Suicidal thoughts affect people’s mental health, physical health, and behavioral health. They can quickly turn into a serious and dangerous issue.
National Suicide Prevention Month is a time for raising awareness of this severe health issue, changing the trend, and honoring people who have been affected by suicide.
Find out more about Suicide Prevention Month, including the scope of the issue, how you can honor the people impacted, and resources that can help.
What Is Suicide Prevention Month?
National Suicide Prevention Month is held during the month of September each year in the U.S. It’s a time to help people learn more about the symptoms of suicide, break the stigma attached to it, and support victims.
During suicide prevention month, you can also offer support to organizations that are working toward making important changes surrounding this issue, such as:
- Advocating for change for people who face discrimination and other issues that act as a precursor to suicidal thoughts
- Building momentum by joining the conversation
- Recognizing populations/groups that are at high risk of suicide and offering support designed to address their unique needs
Why Is Suicide Prevention Month Important?
Suicide has long been viewed in a negative light in society. Yet with thousands of Americans affected every year (and many more worldwide), the issue is clearly a signal of a great need for better treatments, policies, and education.
To prevent suicides from happening or to change people’s view of the issue, the first step is to help people understand why it occurs.
Recognizing the signs of suicide before they happen is crucial to getting timely help, and knowing why people battle this issue can help drive compassion and empathy.
Then, people need access to resources to help them not just during a crisis, but to manage their mental health long-term.
Suicide Prevention Month works to address all of these issues at once: educating the public, changing their minds about how they view the issue, and arming them with resources so they can become advocates or allies.
Is Suicide a Public Health Issue?
Yes, suicide is a serious public health issue. It is considered a leading cause of death in the U.S., with more than 49,000 lives lost to suicide in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Ways to Recognize the Impact of Suicide During National Suicide Prevention Month
Fortunately, there are ways that you and your loved ones can take part in Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, both to offer your advocacy and to honor suicide victims and communities that have been impacted.
Tell a Loved One’s Story
First, you can aid suicide prevention efforts by sharing the story of a loved one impacted by suicide or suicide attempts.
This can be difficult to do, as shame, guilt, resentment, and many other emotions can be tied to suicide. But honoring a loved one’s life by sharing their legacy as well as their struggles can be an impactful way to help prevent future losses.
Sharing your family member or friend’s story on social media, during conversation, or elsewhere can help you feel empowered and honor their memory.
Share Suicide Prevention Resources
One of the most important initiatives of Suicide Prevention Month is offering suicide resources to those who need them from crisis lifelines, to treatment options, to educational toolkits.
There are dozens of organizations and health care facilities working to stem the tide of this issue, and helping people find the aid they need to battle this issue might just save a life.
Find a range of suicide resources below.
Support Resources that Treat Suicide as a Public Health Issue
One of the greatest ways to show your support for suicide is to advocate and take part in organizations that treat it as a public health issue — not just an individual mental health issue.
Here are some prominent organizations working toward suicide awareness and prevention:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: This 24-hour helpline connects you with crisis counselors who can offer both English and Spanish-speaking help that is LGBTQ and veteran friendly. You can get involved by donating to this organization, helping promote National Sucidie Prevention Month, or advocating.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC offers access to a National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, tips for reporting suicide, and further resources. Here, you can get involved by learning about suicide as a health problem, sharing your education with others, and understanding how to recognize thoughts of suicide in yourself and others.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI offers educational toolkits and leads awareness campaigns, especially on social media. You can stand in partnership with NAMI by sharing information, such as articles from any of these organizations. Use relevant hashtags and join conversations to support suicide prevention.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA offers a treatment locator, where you can search for mental health treatment services near you. Plus, they offer a range of mental health resources on suicide risk, warning signs of youth suicide, as well as disorders that can work as risk factors, such as substance use, depression, and others. Use SAMHSA as a tool to help those around you in need of mental health care.
Join the Fight Toward a Mentally Balanced Society
If you want to show your support during National Suicide Prevention Month, there are a number of ways you can take action.
You can help raise awareness, break the stigma, and offer your support to the crucial organizations working to change how we view suicidal thoughts — and reverse rates of suicide.
You can also get help for yourself or a loved one experiencing thoughts of suicide.
At Mark Behavioral Health, we aid our patients in seeking lasting, full-body wellness. Find out how we can help you or a family member near Florida by reaching out to us today.