Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While it is has been an ongoing, growing issue for years, suicide attempts have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic has persisted. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, also known as Suicide Awareness Month, a time for focused attention on preventing suicide. Raising awareness during September and making concerted efforts towards suicide prevention is extremely important, having far-reaching effects and implications in our communities.
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“While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to come together with collective passion and strength around a difficult topic. The truth is, we can all benefit from honest conversations about mental health conditions and suicide, because just one conversation can change a life.”
~ National Alliance on Mental Illness
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Suicide is preventable. Everyone has a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention; we all can help save lives. One way to help prevent suicide is to raise awareness about it; raising awareness about mental health challenges is a key first step, as suicide is often the result of untreated mental health conditions. Another important step towards prevention is to increase access to treatment for mental health disorders. On a more personal level, you can take steps to help as well.
If you have a personal interaction with someone who might be suicidal, you can help by listening to them and believing them when they show signs that point to that possibility. Most suicidal people are in the midst of experiencing major physical or mental suffering or are burdened with great grief or sorrow. Whether as a symptom of an ongoing mental illness or from being overcome by the negativity of life at the present moment, most people just want the physical pain and/or emotional distress to stop and see suicide as a direct way to accomplish that. Many people try to get help before attempting suicide, and being able to talk openly and honestly to you about their feelings can help. You can help further by knowing the warning signs, and then pointing out the alternatives to suicide, and getting doctors and/or mental health professionals involved.
If you are in crisis, you can get confidential support from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at any time 24/7 by calling 1-800-273-8255 or visiting https://go.usa.gov/xftYC, or by texting “HELLO” to 741741 in the United States to be connected to a Crisis Counselor who can help.
Modern MD, PLLC is the El Paso, Texas-based health and wellness family practice of Dr. Patricia Lopez-Po, MD. Serving communities in El Paso, Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Dr. Lopez-Po takes a holistic approach towards the treatment of patients at her office and via home visits, providing comprehensive primary care with specialty services as needed. If you are seeking whole-patient health and wellness care, contact Dr. Lopez-Po at Modern MD online, or by calling 915-288-3008 to schedule an appointment.
