September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicide affects many people all over the world. The impact of this kind of loss trickles down and affects friends, families, partners, and communities in insurmountable ways. Losing someone to suicide may be very shocking, upsetting, angering, and hard to wrap your head around and understand. You may also find yourself blaming yourself for not being able to help or seeing the signs. But suicide and thoughts of dying are far more complicated and bigger than that.
Suicide is a public health crisis. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This is a time to raise awareness, spread hope and share vital information with people who suffer from suicidal thoughts or have been affected by suicide. Resilience Counseling seeks to create a safe space to help people work through the impact of suicide, loss, and other difficulties.
Together for Mental Health
Studies show that about 46% of people who die by suicide had been formally diagnosed with a mental health condition, but nearly 90% of people experienced symptoms of a mental health condition that was not yet diagnosed or addressed. Therefore, taking care of your mental health and advocating for your friends, family, and community about the importance of mental health hygiene is critical for suicide prevention.
If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, depression, or a mood disorder, they may be at a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and intent. Proper mental health care such as diagnosis, medication management, and counseling are all tools that are critical for mental health care and maintenance. Seeing a loved one suffer can severely impact one’s relationships in a time when relationships can be a protective risk factor.
There are ways you can help care for a loved one dealing with suicidal thoughts and support them and most importantly, keep them safe. Encourage your loved one to get treatment and stick with it. Support and accountability can be very important to motivate a loved one in distress at this time. Offer emotional support if/when you can. Listen, empathize and have a nonjudgmental attitude to offer support and keep the conversation open. Never ignore comments or “jokes” about suicide. These statements are not to be taken lightly and could be a cry for help that should be treated as such.
Remember: even if you are not personally dealing with suicidal thoughts, there are resources you yourself can seek to help you navigate your relationship, help your loved one deal with suicide, and get support for yourself in this difficult time.
Raising Awareness for Prevention
The signs of suicide and suicidal ideation can be very subtle. However, there are a few risk factors and warning factors it is important to be aware of so you can help a friend and potentially save their life. The Brief Suicide Safety Assessment provides an outline of behaviors to look for that could identify positive suicide risks, such as:
Frequency of suicidal thoughts
Suicide plan
Past behavior
History of depression
History of anxiety
Hopelessness
Impulsivity/recklessness
Substance and alcohol use
Dramatic mood changes
Withdrawal/isolation
By being an advocate and promoting recognition of these symptoms and warning signs, you could be able to identify, approach, and address the topic of suicide with an individual who may be suffering. Studies show that strong connections to individuals, family, community and social institutions are a major protective factor for suicide prevention.
Talking about suicide and prevention can help those in need learn resources and help they could access. It could help connect people with others who can personally relate to the struggle and can offer help and advice. Making this topic less taboo can create a major shift in the accessibility of services and resources. By creating a conversation about suicide prevention, we as a community and society can decrease the judgment and stigma surrounding suicide and shine a light on how important listening and being there for someone is.
How to Save a Life
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, or exhibiting symptoms of a mental health disorder that could lead to suicidal thoughts and action, here is how you can help:
24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
*En español 1-888-628-9454
24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741-741
Dial 999 if you are in immediate danger or think someone may be in immediate danger
Dial or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
The Trevor Lifeline for LGBTQIA+ Youth: 1-866-488-7386
Suicide is preventable. This is why talking about it, calling action to awareness and identifying risk factors and warning signs is a life-saving lesson. If you have suffered from suicidal thoughts or have been personally affected by suicide, Resilience Counseling here in Akron, OH can help you navigate grief and/or recovery to restore hope for the future.
