Colorado Springs battles 2nd highest suicide rate in U.S.
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Posted 7:14 AM 3/15/2013 : Colorado Springs ranks high for suicide
Colorado Springs is known as one of the best places to live, but according to a recent survey, it also has the second highest suicide rate in the United States. That's prompting one local organization to raise awareness and fight this deadly trend.
El Paso County has a suicide rate 200 times the National average.
"It's something that we as a community need to get a little bit better at seeing the signs of and addressing openly," says Amanda Lunday with The Independence Center.
Some of those signs include a deep depression, public statements about hurting themselves, and being far removed from family and friends.
Lunday says recognizing the signs is just the first step, even though it's a difficult conversation to have.
"It's not a list that we want to belong to, but it's not a situation that's going to change unless we as a community choose to address it."
The survey also found men 25-54 in El Paso County have the highest rates for suicide and despite the numbers, there's no clear reason for the disturbing trend.
Lunday says one reason could be the military influence, another theory is that Colorado Springs tends to be home to many transient people.
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