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CMHC marks World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10, 2010
Community Mental Health Center, Inc., Lawrenceburg, joins the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in marking Friday, September 10, as World Suicide Prevention Day.
According to the World Health Organization, World Suicide Prevention Day “promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide. On average, almost 3,000 people commit suicide daily. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives.”
IASP (http://www.iasp.info/) and WHO (http://www.who.int/en/) advocate for the prevention of suicidal behavior and provision of adequate treatment and follow-up care for people who attempt suicide. Community Mental Health Center, Inc. wants the community to know that suicide can be prevented and that the consequences of such an event to an individual’s family and friends, and the community at large, can be devastating.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2007 there were 34,598 deaths by suicide in the United States. In 2007, the State of Indiana recorded 790 deaths by suicide, a rate of 12.5 per 100,000 based on Indiana’s 2007 population of 6,335,862. This placed Indiana 27th among the 50 states. To compare, the State of Kentucky recorded 649 deaths by suicide, a rate of 15.3 per 100,000 based on Kentucky’s 2007 population of 4,236,308 (10th), and Ohio recorded 1,295 deaths by suicide, a rate of 11.3 per 100,000 based on Ohio 2007 population of 11,477,641 (34th). These statistics can be found on the website of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org/) Click the “About Suicide” link on the left of the page, then click the “Facts and Figures” link).
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) has said that suicide is significantly related to diagnosable and treatable mental disorders. A number of serious physical illnesses also are associated with increased risk for suicide. AAS says suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U. S. and the third leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 to 24.
AAS (http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/home) indicates that in the United States, one person commits suicide every 18 minutes, and more than 4.4 million people in the U. S. have been indirectly affected by a suicide. Experts believe that most suicidal individuals do not want to die. They just want to end the pain they are experiencing. Experts also know that suicidal crises tend to be brief. When suicidal behaviors are detected early, lives can be saved.
One of the keys to suicide prevention is to know the warning signs of someone who may be considering a suicide attempt. These may include: talking about suicide, death, or having no reason to live; being preoccupied with death and dying; expressing a sense of helplessness; withdrawal from friends and/or social activities; drastic changes in behavior; giving away possessions and an increase in use of alcohol or drugs.
To help someone who may be considering suicide, be aware of these signs and get involved with helping the person as soon as possible. Be willing to listen to what the person has to say, but don’t be judgmental or debate with the person. Talking about suicide does not cause someone to become suicidal. Seek support for the person, offer hope that alternatives are available, and take action to remove the means of suicide and by contacting individuals and/or agencies who specialize in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
CMHC provides crisis intervention services at its Main Center in Lawrenceburg. The Center also offers crisis intervention services utilizing a 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-877-849-1248 and an on-call crisis system.
For more information, contact CMHC at (812) 537-1302, or go to our Contact Us page to find an office near you.
All services of Community Mental Health Center, Inc. are offered without regard to race, age, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry or disability.
