Two celebrity suicides shine a light on tragedy close to home

Whatever the pain was that caused Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade to take their own lives, it's anything but limited to celebrities.

While fans, friends and families mourn Spade and Bourdain, thousands of people grieve for their own more private losses to suicide and look for answers that may never be revealed.

On Friday alone, along with Bourdain, some 120 people in the U.S. would take their own lives. But, there's nothing special about Friday. It happens every single day, according to Annemarie Matulis, director of the Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention.

"Close to 90 will be men. Another 20 will be veterans," Matulis said.

That's according to statistics gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, there were 45,000 suicides in the United States.

In Massachusetts, there are 12 suicide deaths per week.

In Bristol County, 28 people have killed themselves this year, including eight each in Greater Fall River, Attleboro and New Bedford, and four in Greater Taunton.

Of those suicides in Bristol County, 22 were men and six were women. They ranged in age from 18 to 80.

Last year, there were 60 suicides in Bristol County, 61 in 2016 and 71 in 2015.

"One is too many," Matulis said. "We have to make it OK for people to talk about this."

A stigma is still attached to suicide, according to Matulis, and that can translate into people not seeking help, and friends and families not recognizing warning signs, which may be very subtle.

"Talk," Matulis said. "Get people talking."

Matulis said to ask questions and be aware of loved ones who may be going through a difficult time, are feeling isolated, are drinking more or abusing other substances, whether or not they show any suicide warning signs. Many do not. And, many are not known to be suffering from depression or other mental health conditions.

"Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor," according to a new CDC report.

Other factors that contribute to suicide are related to relationships such as divorce and break-ups, substance abuse, poor physical health or pain, a recent crisis, and stress due to work, money, legal or housing issues.

The rate of middle-aged men like Bourdain - between 45 to 64 - who have killed themselves has increased by 43 percent between 1999 and 2016, according to the CDC. They accounted for 11,943 suicide deaths in 2016.

Suicide in general has increased overall by 25 percent in the U.S. during that same time frame, including by 35 percent in Massachusetts and 34 percent in Rhode Island.

"Suicide affects us all," said Julie Cerel, president of the American Association of Suicidology. "Each person who dies by suicide leaves behind so many loved ones with the question of ?why?' We need significant funding for research to help answer this question."

Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.