Tens of thousands of people in the United States die from suicide each year, and over a million Americans attempt suicide annually. In suicide data from 2018 alone, approximately 48,000 Americans died from suicide, and about 1.4 million Americans attempted suicide that year. While those numbers alone are startling, millions of other people are impacted by suicide each year from the tragic loss of a friend or loved one.
Each year, National Suicide Prevention Week is a time to raise awareness of ways to reduce instances of suicide. Suicide is preventable, and there are steps that every person can take to reduce the risk of suicide among their family, friends, and the broader community. In this article, we share ways to get involved in National Suicide Prevention Week, ways to pick up on warning signs of suicide, and how mental health treatment programs may help at-risk individuals.
Ways to get involved in National Suicide Prevention Week
National Suicide Prevention Week occurs at the beginning of September. The week starts on September 6th, covers World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th, and ends on September 12th. While many organizations have canceled the week’s events or moved their efforts online due to social distancing guidelines, there are still a variety of ways to participate in National Suicide Prevention Week 2020.
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to get involved is participating in a National Suicide Prevention Week social media campaign. You can find similar campaigns by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Jason Foundation. If a person at risk of suicide sees one of your online posts, it may serve as a reminder that people care, and that help is available.
Another way to participate is by taking part in the #BeThe1To campaign from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This campaign encourages participants to engage with people who may be at risk of suicide in a caring way. The campaign discusses five key actions to help prevent suicide by an at-risk person, which includes asking, being there, keeping them safe, helping them stay connected, and following up. For National Suicide Prevention Week, you can learn more about the #BeThe1To campaign’s five steps for suicide prevention here and use the five steps yourself.
How to pick up on warning signs of suicide
Of course, to be there for people who are at risk of suicide, one must be able to identify when a person is at risk. Not everyone at risk of suicide shows noticeable warning signs, so it is important to be aware of everyone’s mental health, even if they seem fine on the outside. However, there are some potential warning signs of suicide that everyone should know. These warning signs include the person:
- Talking about or focusing on death repeatedly, even in a joking manner.
- Engaging in risky or self-destructive behavior, including substance abuse.
- Exhibiting increased irritability or mood swings.
- Having a history of depression.
One of the best ways to participate in National Suicide Prevention Week is through self-education and familiarizing yourself with the above warning signs. If you or someone you know exhibits the warning sign of suicide, reach out and offer your support. Having someone to talk to can be a huge relief and source of strength for a person who is at risk.
How Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital Can Help
Suicide is often the result of prolonged and untreated mental health issues. These mental health issues often intertwine with a person’s life circumstances, which may include intense stress, trauma, or other challenges. Often through no fault of their own, a person does not receive the treatment they need, and their mental health issues progress to the point where they are unmanageable. The person does not know where to turn for help, and they incorrectly consider suicide as a way out of their situation.
One way to help prevent suicide is by providing treatment to people who struggle with mental health. At Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, we provide a variety of mental health treatment programs for adults. Our adult mental health treatment programs include inpatient psychiatric care and inpatient medical detox for individuals with substance abuse issues. For patients who do not require around-the-clock care, we offer adult intensive outpatient programs and partial hospitalization programs, too. We also offer mental health programs for adolescents and mental health programs for children.
We understand that mental health issues can contribute to suicide, and our goal is to provide each patient with the clinical care and support they need. With the right treatment and care, we can help prevent suicide and enable each patient to achieve an effective recovery.
Getting Started at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
To get started at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, please reach out to our team at (877) 755-4907. You can reach a member of our staff 24/7, and we can help you determine if our mental health treatment programs are right for you or a loved one. We can then schedule the potential patient for the first part of our admissions process, which is a free mental health assessment with one of our clinical professionals.
Remember, if a person is ever at immediate risk of harming themselves or others, please call 911 for help.