If you did not know, the month of September is Suicide Prevention Month. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes this as “a time to raise awareness of this urgently important crisis.”
People can use this month to shift public perception, spread hope and share vital information to people affected by suicide. NAMI’s overall goal is to ensure that “individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help,”according to NAMI’s website.
The suicide prevention movement has been going strong since 2008 and was officially established by the National Institute of Mental Health. Within this month, Sep. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, and people commonly wear purple and teal to show their support.
As of this year, the slogan for the movement is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” This is a wonderful slogan because it shows the intentional desire to break away from such a highly stigmatized and misunderstood topic.
A study from the Jed Foundation found that 13.8% of adults aged 18-25 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. In the same study, it was found that 36% of college students have been diagnosed with anxiety and another 30% have been diagnosed with depression.
Even more shockingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that, in 2022, over 49,000 people died by suicide. That is one death every 11 minutes.
So, how can we be a light to those that are struggling with their mental health? The simple answer is, just be there for them.
Whether it’s taking an extra second to smile and wave at someone in the hallway, creating intentional conversation opportunities, inviting them to an event with a group of friends or having one-one-one dinners. All these things help bridge the often difficult gap of putting yourself out there amongst your other peers.
As you could probably guess, one of the main factors leading to suicide is the feeling of being alone and unloved, so let us start showing people just how much they mean to us, even if we think they know. Remember: you are never truly alone. You are more loved than you know.
Northwestern College puts great emphasis on this subject by supporting mental health movements in and around the school. On Sep. 25, the women’s volleyball team supported Suicide Prevention by encouraging attendees to wear the iconic purple and teal colors, and to grab a commemorative ribbon at the door.
Similarly, Kweken Co., a local coffee shop, encourages conversations about mental health every day of September, by putting “suicide prevention” stickers on their to-go drinks.
Even just hearing these few accounts of unity and acceptance, it is evident that people want to be more involved and active in the tough conversations surrounding mental health and mental illnesses.
There is no doubt that it is hard to reach out and ask for help, especially living in such a small, tight-knit community, but these few glimpses of kindness and love shine a bright ray of hope into such a dark topic.
If you or a friend need help contact your RAs, RDs, or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255.
