World Suicide Prevention Day

                 September 10^th is World Suicide Prevention Day. This is an important day to me for a few reasons. First, I believe we need to draw awareness to the number of people living with and fighting suicidal thoughts. There are too many people dying by suicide. Another reason is more personal. I have lived with suicidal thoughts for most of my life. I understand the struggle and know the pain. Another reason is that too often people are shocked when a loved one or friend dies by suicide. The warning signs are missed. (Thursday’s post will discuss warning signs.) One more reason is that if we can prevent even one death by being more aware, we are making progress. World Suicide Prevention Day draws attention to seriousness of suicide and the need for more prevention efforts.

                  The slogan for this year is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”  There is a call to action to “Start the Conversation” with the aim of “transforming how we perceive this complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support.” To put this simply we need to talk about suicide in a way that reduces stigma and allows for providing help to those experiencing suicidal thoughts. This includes learning the warning signs and knowing how to get help for someone who is struggling or in crisis. 

                  The need is obvious when we look at the number of people who die by suicide. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that globally there are more than 700,000 deaths by suicide each year. We can’t ignore a number like that. This is where the awareness piece comes into play. We need to be aware that suicide poses a real crisis. When we look at the data in detail, it is heartbreaking to see how many people die by suicide. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 10-14 years, 15-24 years, and 25-34. The American Psychological Association stated that 20% of teens seriously considered suicide between 2011 and 2021. In 2021 the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) reported suicide claimed the lives of over 48,000 people. That number is nearly two times as many as the number of homicides in that same year.

                   There are three definitions we should understand. According to NIH suicide is defined as “death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result.”

They define a suicide attempt as “a non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.” Finally, suicidal ideation “refers to thinking about, considering, or planning suicide.”

                  I mentioned that I have a more personal reason for believing that World Suicide Prevention Day is important. I have dealt with suicidal ideation since I was in my teen years. I have been on the edge of attempts. Thankfully, I have been helped in these instances. I wouldn’t be here if the people who helped me hadn’t been aware of suicide. Several times my ideation has been relieved, or my attempts stopped by mental health professionals, but there have been times when a friend or family member has stepped in and made sure I received help. It is the awareness of these friends and family that is important on this day and every day. We need to build more awareness in people. We never know when someone we care about might need help. Awareness that suicidal ideation does not go away on its own, but it is a step in the direction towards making a difference. Knowing how to direct the person toward help is also important. The more aware we are, the more likely we are to be able to make a difference.

                  September 8^th was National 988 Day. 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If someone you know is expressing thoughts of suicide this is the number to call. If you are having these thoughts, call this number. You will be provided with the support necessary to get you through the situation and keep you safe. 988 provides judgement-free care. The conversation you have can save your life or the life of someone else. You can call, text, or chat with this line. There is a website, https://988lifeline.org/get-help/. I have a friend who didn’t know what to do when her friend repeatedly expressed suicidal ideation. She asked me what to do. I recommended she call 988 and ask for support. The person who answered was able to get support to my friend’s friend. This was the first step in providing her with help. She is alive today because of the help provided by 988. As we raise awareness about suicide prevention, we should make sure people know about 988. A simple phone call can really save a life. 

                  This month I am going to focus several of my posts on raising awareness about suicide. It is not just my personal experiences with suicide. I have also had students who lived with suicidal ideation. Perhaps living with these thoughts and knowing others who have also lived with the thoughts has made me more aware and allowed me to understand the importance of awareness. While September 8^th was 988 Day and September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, the whole month of September is set aside as Suicide Prevention Month. A month is not enough to raise the awareness we need to raise, but it is a start. My posts this month might make some people uncomfortable because I am going to discuss suicide. It is a topic people try to pretend doesn’t exist, but it does exist. I have experienced the pain of suicidal ideation and attempts. I know firsthand that awareness makes a difference. I apologize if I make you uncomfortable, but sometimes to help another person, we need to step outside of our comfort zones.  Let’s do everything we can to increase awareness about suicide. We never know whose life we are saving in doing so.