1 in 4 Arizona suicides involved with romantic relationships

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A new study by Arizona State University, shows that over one in four Arizona suicides involved an intimate partner relationship.

Charles Katz, ASU director of the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, studied the data.

Katz reports how mental illness and substance abuse take part in an action many people think is impulsive, suicide.

The 2015 to 2020 study examined over 7,600.

The majority of these suicides involved a firearm at 59%.

“When individuals feel hopeless due to verbal and emotional abuse, violent victimization by their partner, they oftentimes don’t feel a lot of hope in life so they often will take matters into their own hands,” said Katz.

He says one measure you can take to prevent suicide in your home is to remove any dangerous objects firearms and sleeping pills.

“Just to ensure that if they do consider that as an option when other people are not around, that they won’t use those vehicles to commit self-harm," said Katz.

Executive director of Amberly's Place, Tori Bourguignon, says don’t be scared to ask someone if they are having suicidal thoughts, it can help more than you know.

“I think that’s a very uncomfortable question sometimes, ‘Are you thinking of killing yourself?’ but it's a million-dollar, mega-important question to be able to ask someone if you notice something and you’re wondering it," said Bourguignon.

If you or someone you know is facing thoughts of suicide, call 988 the suicide hotline, or text 741-741 another suicide hotline for texting.