Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September is national suicide prevention awareness month. Yes, we are promoting and raising awareness in the month of September, but it is a worldly issue that should be discussed on a daily basis. Here are some facts according to SAVE, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education:

In the U.S.A

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages. (CDC)

• Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)

• There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes. (CDC)

• Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC)

• Suicide takes the lives of over 44,965 Americans every year. (CDC)

• Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment. (NAMI)

• 80% -90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. (TADS study)

• There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. (CDC)

• There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC)

Worldwide

• Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year, which is roughly one death every 40 seconds.

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years.

• Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

• 1 in 100,000 children ages 10 to 14 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

• 7 in 100,000 youth ages 15 to 19 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

• 12.7 in 100,000 young adults ages 20-24 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

• The prevalence of suicidal thoughts, suicidal planning and suicide attempts is significantly higher among adults aged 18-29 than among adults aged 30+. (CDC)

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year old Americans. (CDC)

• Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for adults ages 18-65. (CDC)

There is a stigma associated with the topic of mental health which can make kids and adults feel uncomfortable or afraid to talk about what they are going through with anyone. You never know what the person sitting next to you is going through, even if that someone is extremely close to you. We lose too many loved ones to mental illness and now is the time to break the stigma and to offer your guiding hand and let the people around you know that you are there for them no matter what. It is important to try to understand the warning signs and to be able to approach the situation in a helpful and positive manner.

Resources

•  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)

• Online chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ (24/7)

• https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• The Crisis Text Line is a free text messaging resource offering 24/7 support to anyone in crisis.  https://www.crisistextline.org/

• The Trevor Project offers crisis intervention and suicide prevention to LGBTQ youth through its hotline, chat feature, text feature, and online support center.

  Contact information:

  • 866-488-7386 (24/7)

  • Text START to 678678. (Mon-Fri 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST/12 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST)

  • TrevorCHAT (instant messaging, available seven days a week 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST/12 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST)

  • https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) national helpline offers confidential treatment referrals in both English and Spanish to people struggling with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both. Contact information:

  • 800-662-HELP (4357) (24/7)

  • TTY: 800-487-4889 (24/7)

  • www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Now that we are experiencing a new era in time due to the events going on, it is very important to have these conversations with friends, family members, and to educate ourselves on these topics to save lives in the present and the future. You are never alone and there is always someone who wants to help.