September is suicide prevention month. There are many people around the world that struggle with mental health and self harm.
Mental health is the cause of around 14.3 percent of deaths worldwide according to the National Library of Medicine. In the United States alone, it is estimated that in 2023 that over 49,300 people in the United States committed suicide. It was the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2023.
Mental health and self harm not only affect the person dealing with it, but also their friends and family. When a person commits suicide, it could have a major affect on their loved ones. They will have to live with grief and sometimes guilt because they could think that it was their fault for not spending enough time with that person, or not checking on them enough. They will have to learn how to live a life without that person, which is a hard thing to do.
There are many resources a person can use if they are struggling with suicidal thoughts or self harm. The number someone can call at any time if they are struggling in 988, this is the Suicide and Crisis Hotline. This is a place you can call confidential and it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If someone is struggling or thinking about committing they should go to someone they trust to try and get them through it. If they don’t think that they have anyone that would support them, then they should call 988. Having a good support system while going through these hard times can be one of the most important things to a person. When they have someone there to support them, it can make it easier for them to get through the times of struggle.
Some signs to look for to see if people may be struggling are different changes in behavior, such as, distancing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important things,, displaying mood swings, eating and sleeping more or less and using drugs and alcohol more often. If someone sees these signs in a loved one or friend, they should have a conversation with that person about it.
If someone is struggling with self harm or suicidal thoughts, they should tell a trusted loved one or friend, and call 988. If someone notices a friend struggling they should talk to that person and help them out when they are struggling.
