Alaska Natives see 'heartbreak' in suicide rate

[Liberal_in_LA]

Alaska Natives see 'heartbreak' in suicide rate

The rate of suicides among indigenous Americans between the ages of 15 and 29 was nearly double the national rate in 2006-2007, according to the latest figures available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alaska's numbers are even more jolting. In the same two-year period, there were a total of 284 suicides in the state, according to the federal data. Alaska Natives, which make up less than 18 percent of the state's estimated population of 680,000, accounted for 96 of those deaths. That's a rate of 42.32 suicides per 100,000 people, compared with a 16.6 percent rate for non-Natives.

Few Alaska Natives are untouched. Singh, who found help through counseling, just lost a 22-year-old relative to suicide, and she said her boyfriend's sister killed herself. Recently, Singh attended a funeral for a man who took his life.

"We go to these types of services so often," she said. "We see the heartbreak."



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/12/11/national/a085602S08.DTL#ixzz17qBT4Q6e

[Taverner]

1. I've been told Alaskan Winters can be murder on your state of happiness

IN other words: no sun can equal depression

[NuclearDem]

2. It happens to me every winter too

When I talked to my doctor about it, he said it had something to do with the lack of Vitamin D from the decreased sunlight.

That said, this is really tragic...I can't even imagine what these people are going through right now. :cry:

[Taverner]

3. Do you likve in AK?

If so I have a very serious question - completely serious and important

How is the skiing there? I'm told there is a ski area on the coast in one place...is that true?

[Arctic Dave]

5. We have one ski resort (Alyeska) and a couple of smaller places.

If you love back country skiing or heliskiing you have an unlimited amount of mountains.

http://www.alyeskaresort.com/

[Taverner]

7. Is the coastal ski area rumor I heard true?

I would love to see a ski area at sea level...

[Blue_In_AK]

9. It's basically coastal.

Our coastal mountains rise right up from sea level, so at least the bottom of the slopes at Alyeska are pretty close to 0 elevation.

[Taverner]

10. Is there any way to ski to the beach?

At any of them?

[Blue_In_AK]

12. No, not right to the beach,

although I suppose you could cross-country ski along the beach if you wanted to. There are bike trails all along the Seward Highway, which probably have enough snow on them now to X-country ski on. Here's a map. http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS272US272&q=map+of+girdwood&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Girdwood,+Anchorage,+AK&gl=us&ei=tAEETf7yGsH98AbswKmDBA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA

Girdwood is where the Alyeska downhill skiing resort is, so you can see it's not much more than a mile from the water.

[Arctic Dave]

13. Yep. You can see Turnagain Arm from the mountain.

The bottom of the mountain is about 100ft above sea level

[NuclearDem]

6. Nope, I live in Nebraska

The winters are nowhere near as fierce as Alaska, but I was just saying I've felt the effects of the lack of sunlight during the winter too.

[Pisces]

4. As well as molestation is high in these areas due to sick priests being

sent to these far outposts where people don't count. Here is a link.

http://www.worldslastchance.com/prophecy-in-news/jesuit-priests-accused-of-sex-abuse-in-alaska.html

[d_b]

8. It's bad enough living in Anchorage

I can't imagine living in the villages.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. Yes, not much going on out there

except trying to stay warm and fed. I would definitely have a hard time in a village.