Suicide Awareness Prevention Day
Each year in September, organizations around the country rally up to raise awareness and knowledge around suicide and suicide prevention efforts. Though it is still heavily stigmatized and a taboo subject to some—suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, and 2nd leading cause among young people ages 10-24. It claims 42,773 lives each year, equaling to about 117 per day. In the LGBTQ community, its effects are heavier. A study led by the CDC states that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to straight youth, and questioning youth twice as likely. The same report notes that nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter reported having made an attempt. Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal abuse or harassment increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average. Suicide and suicide attempts though do not typically come without signals. Learning the warning signs of suicide is a huge part of preventing a crisis. Although emotional ups and downs are normal, sometimes a person who is suicidal gives certain signs or hints that something is wrong. Knowing these majors signs can help you connect someone you care about to support if they need it-even if that person is yourself.
Learn more about warning signs here: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/learn/warningsigns.aspx
It doesn’t have to be this way. Through raising awareness, talking about suicide, our feelings, and seeking help are some of the ways we can dismantle the stigma around suicide and suicide attempts. Organizations like the Trevor Project have dedicated individuals that work 24/7 to help and counsel LGBT youth, you can reach them here:
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/ or 1-866-488-7386
You can also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline here:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/gethelp/.aspx or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
If you are in New York, you can also reach out to the local chapter of The Samaritans here:
http://samaritansnyc.org/get-help/ or 212-673-3000
For patients receiving medical care at Callen-Lorde our Mental Health Department offers individual and group counseling to support your emotional and physical well-being.