SEPTEMBER: National Suicide Prevention Month

As blazing summer mornings fade into chilly autumn afternoons, and vibrant floral colors all turn to hues of red and orange, many things come to mind: the chokehold of pumpkin spice treats, piles of leaves collecting on lawns, and Freeform’s upcoming 31 Nights of Halloween movie schedule, just to name a few. Amongst everything the new season offers, the majority would never think to associate mental health with September when actually it plays an important role in the month. 

In 2008, September was declared National Suicide Prevention Month. Drawn up to ensure individuals had access to proper resources for conversations about suicide prevention and seeking help, these thirty days aid in diminishing the stigma that equates suicide with shame. For decades, suicide and mental illness were treated as taboo. It was daunting, serious, and uncomfortable to think about; dark subjects such as those should be kept quiet, under the table, and out of sight. However, prohibiting talks of mental illness doesn't make the issue go away, it makes it worse. With the shameful tag suicide carried, people were afraid to speak out about their mental health issues, afraid of being judged or looked down upon, and because of this, suicide rates saw a spike. Suicide Prevention Month aims to combat this, working to shift the public perception of suicide, spread hope and information to those in need of it, and bring light to this long-standing crisis. 

More people than would like to admit have, at some point, battled with their mental health, and there is no judgment in that. Society has taken great steps forward in easing the stigma, but even though the progress we’ve made is clear, statistics continue to give chills. The National Alliance on Mental Health used data from various sources– the CDC and NIHM included– and found suicide is the 12th overall leading cause of death in the country. If that’s not frightening enough already, suicide is reported as the second leading cause of death for children ages 10-14, and the third for people ages 15-24. Across the country, NAMI found that 22% of high school students have seriously thought about suicide. Above all, more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide each year. Yes, those numbers are terrifying and intimidating, but that is exactly why we cannot stop speaking up about mental health. When we are more aware of suicide, we are more aware of how we as individuals can prevent it. 

We’re all human, there are bound to be rough patches and bad days in our path. Recognizing Suicide Prevention Month can lead to society becoming more comfortable openly discussing mental health, which in turn helps individuals learn the warning signs of someone who may be suicidal and the ways we can properly respond to them. Because we’re moving to normalize talks of our mental health, a larger number of people are willing to share their past and/or current experiences with suicide, which can allow those struggling to receive proper help and those whose lives were touched by suicide to move forward. We honor them with time to acknowledge those affected by suicide and connect anyone who continues to struggle with suicidal thoughts to resources to help them continue on. One of the various events advocating for these ideas is the Out Of The Darkness Walks, created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For twenty-two years, communities all across the United States have hosted these walks in an effort to raise awareness and funds that go toward education programs, advocacy efforts, and scientific research that reveals how we can save more lives. It reinforces that we are not alone, we can take steps towards healing and hope and finding light at the end of the tunnel. 

Suicide Prevention does not stop on October 1st. We must unite under one common interest to lower the rates of suicides in this world, especially for teenagers and young adults. There is zero humility in asking for help, asking for support; everybody would rather see you at your worst than never see you again. You are loved, you are valued, and the world needs you to keep going despite what you go through. You’ve made it through every single bad day in the past, and there is no reason you can’t make it through any in the future. It does get better, even I can attest to that, and your story needs to be lived to the fullest.