The World Needs You: Suicide Awareness Month
It’s alarming that the second leading cause of death among the late adolescent demographic is suicide. According to the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education , one suicide occurs in the United States every 12 minutes, 123 every day, 44,695 every year. In fact, one person in the world takes their own life every 40 seconds. Let that soak in: In the time it takes for you to form and articulate a coherent thought, someone takes their own life.
There are an overwhelming number of statistics one could include. A person can assess the numbers all they want, but the fact of the matter is, ONE is too much. One a day, one a year, one every ten years. It’s just too much.
September is Suicide Awareness Month, and as we all face emotions and loneliness amplified by the circumstances of COVID-19, it is especially pertinent that we take this month to educate ourselves and increase our own awareness.
First and foremost, if you find yourself a victim of depression, please reach out today for help. There are no circumstances too bleak, no amount of hopelessness, no magnitude of loneliness that constitutes taking your own life. The world needs you. It doesn’t have to be this way. It gets better.
If you ever find yourself entertaining suicidal thoughts, again, please reach out to me or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for help. If you are an immediate danger to yourself, please call 911.
As mentioned previously, even if you don’t find yourself in danger of suicidal thoughts, there are a number of actions you can take to help diminish the numbers:
- Be aware of the people you love and how they are feeling. You know them well, so it is likely that you would notice even the most subtle change in their behavior. Educate yourself on the warning signs of suicide risk, to include increased alcohol consumption, impulsive behavior, and withdrawal from loved ones. If you think intervention is necessary, please do so or employ someone appropriate to do so.
- Be cognizant of your own thoughts, too. These times are especially hard, and it is likely that this hasn’t been easy on you. Even if you haven’t been clinically diagnosed with a mood disorder, don’t consider yourself exempt from the risks of depression. Be good to yourself and your mental health 24/7, and consider consulting a mental health professional as you navigate these unprecedented times.
- Take care to tell “your people” how much you love them and how much they mean to you. This is just good life practice, in general, but especially as we work to amplify awareness.
- If you find yourself in a leadership role in your workplace, take stock of what prevention and intervention practices you have in place. A person spends an average of one-third of their life at work, and it is critical that this is a healthy experience. Consider engaging in a training for how to implement good workplace strategies and a preventative task force, and if you aren’t in a leadership role, bring it up to someone who is!
- Let your thoughts out. The brain can be a deep, dark place if you don’t let some light in. Journal, talk to a friend, call a mental health professional— just get them out of there!
- In the event that you are present during a suicide crisis, utilize the following actions:
-
-
- Talk openly and honestly. Don’t be afraid to ask: “Do you have a plan for how you would end your life?”
- Remove any harmful means, such as knives, pills, guns, etc.
- Stay calm. Don’t argue, threaten, or raise your voice. Don’t fidget or pace, even though you are certain to be nervous. The person in crisis already isn’t thinking clearly, and any panic could exacerbate the crisis.
- Ask: “Can I call your psychiatrist?”
- Be patient. Don’t look away, and continue to engage the at-risk individual in conversation, none of which debates the morality of suicide.
-
Unfortunately, a mental health emergency is unlike a physical one in that the protocol is minimal. One can go so easily undetected, and even if detected, there are so many different ways one can occur. The National Alliance on Mental Illness provided a downloadable guide on how to best navigate such a crisis, but when in doubt, call for immediate assistance.
Repeat after me: The world needs you. It doesn’t have to be this way. It gets better.
