Suicide Prevention Month

Emma Wilkinson

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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. Together we can all create a positive change to help prevent suicide. Suicide is normally death caused by mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, etc. Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide. Suicide is a tragedy that millions of people are impacted by. Many people suffer from suicidal behaviors and intense grief and depression. “The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study estimate that almost 800,000 people die from suicide every year. That's one person every 40 seconds.”, according to https://ourworldindata.org/. For every suicide, there are many more people who attempt suicide. For example, in 2020, there was an estimated 1.20M suicide attempts. Suicide can be prevented by learning the warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment. You can save a life; your own or someone else’s. Warning signs include: negative view of self, isolating and feeling alone, change in appetite, feeling like a burden to others, drug/alcohol abuse, talking about self-harm, change in personality, recently losing a loved one, feeling worthless, change in sleep patterns, recent heartbreak, no hope for the future, saying goodbye to people as if they will not be seen again, and many more. These warning signs may vary for different people and are not always easy to see. Some people can keep these suicidal thoughts to themselves, while others are more open. Make sure to check on friends. It is important to reach out if you start/already are feeling suicidal. Even though it may be hard to talk about your feelings, reach out to a close friend, loved one, teacher, or counselor. Contact a minister, spiritual leader, or someone in your faith community. Call a suicide hotline. Make an appointment with a doctor or other mental health professional. Please, talk to someone. People would rather listen to your story than sit at your funeral. There is help, and there is hope.