The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, a landscape etched with historical significance and present-day challenges, finds itself grappling with a deeply troubling crisis. The community, no stranger to hardship and premature mortality, has been profoundly shaken by a recent surge in adolescent suicides. A cluster of seven deaths within a few months has triggered an urgent response from school officials, tribal leaders, and mental health professionals, all striving to stem the tide of despair sweeping through the reservation.
The grim sequence began on December 12th when a 14-year-old boy tragically took his own life at his home. The reservation, a vast and often unforgiving expanse of badlands straddling the border between South Dakota and Nebraska, mourned the loss. The sense of grief deepened on Christmas Day with the discovery of a 15-year-old girl’s lifeless body. The new year brought no respite, as weeks later, a high school cheerleader became another victim of this devastating trend. February and March witnessed two more young lives extinguished, accompanied by a number of unsuccessful attempts, painting a stark picture of the mental health crisis unfolding.
The pervasive anxiety and sense of hopelessness among the youth are palpable. Students in both high school and middle school have turned to social media, particularly Facebook, to express their fears and anxieties. These online platforms have become echo chambers of worry, with some posts even hinting at, or seemingly encouraging, further suicide attempts. The appearance of nooses near homes, a grim and symbolic gesture, amplifies the urgency of the situation. The gravity of the crisis compelled worried parents to gather at a community hall, seeking answers and solutions to the unfolding tragedy. In response to the desperate plea for help, the U.S. Public Health Service dispatched teams of mental health counselors to the reservation, aiming to provide support and guidance to the affected students.
"The situation has turned into an epidemic," declared Thomas Poor Bear, the vice president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. His personal connection to the tragedy, the suicide of his 24-year-old niece, underscores the far-reaching impact of the crisis. "There are a lot of reasons behind it," he explained, citing factors such as bullying in schools and the crippling high unemployment rate as contributing factors to the widespread despair. The article titled String of Teenage Suicide Attempts Turning into Epidemic captures the urgency of the situation.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe, comprised of an estimated 16,000 to 40,000 members, calls the Pine Ridge Reservation home. Spanning over 2 million acres, it is one of the largest reservations in the United States. The land is steeped in history, most notably as the site of the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890, a tragic event in which the 7th Cavalry slaughtered approximately 300 unarmed tribe members. Today, the reservation faces a different kind of struggle, burdened by the highest poverty rate in the nation and plagued by severe rates of alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, and unemployment.
Suicide has long been a persistent problem on the reservation, a grim reality fueled by the bleak prospects for a better life in this remote and challenging environment. Tribal officials acknowledge the deep-seated despair that pervades the community. The living conditions are often dire, with many residents residing in clusters of mobile homes, some so dilapidated that the insulation is exposed to the elements. At night, the yards surrounding these trailers are often filled with rusting vehicles, a stark indicator of the overcrowded living conditions, with as many as 20 to 25 people sharing a single dwelling.
Between 2004 and 2013, nearly 1,000 suicide attempts were recorded on the reservation. Yvonne "Tiny" DeCory, a dedicated suicide-prevention outreach worker at Pine Ridge, notes that few weeks pass without a suicide occurring.
However, the recent deaths of young people have been particularly devastating, sending shockwaves through the community.
"Why so young?" DeCory asks, her voice filled with anguish. "Why do these kids think there is no hope? Well, look around," she says, gesturing to the bleak landscape and limited opportunities. DeCory, who has dedicated almost 30 years to working on the reservation, understands the systemic challenges that contribute to the despair.
"The economic structure here does not support the population," she explains. "You have a gas station, a little boutique, a big grocery store, Taco John’s, Pizza Hut and Subway. You have people of all ages vying for those jobs." The scarcity of employment opportunities further exacerbates the sense of hopelessness and contributes to the cycle of poverty and despair.
During the community meeting, many parents voiced their concerns, attributing the suicides, in part, to the erosion of their Oglala Lakota culture. The forced assimilation policies of the past, which began with the establishment of the reservation in 1868, have had a lasting impact on the tribe’s identity and sense of belonging. For years, tribal members were compelled to attend boarding schools where the use of their native language was forbidden, and traditional religious ceremonies were discouraged.
Sheila Slow Bear, a concerned parent, emphasized the urgent need to restore cultural pride and identity among the children. "We need to do something. We need to take action" to build the children’s pride in their identity, she urged. The parents collectively agreed to organize a ceremony to bestow Oglala Lakota names upon interested students, a symbolic act of reclaiming their cultural heritage.
Following the tribe’s appeal for assistance in February, volunteer federal mental health professionals began arriving at the reservation for two-week rotations. These volunteers supplemented the existing staff of nine full-time counselors at the Indian Health Service hospital, who were already overwhelmed by the immense need for mental health services. The mental health professionals encourage students to seek help if they suspect a friend is contemplating suicide.
Angie Sam, the director of the tribe’s suicide-prevention initiative, emphasized the importance of breaking the code of silence. "They have to understand that they are not snitching on their friends," she explained. "They are helping them." This message is critical in overcoming the stigma associated with mental health issues and encouraging young people to seek help for themselves and their peers.
The crisis described in the article String of Teenage Suicide Attempts Turning into Epidemic highlights the complex interplay of historical trauma, socioeconomic challenges, and cultural erosion that contributes to the high rates of suicide on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The efforts of tribal leaders, community members, and mental health professionals to address this crisis offer a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The need for long-term solutions, including increased economic opportunities, culturally relevant mental health services, and the revitalization of Oglala Lakota culture, is paramount to breaking the cycle of despair and fostering a brighter future for the youth of Pine Ridge.
The severity of the String of Teenage Suicide Attempts Turning into Epidemic needs further attention to solve the root cause.