World Suicide Prevention Day
Every 40 seconds, someone in the world takes their own life. That's at least 800,000 people a year. In the United States alone, suicide rates have increased by 35% between 1999 and 2018. In 2018, over 10 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, more than 3 million made a plan, and 1.4 million attempted suicide.
Today is #WorldSuicidePreventionDay so why not take time to: raise awareness, advocate for policy change, increase knowledge, debunk myths & stigma, & reach out to someone who may be struggling. Because suicide is preventable. #WSPD #SuicidePrevention
All ages, races and income levels are at risk, and youth can be hardest hit: Suicide is third leading cause of death in 15- to 19-year-olds globally. Experts fear suicidal thoughts may escalate due to economic hardship and stress caused by Covid-19.
It's important to recognize warning signs in actions as well as words:
• Increases their use of alcohol or drugs
• Sleeps too much or too little
• Starts to behave recklessly, such as driving while intoxicated or without a seat belt
• Appears agitated, expresses rage or talks about seeking revenge
• Has extreme mood swings, from euphoria to the depths of depression
• Appears to feel hopeless or talks about feeling trapped or having no reason to live
• Appears to be in unbearable psychological pain or talks about being a burden to friends or family
• Withdraws or isolates from others
Many of these signs may be tough to recognize during the pandemic as families and friends are more isolated and alone. Be sure to call and check on loved ones and listen carefully to their concerns and how they are expressing themselves.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 for free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• TrevorLifeline, a suicide prevention counseling service for the LGBTQ community, 866-488-7386 https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/
• Crisis Text Line provides a live, trained crisis counselor via a simple text for help. The first few responses will be automated until they get a counselor on the line -- which typically takes less than five minutes- text 741741 https://www.crisistextline.org/text-us/
• The National Health Service also lists a variety of resources on its website. https://www.nwbh.nhs.uk/suicide-prevention-resources
• Befrienders Worldwide has created a help app that connects users to the nearest emotional support center for the part of the world they live in -- it will run on a PC desktop or mobile phone. https://help.befrienders.org/