Even though Suicide Prevention Awareness month in September has passed, there are many valuable ways that you can continue to acknowledge suicide prevention.
The Facts:
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens and young adults (SAVE, 2021).Â
There is one suicide attempt approximately every 27.5 seconds in the US (SAVE, 2021). Â
Every 1 in 3 young adults experience a mental, behavioral, or emotional health issue (SAMHSA, 2021).
The first National College Health Risk Behavior Survey showed that 10.3% of participants seriously considered attempting suicide and 6.7% had planned their suicide.
Learn the Signs:
Risk Factors (make someone more likely to commit suicide):
- Previous attempts
- Bullying
- Trauma or abuse
- Mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder)
- Substance abuse
- Loss (death, loss of job, loss of home, etc.)
- Chronic illness
*It is important to note that not all individuals who commit suicide are affecting by one of these things and not all individuals who experience these factors are likely to commit suicide.
Warning Signs (active indicators that someone is likely to commit suicide):
- Increased substance use
- Seeking access to lethal means
- Mood swings
- Talking about suicide and death frequently
- Reckless behaviors
- Expressing hopelessness
- Poor sleep schedule (too much or too little)
If someone you know is likely to commit suicide:
5 Steps Recommended by the CDC:
- Ask: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
- Safety: Reduce availability of lethal devices.
- Listen: Acknowledge their feelings and be present with them.
- Connect: Help them connect with resources (ex. 988 line).
- Stay Connected: Maintain connection afterwards.Â
See more: www.Bethe1To.comÂ
Other Support:
- Advocacy: take action with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to share information, pledge to vote, and support policymaking.
- Become trained in suicide prevention: For NC State Students, Prevention Services provides free suicide prevention training for all students. It takes two hours and occurs multiple times throughout the semester. (Learn more: https://prevention.dasa.ncsu.edu/suicide-prevention/qpr-training/)
- Discuss: Acknowledge the importance of suicide prevention and the impact of suicide in your communities. Help to reduce the stigma of mental illness and suicide attempts.
Suicide is preventable and can greatly be reduced if we all raise our awareness and reduce the stigma around emotional and mental health. Â
Information From:
https://save.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2020datapgsv1a-3.pdf