Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.
This month is a great time to share resources and tools so that you can offer support to those in crisis, change the conversation from suicide to suicide prevention, and promote healing, help and giving hope.
Suicide is Preventable
Most people who think about suicide don’t really want to end their life. They just want relief from the intense emotional pain they’re experiencing, and don’t see workable alternatives to resolve the problem or issue. Most people do NOT really want to die. They simply want to end the pain.
Here are five things you can do this month to promote suicide prevention awareness and make a difference:
1. Learn to Identify the Risk Factors and Warning Signs
- Feeling depressed/hopeless
- Feeling helpless
- History of depression
- Low energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of interest in activities
- Slipping grades or work
- Job or financial loss
- Loss of an important relationship
- Major physical illness
- Previous suicide attempt
- Feelings of isolation and/or withdrawal
- Lack of support
- Unexplained mood improvement
- Sadness/crying
- Change in appetite, sleeping
- Feeling angry or irritable
- Alcohol or drug use
- Feeling guilty for no reason
- Talking or joking about suicide or death
- Giving away possessions
- Careless, high-risk behavior
2. Review Suicide Prevention Tips and Information
Jefferson Center: Suicide Prevention
3. Participate in a Training
QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer – 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. To register for the FREE upcoming class on November 10 click here.
4. Attend an Event
September 18, 2021
This year there are several events to join in Colorado. Go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Out of the Darkness page and click on the Events menu. Once on the page click the state drop-down menu, and you will find all of the events for Colorado. If you are in the Denver Metro area the Darkness Event will be on September 18th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Coors Field. Mental Health and suicide prevention are more important than ever. We are a strong and resilient community, united in our effort to fight suicide, raise awareness, educate our communities, support those who have lost loved ones, and support those with lived experience. We use our voices and share our stories to provide hope. View the AFPS website for more information on this event!
5. Offer Support
- Share tools and resources with others
- Check-in with a friend by phone or text message to see how they are doing
- Send a handwritten card to let someone know you are thinking of them
If you or someone you know is in crisis, Colorado Crisis Services is available 24/7/365 by calling 1-844-493-8255 or texting TALK to 38255.