September Is Suicide Prevention Month

You may have heard people asking, or asked yourself: “Is suicide preventable?”

The causes of suicide are complex, and so are the solutions. Asking “why” when we lose someone is natural, but suicide can’t be attributed to a single cause. Preventing suicide requires sustained, broad-based efforts involving many sectors of the community and reaching into people’s relationships with friends and family. Working together, we can develop a comprehensive safety net for ourselves, friends, and loved ones that includes prevention, early intervention, and support for those who are struggling, have attempted, or have lost someone to suicide.

There are reasons for hope!

National and local efforts are helping us to change the conversation about suicide to one of hope and help and to encourage effective messaging around suicide prevention. And as a result, more often we see compassionate portrayals and responses in media and in the entertainment industry after a suicide death.

What is your role in suicide prevention?

While not every suicide can be prevented, by joining together throughout communities, we can reduce risk. Everyone has a role to play and a contribution to make. Here are some things you can do:

Reach out to local organizations, county agencies, or a crisis center to learn more about how you can support their work.
Forge connections within your community: check in with friends, family members, co-workers or neighbors who are struggling.

Since September is Suicide Prevention Month, now is a good time to learn a few tips that could save someone’s life. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and the second leading cause among youth. The following tips are taken from the National Alliance on Mental Illness:

Know the Warning Signs

Increases or decreases … risk is often associated with changes in either direction:

Threats or comments about killing themselves, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin with seemingly harmless thoughts like “I wish I wasn’t here” but can become more overt and dangerous
Increased alcohol and drug use
Aggressive behavior
Social withdrawal from friends, family and the community
Dramatic mood swings
Talking, writing or thinking about death
Impulsive or reckless behavior

Is There Imminent Danger?

Any person exhibiting these behaviors should get care immediately:

Putting their affairs in order and giving away their possessions (a noted tendency but not substantiated by research)
Saying goodbye to friends and family, or apologizing for past wrongs
Mood shifts from despair to calm
Planning, possibly by looking around to buy, steal or borrow the tools they need to die by suicide, such as a firearm or prescription medication

If you are concerned about suicide and don’t know what to do, call or text 988. They have trained counselors available 24/7 to speak with either you or your loved one. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org. Or you can call 911 for immediate assistance.

Learn about your local Suicide Prevention Task Force at: https://www.sptf.org/. The website for the Suicide Prevention Task Force (SPTF) provides resources focused on suicide prevention, education, and support for loss survivors. It includes information on community programs, counseling, training, and various resources for mental health awareness and intervention.

For more information on what to do in a crisis, go to https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine#crisis.

Other resources include:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

National Alliance on Mental Illness

The Trevor Project

Suicide Attempt Survivors

Locally:

Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force (SPTF)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOPE.SPTF/

If you’ve lost someone: Suicide Loss Survivors Support Group

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