Approximately 922,725 Americans attempt suicide each year.
The state of Connecticut ranks 47th
in the nation in suicide deaths, however, in 2011 there were 371 suicides,
more than one per day, making it the highest rate in 10 years.
Suicide has been one of the
top five leading causes of death for 10-54 year olds in Connecticut, and second
for young adults in college.
Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal individuals
desperately want to live; they are just unable to see alternatives to
their problems.
Most people give definite warnings of their suicidal
intentions, but others are either unaware of the
significance of these warnings or do not know how to respond to them.
Talking about suicide does not cause someone to be suicidal.
Sept. 8-14 is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, and it’s a perfect time to educate
yourself on suicide prevention.
Here are some action steps you can take:
·
Know the warning signs: They can include;
talking about suicide, seeking out lethal means, preoccupation with
death, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, self-loathing,
self-hatred, getting affairs in order, saying goodbye,
withdrawing from others, self-destructive behavior or a sudden sense
of calm. The more warning signs observed the greater the risk. Take
all signs seriously.
·
Ask the question: Talking to a friend or
family member about their suicidal thoughts and feelings can be
extremely difficult for anyone. You can't make a person suicidal by
showing that you care.
In fact, giving a suicidal person
the opportunity to express his or her feelings can provide relief from
the hopelessness or helplessness they suffer and may prevent a suicide
attempt or death. If you find it hard to ask the question, find someone
who can.
·
Refer them for help:
Suicidal people often believe they cannot be helped, so you may have
to do more. Listen to the problems leading them to consider suicide
and give them your full attention. Do not rush to judgment. Offer hope
in any form. Work to get them to accept your help. The best referral
involves taking the person directly to someone
who can help. The next best referral is getting a commitment from them
to accept help, and then making the arrangements to get that help. The
third best referral is to provide referral information and try to get a
good faith commitment from them to get help
and not attempt suicide. Any willingness to accept help at some time,
even if in the future, is a good outcome.
·
Resources: If you feel that someone’s in imminent danger, always call 911. In Connecticut,
you can call 211 for assistance 24/7.
The National Suicide Prevention help line is 800-273-TALK
As
uncomfortable as this subject might be, VSAAC is available to discuss
these and other facts surrounding suicide, provide informational
materials, or training
utilizing evidence based suicide prevention models (QPR or Connect) by
certified instructors.
These informational materials and trainings are
available to any interested school, group, or agency by contacting VSAAC
at 203-736-8566 or via e-mail at
pmautte@bhcare.org.
In addition you can learn more by visiting www.preventsuicidect.org
.
Be the one to start the conversation.
For more information, visit www.vsaac.com.
BHcare is a regional community provider of
behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services
for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and Shoreline
communities. For more information, visit www.bhcare.org.
This is a press release from Valley Substance Abuse Action Council.
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