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Understanding Suicide Prevention

What does Suicide Prevention mean?

From the Desk of our Director of Care Management, Jennifer Escobar

September is National Sucide Prevention Month.  A time dedicated to raising awareness about suicide and the tremendous impact it has on individuals, families and communities. It’s also a time to highlight the importance of mental health.  According to the CDC, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.  In 2022, people ages 85 and older had the highest rates of suicide.  We have all been touched in one way or another by suicide. Whether it was someone near and dear to us, or an acquaintance, the effects it leaves are often deep and lasting. 

 

If you are asking yourself what can I really do to help someone who is struggling, here are a few ways you can make a difference in someone’s life :

 

1. Be a Good Listener. We often listen to problem solve, but when someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts, the best thing you can do is to provide a safe space free of judgment or solutions. 
2. Let them know they are not alone. Encourage them to speak to a professional, someone who can help support them through what they are experiencing. With so many different choices of modalities for therapy, you don’t even have to leave your home to speak to a professional.
3. Keep in Touch. Just letting someone know that you are thinking of them can provide much needed reassurance. Even a simple text or call can make all the difference in the world to someone.
4. Get to know available resources. Raise your awareness about what resources are available in your community.  988 was created as a confidential support line for people in distress. It immediately routes them to the National Suicide Prevention and Crisis Line. NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness allows you to text 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.

 

Each September we raise awareness about Suicide to help bring light to a dark subject. By having those hard conversations, we hope to de-stigmatize Suicide so that we can create a culture where individuals feel safe to seek the help in a community that recognizes the value of prioritizing mental health.