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by Kylie Berg
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“I wanted to be the character that everyone told me I needed to be,” Seneca said. Native News Online“It just started so it didn’t suit me. Really It affected my mindset and my mental state. I started to question everything. Really He gets irritated and starts yelling.”
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The stress of conforming to societal norms and the pressures of his home environment took a toll on Seneca’s mental health. When he began to think about suicide in high school,
He needed to ask for help and communicate his feelings.
“When I went through it, no one gave me a blueprint,” Seneca says. “I was able to talk about it and share my experiences.” We are making A way forward. There is no one right path, but by sharing our stories we can let others know they are not alone.”
Seneca is currently working to raise awareness of mental health as a member of the planning committee for the 4th World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference. take It will take place from July 22-25 at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. this This is the first time Will be held In the United States.
Seneca’s mental health struggles are emblematic of disparities in suicide rates among Native American youth.
According to the National Council on Indian SeniorsIndigenous people have the highest suicide rates, with the impact felt most acutely among people aged 10 to 24. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death in Indigenous communities, after chronic disease and unintentional injuries.
The theme of the conference is “Restoring Resilience and Hope for Indigenous Peoples.” Facilitate knowledge sharing Public health strategies rooted in Indigenous culture and wisdom.
Seneca said the global reach of the event shows that suicide rates affect Indigenous people around the world, and that no community is suffering alone.
“This conference will be a great opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. it is, The problem we face It’s not just something that affects our local area, it affects everyone around the world. “This recognition shows us that we’re not doing something wrong, but that these challenges are universal,” Seneca said.
The four-day conference brought together participants from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and other countries. It was effective in dealing with This international exchange of experiences and solutions is a stepping stone to the crisis and the countries that continue to face great challenges. Expected This will be one of the most valuable aspects of the meeting.
A key theme of the conference is reclaiming and honouring traditional, holistic approaches to mental health and wellbeing. Traditionally, Indigenous peoples have been practising holistic methods for a long time. They were officially recognized However, due to government-sanctioned genocide and forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples, many of these practices were once banned.
Legacy of Historical Trauma
Advocates believe examining the connection between mental health issues and historical trauma is essential to mitigating high suicide rates in Native American communities.
Victoria O’Keefe (Cherokee/Seminole), associate director of the Native American Health Center, highlights the continuing impacts of colonization and assimilation policies that have harmed generations of Native people.
“Policies like colonization and land dispossession have deeply scarred our communities,” O’Keefe said. Native News Online“This is linked to historical trauma that not only impacts young people, but the entire community.”
According to O’Keefe, research has shown that historical trauma Linked They face a variety of challenges, including childhood adversity, substance abuse, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Suicide rates are significantly higher among Native American youth and young adults, but vary greatly by tribe. “Our tribes are diverse, and our suicide rates are one of them,” said Dr.” “Some countries have higher rates, while others are at or below the U.S. average,” O’Keefe said.
Legacy of the Federal Residential School Era it is Practices from the late 1800s through 1969 also play a role: practices such as name changing, hair cutting and banning of Indigenous languages caused intergenerational trauma that still impacts families today.
To address the mental health disparities caused by cultural erasure, O’Keefe emphasizes community-level interventions that respect cultural identity, such as language revitalization and cultural camps where youth and families learn traditional practices and values.
“Challenge to Silence”
This year’s Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference is targeted at those on the front lines of behavioral health in Indigenous communities, including advocates, social workers and mental health professionals. Sessions will include: Will be held On decolonizing public health, tribal residential schools, data sovereignty, and more.
“My hope is This event [attendees]Rekindling their commitment to their important work and bringing renewed enthusiasm back to their communities;“ “Advocacy is hard, and for most of us, it’s not about the money, it’s about the personal experience and witnessing these issues firsthand,” Seneca said.
Seneca said he hopes the conference will help break the silence around suicide.
“It’s important to challenge the silence surrounding discussions about mental health. We encourage open dialogue and dispel the idea of a one-size-fits-all solution. I hope we can shed more light on these issues. It would be great to see a world without suicide in my lifetime, but I’m not sure if that will happen. The main goal is to bring hope and unity by restoring resilience.”
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About the Author
Reporter
Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alu’utik/Sugpiak tribe and a shareholder in Koniag Inc. She is a reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Based in Wisconsin, Berg was previously a reporter for the Hochunk newspaper, Ho’kak-Wolak. She originally studied nursing but discovered her passion for communications at Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and changed her major.
