Suicide Prevention Month
You are not alone…
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, reach out to 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you are experiencing concerns of suicide and/or suicidal ideation you can reach me here to schedule an appointment where I will respond within 24 hrs.
September is Suicide Awareness Month, a very important time that I, as a mental health counselor and advocate, aim to spread awareness and facilitate discussions about suicide. Suicide is preventable and there are ways that we can work together to recognize the warning signs and risk factors, establish a safety plan, and know what steps to take if we find ourselves in a crisis. Let’s start the conversation about suicide and end the stigma.
Warning signs may include: increased alcohol and drug use, aggressive behavior, withdrawal from friends/family/community, dramatic mood swings, and impulsive/reckless behavior, talking about wanting to die, sleeping too little or too much, feeling trapped, feeling like a burden, feeling hopeless or having no reason to live, and others.
Risk factors may include: various mental disorders, hopelessness, impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies, history of trauma or abuse, family history of suicide, previous suicide attempt(s), exposure to others who have died by suicide, lack of social support, access to harmful or lethal means, and others.
A safety plan will include: understanding warning signs, developing internal coping strategies, recognizing people or other social settings to provide distraction, naming people whom to ask for help, finding professional agencies to contact during a crisis, and developing ways to make the environment safe, and others.
Next steps you can take: In a crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If suicide is something you are concerned about and are not in immediate crisis, please consider reaching out to me to schedule an intake session or a free 30-minute phone consultation to discuss how I can help you take steps forward. You can reach me here and I will respond within 24 hours.
Other educational resources can be found at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/