In 2021, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death overall in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health, claiming the lives of more than 48,100 people. Even more troubling, suicide was the second leading cause of death among those aged 10-14 and 25-34, the third leading cause among ages 15-24, and the fifth leading cause among ages of 35-44.
There were nearly two times as many suicides in our nation as there were homicides (26,031).
September is Suicide Prevention Month, shining a light on this often hidden plight in an effort to replace the stigma and discomfort around the issue with solutions and hope.
Most people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way, reports the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Individuals are more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed and more hopeful after speaking to someone who listens without judgment. And helping someone at risk create a network of resources and individuals for support and safety can help them take positive action and reduce feelings of hopeless.
The NIMH lists the following behaviors as signs that someone might be thinking about suicide:
• Taking about wanting to die, having great guilt or shame or being a burden to others
• Feeling empty, hopeless, trapped, having no reason to live, extremely sad, more anxious, agitated, full of rage, unbearable emotional or physical pain
• Behavior like researching ways to die, withdrawing from friends or saying goodbye, giving away important items or making a will, taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast, displaying extreme mood swings, eating or sleeping more or less, using drugs or alcohol more often.
Here are five steps you can take to help someone who is having thoughts of suicide:
• Ask: “Are you thinking about suicide?” It’s not an easy question to ask, but it can help start an open conversation and interrupt the cycle of inner turmoil.
• Be there: Listening without judgment is key to learning what the person is thinking and feeling.
• Help keep them safe: Reducing access to highly lethal items or places can help prevent suicide. Asking the person if they have a plan and making lethal means less available or less deadly can help the person stay safe when suicidal thoughts arise.
• Help them connect: Linking the person with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, or text “HELLO” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741) and other community resources can give them a safety net when they need it. Help them reach out to a trusted family member, friend, spiritual advisor or mental health professional.
• Follow up: Staying in touch with the person after a crisis can make a difference. Studies show that supportive, ongoing contact can play an important role in suicide prevention.
Locally, Hinsdale-based Community Memorial Foundation maintains a mental health guide of community and hospital-based mental and behavioral health services in its service area on its website, http://www.cmfdn.org/mentalhealth.
