may still have access to the key, the hope is that the additional steps to access the gun may prompt them to reconsider.</p><p>&#8220;Seconds save lives,&#8221; Vallet said. &#8220;People might change their mind.&#8221;</p><p>County officials have warned family members to be on alert if a gun owner exhibits signs of depression or uncharacteristic behavior, although they stress some suicide victims mask their distress to the degree that loved ones would have no way of detecting something is amiss.</p><p><strong>How to get help</strong></p><p>Vallet urges anyone contemplating suicide to dial 211 to be linked to HelpLine counselors.</p><p>Friends and family members worried about someone who may be suicidal also can call this number to receive guidance on how to proceed.</p><p>&#8220;We take every threat seriously,&#8221; Vallet said.</p><p>Her organization also has started broadcasting public service announcements in theaters and is launching a school poster contest about suicide prevention in 2019 that will result in the winning poster being displayed in schools and the restrooms of many businesses throughout the county.</p><p>And another Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders &#8220;strike out stigma&#8221; game will be held in April to stress mental health issues are not shameful, she said.</p><p><strong>&#8216;Longest night&#8217; service</strong></p><p>Jones, who is in his 31st year of ministry, said he started at the Trucksville church in July and has participated in services at past congregations held on the winter solstice, which is the longest night of the year.</p><p>Some refer to such gatherings as &#8220;Blue Christmas&#8221; services, Jones said.</p><p>&#8220;We have this kind of idyllic image of what the Christmas holiday is about due to past memories or what we imagine it should be, and many times our experience doesn&#8217;t match that &#8212; many times because of the loss,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The &#8220;Service of the Longest Night,&#8221; which is open to the general public, begins at 6 p.m. Friday in the Fellowship Hall of the church educational facility, 40 Knob Hill Road, Trucksville.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Vallet </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_vallet-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Vallet </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_silhouette.jpeg">
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County promoting suicide awareness, especially for males