Suicide calls snowball as economy struggles

Layoffs, foreclosures, cutbacks -- there are plenty of grim economic stats out there this holiday season. Here's perhaps the grimmest one of all: Calls to Los Angeles' busiest suicide hot line have soared by as much as 60 percent over the past year.

Mental-health experts say the sour economy has turned what usually manifests as seasonal blues into a full-blown crisis.

"I've been doing this for 10 years, and this is the worst I've seen it," said Kita Curry, president of the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center, which along with nine clinics in Southern California operates the region's most frequently called suicide hot line -- (877) 7-CRISIS.

Last year, she said, the hot line received an average of 1,500 calls per month. Now the total routinely tops 2,000 and sometimes runs as high as 2,400.

Likewise, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline says it's getting 35 percent more calls -- roughly 50,000 a month this year compared with about 37,000 last year. The national hot line can be reached at (800) 273-TALK.

"What's even more noticeable than the increase in call volume is that the intensity of the calls has gone up," said Sandri Kramer, Hirsch center program director.

"Fear is the No. 1 emotion we're hearing. People are feeling hopeless and helpless because of the economic crisis, and many feel that things aren't going to get better."

Kramer cited the case of a woman who lost her home and now lives in her car. Another caller, she said, is secretly living in a locker at a storage facility.

"A year ago, many of the calls we would get were from people with mental illnesses," Kramer said. "Now many of the calls are from people who have lost their home, or their job, or who still have a job but can't meet the cost of living."

Extreme cases have emerged in recent weeks. Tuesday, a money manager who had invested funds with accused Ponzi scheme mastermind Bernard Madoff was found dead in his office in New York City. Police said Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, 65, apparently committed suicide.

Madoff is charged with bilking clients and business partners out of as much as $50 billion. De la Villehuchet may have lost as much as $1.4 billion of investors' cash.

In October, a 45-year-old Southern California man, Karthik Rajaram, killed his wife, mother-in-law and three sons before taking his own life. In a letter to police, he blamed economic hardship for his actions.

Shortly afterward, Wanda Dunn, 53, a woman in Pasadena who recently had experienced financial setbacks, set her house on fire and then apparently shot herself in the head. She was due to be evicted that day.

"The most important thing is to ask for help," said Ken Kondo, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

"Not everyone can do that."

Like the Hirsch center, he said the county's crisis hot line -- (800) 854-7771 -- is seeing a surge in calls from "everyday people" dealing with the fallout of an economy on the ropes.

Almost every counseling service in the region is experiencing an increase in clients. The parking lot was full this week when I visited the Southern California Counseling Center in west Los Angeles.

Gail Wilburn, executive director of the center, said a growing number of people -- from working-class folk to out-of-work actors -- have been stopping by for help in coping with the sour economy. At peak hours, she said, every room and office in the two-story building is used for counseling sessions.

On Jan. 5, the center will launch a new support group for people dealing with issues related to the recession. The group is being formed in conjunction with Jewish Vocational Services, a nonprofit organization that assists people with work problems.

"It says something that we've never done something like this before -- ever," Wilburn said. "We're seeing a lot more people coming here for discussions about the economy, rather than 'I love my boyfriend, but he doesn't love me.' "

Mental health professionals say there are a number of warning signs for depression to watch for in yourself or loved ones:

Irritability or a tendency to engage in arguments.

Withdrawal from ordinary activities or hobbies.

Trouble concentrating, forgetfulness or sleeplessness.

Mood changes, especially unusual feelings of sadness.

Increased use of alcohol or drugs.

That's not to say showing any or even all of the above symptoms means you're clinically depressed. On the other hand, denial is usually the first hurdle a depressed person needs to overcome before seeking help.

The experts say if you think there's even a chance you're feeling bluer than blue, call one of the free hot lines and talk things over.

As for the economy, it's expected that things will get worse before they get better, and a lot more people are going to face the loss of jobs and homes before this recession finally peters out.

That suggests more suffering and tragedy to come. But Robert Mendelsohn, Southern California Counseling Center's clinical director, says, with a counselor's eternal optimism, that he thinks the hard times will bring out the best in people.

"We're reminded of our human values at times like this," he said.

You can reach David Lazarus at david.lazarus@latimes.com.