KULR 8's Healthy Living: Local News

Suicide Rates in Montana

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By Madelyn Jarrett

Story Updated: Jun 11, 2009

BILLINGS - Montana is known for its beauty, independent spirit and wide-open spaces. But there's a darker side to "The Last Best Place" that's often swept under the rug.

For some time, Montana was also known to those in the medical community as having the highest suicide rate per capita in the nation.

"He was a little farm kid, just comical." There are memories Char Kenney has of her son John Paul she'll cherish forever. Stories she loves to tell and pictures she loves to look at. But then there's the memory from November 20th, 2002, that'll never go away, no matter how much she wishes it would.

"It's a hurt that's with you forever. I got a call from my daughter, she said hey mom, something has happened to John. You better come up to Dad's. I got there and they said, your son is gone."

Kenney says she started noticing signs of depression in John when he was in junior high school. But in high school he made more friends and seemed better.

"It was after he graduated and got on his own that things got tough. He started drinking." When John's family noticed him going downhill they tried to help him. He was seeing a counselor but it wasn't enough. And when he felt himself losing control asked his family to take him to the hospital. He waited in the ER for hours and wasn't seen.

"That was a week before he died. I feel as if the (Community) Crisis Center was here, John would still be here." But when John died, Kenney says help was not as available as it is now. And while things are improving, Kenney says it's a fight the community hasn't yet won.

"Some people act like it's a shameful thing. These people are sick, just as if you have cancer."

Her answer is acceptance and awareness. So other mother's don't have to live with the pain she says will last for the rest of her life.

Kenney still goes to support groups and is vocal about the need to bring more suicide awareness to Montana.

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fred said on Wednesday, Sep 2 at 4:36 AM

Love cures, but is in short supply, and must include sex, which generally treated as evil.

Sandy said on Sunday, Jul 12 at 5:56 PM

most of the suicides are native americans, alcahol is the reason on most cases

lilataylor_in_alaska@yahoo.com said on Sunday, Jun 7 at 1:16 PM

Hi, kids and adults need to eat more meat, Vitamin B 12 is in meat and helps fight depression, whether a person is an alcoholic or not..its a neccessary vitamin. I grew up on a poor farm in Montana, but we always had enough meat and fish to eat, which I believe kept us happier. Sincerely, Lila in Alaska

brandini said on Friday, May 29 at 3:45 PM

hey daniel if you were serious about doing it you woulda got tha job done!!!!hahaha!!!attention seeker

J Evans said on Wednesday, May 20 at 9:30 PM

Miles City--5 deaths since 8/25/08 related to suicide including a murder. Our children aren't being educated about suicide and that it is ok to discuss it. It no longer something to sweep under the rug. A local MC 7th grader is trying to make a change after she has been affected. She has entered the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant where as a way of being able to help educate children of all ages. A way to help after losing 2 friends, a dance teacher, and a co-worker of her dad's to suicide

Anonymous said on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:51 PM

If anything be shameful about Montana's statistically- massaged suicide rate, it is the woefully deficient response of its leaders whom have known for quite some time now that something is amiss. This is a systemic problem. It is a Montana problem. Why are Montana's (predominantly) young white boys and men killing themselves? We have at least 10 years of morbidity data. Ought we DEMAND that our leaders investigate and refuse to swallow such hackery. Sad on the open range? And not even a blush.

Shella said on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:45 AM

A powerful speaker once said to me that she believed in reincarnation. Once she came upon this realization it occurred to her that suicide was quite pointless because you're just going to have to come back and deal with the same thing over again. That really changed my perspective on suicide. It's true - it's self-induced and nothing in this world is permanent. Circumstances change, so as much as people hate to hear it "this too shall pass." LOOK FOR WHAT IS GOOD IN YOUR LIFE -FOCUS ON IT!

Robert said on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:35 AM

If the caregivers would learn to understand us and care for us in a way that was comforting, and empathetic then maybe the masses would get better. Instead, our medical system uses the mentally ill for lab rats and tells them how the medication makes them feel not asking how it effects them. They would rather lock you to a bed or in a room and drug you than to calm your pain with understanding. If you refuse you are now a criminal of the worst type and harassed by an ignorant police force.

daniel said on Tuesday, May 12 at 12:53 AM

IAM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO FIGHT WITH THE PAIN OF SUICIDE.I HAVE TRIDE 2 TIME. BOTH TIMES GOD HAS SENT AN ANGEL TO SAVE MY LIFE.THAT WAS MANY YEARS AGO.SMART RECOVERY SAVED MY LIFE 4 THIS DAY AND I PRAY THE NEXT MY PRAYS GO OUT TO U 4 YOUR LOSE.

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