September is National Suicide Prevention month and this past Saturday was World Suicide Prevention Day. This is a day not only to bring awareness to the cause, but to also mourn those who lost their lives.
According to the World Health Organization, someone takes their own life every 40 seconds. It is the leading cause of death for young people between 15 to 29 years old. Just under 1 million young people worldwide lose their life that way each year. For every suicide that results in death, there are as many as 40 attempted.
Since the pandemic, there has been an increased acknowledgment of the role of mental health in today’s society.
“I think that we saw during COVID a spike in mental health issues, a crisis amongst young people,” said Ranen Miao, a Washington University student. “We don’t just need a day, we need an entire year, we need… mental health support and suicide prevention year.”
The International Association for Suicide Prevention partnered with the World Health Organization in 2003 to officially establish the awareness day. The message the non-profits want to send is that suicide is preventable. In fact, the International Association for Suicide Prevention made this year’s theme for World Suicide Prevention Day “creating hope through action.”
If you or someone you know may need help, you can call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
