It’s hardly news that growing up can be stressful. What may be news is your son or daughter is likely more interested in talking things over with you than you realize. It’s always a good time to talk about how they’re feeling inside, how things are going at school and with friends, and about life in general. This week is recognized as Suicide Prevention Week, and yet another opportunity to begin a meaningful conversation with someone you know and love by simply asking “how are you?:
Nearly 40,000 people in the U.S. die from suicide each year. (Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). That’s one death every 12.8 minutes.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide additional perspective:
- More people die by suicide than from automobile accidents
- More people die from suicide than homicide
- Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death among all Americans
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24 years
Health professionals tell us it’s important to correctly educate children and teenagers about mental illness. It helps dispel misconceptions and stigma, and it provides them with the understanding and resources they need if they – or someone they know – struggles with mental illness.
If you haven’t had a “mental health check-in” talk with your middle school or high school student recently, this week lends a great opportunity to do just that. Help your son or daughter to feel safe in sharing their feelings and opinions with you. Be aware of changes in their behavior and trust your instinct.
I asked my colleague Nina Slovik, LICSW, Clinic Director CBFS Clinics with CHD, to share some professional insights regarding suicide prevention. “When someone thinks or talks about suicide, they actually have mixed feelings about dying,” she said. “Most often, suicidal feelings come from having a mental illness and these illnesses can be treated with professional help including medication and talk therapy. The best way anyone can help an individual experiencing depression is to get that person the help they need. People with a mental illness are not expecting you to fix them, they just want to be understood.”
As a major social service organization for our region, CHD offers extensive behavioral health programs, including services designed to identify and treat mental illness. We help people who have mental health needs, and also educate members of our community to develop greater acceptance towards mental health issues and people who have them.
You’d seek professional health care for a broken arm or a cough that doesn’t go away. It should be the same when it comes to managing your mental health—or that of someone you care about. If someone seems withdrawn socially, starts associating with the wrong crowd, or acts out in ways that just aren’t right, help is available—and CHD is ready to provide it. How are you? We really do want to know. Call 844-CHD-HELP.
