Suicide is a major mental health concern that devastates lives and causes unimaginable pain. Its impact devastates individuals, families, and communities. Suicide rates have been rising globally, yet it is a complex and multifaceted issue. Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, honored each September, holds significant importance in bringing attention to this public health concern. 

The current state of suicide 

According to the World Health Organization, more than 700,000 people die by suicide every year, making it the second leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 29 years old. According to the most recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a 37% increase in suicide rates over the past two decades in the United States. And certain populations are at a higher risk—according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the annual prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide are evident in 45% of LGBTQ youth. Individuals in the LGBTQ community, as well as veterans and members of Indigenous communities face unique challenges that contribute to their increased vulnerability to suicide.

Some key facts on suicide from the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) include:

• 79% of people who die by suicide are male, even though more women than men attempt suicide.
• Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. 
• Nearly 50% of people who die by suicide had previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Yet, research shows that 90% may have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.

The importance of suicide prevention awareness 

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month plays a vital role in challenging the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health. By fostering open conversations and promoting awareness, mental health professionals can create a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable seeking help. Awareness initiatives also aim to educate the public to more easily recognize warning signs and encourage intervention.

Promoting awareness and involvement 

In the realm of mental and public health, suicide stands as a formidable adversary that demands our immediate attention. Suicide is a topic that many people do not feel comfortable addressing, even if they sense someone may be struggling. Here are five ways you can promote awareness and engage in honest and public conversations about suicide:

1. Utilize social media: Social media platforms can serve as powerful tools to promote Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Share informative content, infographics, and resources, and encourage others to engage and spread awareness within their own networks. In addition, promoting resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can help others become aware of where they can turn if they are in need of help. 
2. Organize webinars and workshops: Hosting webinars and workshops that focus on suicide prevention can be an effective way to reach a broader audience. Collaborate with other mental health experts, community leaders, and organizations to talk about risk factors, protective factors, and strategies for support. 
3. Collaborate with schools and universities: Engaging educational institutions in awareness campaigns can help get the word out to a considerable number of young people. Mental health professionals can conduct presentations, workshops, and training sessions for students, teachers, and staff to equip them with knowledge and resources for early intervention. 
4. Partner with local community centers: Community centers serve as hubs for social interaction and support. Mental health professionals can collaborate with these centers to organize events, support groups, and counseling services during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. 
5. Share personal stories: Sharing individual experiences and stories of recovery can be a powerful way to create empathy and understanding. Mental health professionals can encourage clients or former clients to share their journeys, providing hope and inspiration to others who may be struggling.

Conclusion 

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of addressing suicide as a public health issue. It is essential to raise awareness, promote understanding, and facilitate early intervention. By collaborating with communities, schools, and other organizations, we can collectively work toward reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and providing support to those in need. 

 

More resources 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 

The Jason Foundation 

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a chemical alteration in a single human gene that is linked to the risk of a suicide attempt. According to study leader Zachary Kaminsky, PhD, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the JHU School of Medicine, the results of this study could be a first step in developing a simple blood test that will help doctors predict suicide risk.

Described in The American Journal of Psychiatry, the study suggests that chemical changes in a gene involved in the function of the brain’s response to stress hormones plays a significant role in suicide risk. These changes can turn a normal reaction to everyday stress into suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

“Suicide is a major preventable public health problem, but we have been stymied in our prevention efforts because we have no consistent way to predict those who are at increased risk of killing themselves,” explains Kaminsky in a press release from Hopkins Medicine. “With a test like ours, we may be able to stem suicide rates by identifying those people and intervening early enough to head off a catastrophe.”

A blood test that accurately predicts suicide risk would be good news for the U.S. military, which has experienced an alarming increase in the number of suicides among veterans over the past few years, particularly males under the age of 30.

“What we envision, potentially, is using this test in psychiatric emergency rooms. For example, it could dictate closeness of monitoring and treatment options, and drive potentially more fast acting treatment in someone who is really high risk,” said Kaminsky in an interview with The Huffington Post.

To read the abstract or to download the full article, visit the American Journal of Psychiatry Web site.

In January of this year, the once-taboo subject of teen suicide was brought front-and-center with students at Oak Lawn Community High School in Chicago. According to a recent Chicago Tribune article entitled “Teen suicide: More schools bring issue out of shadows” (February 21, 2011), each Oak Lawn freshman received a short questionnaire about depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Uncomfortable questions were asked: Had they lost interest in everything? Did they feel they weren’t as smart or good-looking as most other people? Were they thinking about killing themselves? For three years, Oak Lawn has been screening freshmen for signs of depression or suicidal thinking. This year, 270 students filled out the questionnaire in their health classes, and a fifth of them were referred to counselors for follow-up interviews. About half of those teens were offered free in-school therapy or referrals to outside counselors.

Until recently, the topic of teen suicide was avoided by many schools. “There were some people who felt that if you talk about it, you might motivate students or put the thought in students’ minds,” said John Knewitz, the school district’s assistant superintendent for student services, speaking with Tribune reporter John Keilman. “The more we studied it, we came to the realization that that was not the case. It was something that needed to be talked about openly” (http://articles.chicagotribune.com).

Last year, Illinois passed a law encouraging teachers and school staff to update their training on suicide prevention. Erika’s Lighthouse, a mental health advocacy group formed in memory of a girl who took her life at 14, offers programs to Chicago area middle schools that help students and their families recognize the signs of depression; the group also offers instruction to school officials. In response to recent suicides, other schools have updated their health curriculum to include depression and suicide, started Facebook pages for mental health awareness, and provided mental health hotline numbers on the back of student IDs.

Screening for childhood and adolescent depression and suicidal ideation may become more common in the coming years as schools try to find ways to address these and other mental health crises in their student population. How are schools in your area responding to this issue? Is the topic of teen suicide avoided, or are there programs in place that address it directly with students?

Let’s start the conversation—PAR wants to hear from you!