THERE were 21 reported cases of suicide in the CNMI in 2000 and 2001, according to the Department of Public Health.
Between 1992 and 2001, the average number of suicides per year stood at 5.4. In 2000, however, there were nine suicide cases. In 2001 there were 12.
Dr. Anthony Andrew Bottone of the Commonwealth Health Center’s psychiatry department said so far for this year, there has been two to three suicide attempts weekly.
“And for everyone I see, there are many more that never come to our attention,” he said.
The solutions to the growing suicide problem in the CNMI should include early intervention, as well as early detection of at-risk youths through screening, he said.
Bottone said the CNMI may also receive assistance on suicide prevention from experts at the Columbia University in New York.
In a May 22 letter to Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Bottone said the U.S.-based doctors have developed a sophisticated suicide prevention program employing screening tools and training of school and clinic personnel.
“I explained to them the problems we face here, and they are considering providing their services at no charge to the CNMI, provided there is community support and implementation of the project locally, and in coordination with the (hospital’s) departments of psychiatry and pediatrics,” Bottone told the governor.
The New York-based experts are expected to get the support they need, as the newly organized CNMI Governor’s Suicide Prevention Task Force drew “overwhelming support” from the public and private sectors.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente vowed to be personally involved in the activities of the task force, which aims to “combat, help and prevent” cases of teen suicide and attempted suicide.
Bottone said the CNMI is also facing an epidemic of butane abuse.
He narrated the experience of a physician on Saipan last week.
“How pervasive is butane abuse? One afternoon this (last) week, a physician discovered in her kitchen an unknown, local teen boy holding her binoculars. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked. ‘Do you have any butane?’ the boy responded.”
Bottone said while the current focus is teen suicide, the CNMI is also seeing an increase in suicide attempts involving middle-aged men and women.
Bottone said the women make more attempts, but the men’s attempts are more lethal and are usually done while they are intoxicated.
Family conflicts are a major source of distress, he said. In addition, the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse also plays a significant role.
