Suicide Prevention and Awareness

September is a time to recognize, raise awareness, and connect individuals who are experiencing thoughts of suicide to treatment services.

Awareness of an issue is a key factor when considering suicide prevention because many people don't recognize the potential signs to look out for when considering if someone is experiencing thoughts of suicide.

Thoughts about suicide can impact anyone and there are different signs for teens and adults and certain life situations can increase the risk for developing suicidal ideations.

These include individual risk factors, relationship, community and societal.

Individual risk factors include: history of depression/mental illness, previous suicide attempt, criminal/legal issues, job/financial problems or job loss, impulsive/aggressive tendencies, substance use, sense of hopelessness, or being victim of violence.

Relationship risk factors are: bullying, family member/ someone close dying by suicide, loss of friendship/relationship, high conflict or unsafe relationships, and social isolation from family members/friends.

Community risk factors associated with suicide are: lack of access to healthcare, previous suicide cases within the community, community violence and historical trauma.

Societal risk factors are: stigma towards mental illness, especially towards seeking help for the mental illness, increased accessibility to lethal weapons such as firearms for at risk populations, and unsafe portrayal of suicide from social media.

For teenagers, warning signs include: talking about/making plans for suicide, expressing hopelessness about the future, displaying severe pain and distress, showing changes in behavior such as withdrawal from or changing social connections/situations, changes in sleep patterns (noticeable increase or decrease), anger or hostility that seem out of character, and increased agitation or irritability.

For adults, warning signs include: talking about or making plans of suicide, acting anxious or agitated, behaving recklessly, talking about being a burden to others, feeling trapped or in overwhelming pain, increase in substance use, feeling hopeless or stating they have no reason to live, sleeping too much or too little, withdrawal and isolation from family/relationships, showing rage or talking about seeking revenge, and displaying extreme mood swings.

The most important factor when discussing suicide is that it is preventable and treatable. There are protective factors and resources for those who are struggling with mental health issues.

Protective factors against suicide include: effective and healthy coping mechanisms, problem-solving skills, reasons for living (family, friends, pets), strong cultural/religious identity, support from friends, family, and significant other, feeling connected to others, feeling connected through religious, school, community, or other social institutions and availability/access to affordable healthcare.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, please know that you are not alone and that there are ways to help.

Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2su) is an important asset for suicide prevention. Alt2su is different than the normal approach to suicide prevention. There is no referral or assessment process, no formal attendance taken, and there is no fear towards potential hospitalization for speaking about potential thoughts of suicide. The goal is to provide unconditional support while working to take away the stigma and shame of asking and needing help. The link for Alt2su can be found here: https://toivocenter.org/altern...

Link to free hotline for suicide prevention: https://988lifeline.org/

References:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. (2023, April 24). Suicide and Suicidal Behavior. SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-...

Team, U. W. (2023, August 30). Suicide prevention: Know the warning signs to save lives. UW Combined Fund Drive. https://hr.uw.edu/cfd/2023/08/...

Tirado, J. (2023). Alternatives to Suicide. Toivo. https://toivocenter.org/altern...

U.S Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, November 2). Risk and Protective Factors. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/fa...