National Suicide Prevention Week September 9-15, 2012

  Clinical Articles, Announcements, Alsana In the News, Blog

This week is the 38th Annual National Suicide Prevention Week. This week is an opportunity for all of us to speak out and reduce the stigma and shame associated with asking for help! Millions struggle with Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, and Addictions- all of which can lead to suicidal thoughts. By working together through awareness, promotion and education, we can reduce the incidence of suicides and prevent individuals from becoming suicidal. Alsana proudly support Suicide Prevention Week and encourages everyone to reach out for support.

Suicide Statistics:

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States with one suicide occurring on average every 14.2 minutes.

Suicide is the 3rdleading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds.

The elderly make up 12.9% of the population, but comprise 15.9% of all suicides.

Approximately 922,725 American attempt suicide each year.

It is estimated that five million living Americans have attempted to kill themselves.

Every year in the United States, more than 18,500 men and women kill themselves with a gun;  two-thirds more than the number who use a gun to kill another person.

An estimated 4.73 million Americans are survivors of suicide of a friend, family member, or
loved one.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), in collaboration with the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health, is hosting World Suicide Prevention Day on
September 10th, 2012. This year’s theme is “Collaborations in Suicidology: Bridging the Disciplines,” and will
focus on raising awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death on a global level.
Governments need to develop policy frameworks for national suicide prevention strategies. At the local level,
policy statements and research outcomes need to be translated into prevention programs and activities in communities.

 

Monday September 10, 2012

Facebook World Suicide Prevention Day Event Page

http://www.facebook.com/events/219365821453424/

Over 2,000 people have signed up as attending or participating in WSPD activity. Some people, for example, are attending memorial walks, lectures, concerts and information sessions. Others are simply lighting a candle, near a window at 8PM in support of suicide prevention, in memory of a lost one to suicide and for the survivors of suicide.

Webinars:

Glendon is hosting a series of Webinars on suicide prevention and trauma.  These Webinars will be offered for both the general public and for mental health professionals, who can earn CE credits.  For those unable to attend the LIVE CE Webinars, a video recording will be emailed to all paid registrants following the presentation.

Webinars on Suicide Prevention with Lisa Firestone, PhD.

Understanding and Preventing Suicide
September 18th – 11am – 12 pm PST
Free Webinar for the Public
Learn more or register here
Suicide: What Every Mental Health Professional Needs to Know
September 25 – 4pm – 5:30pm PST
CE Webinar – 1.5 CE Credits – $35
Learn more or register here
Webinars on Trauma with Christine Courtois, PhD.

Understanding Trauma from “Simple” to “Complex”
September 10 – 11am to 12pm PST
Free Webinar
Learn more or register

Complex Forms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
September 24 – 4pm to 5:30pm PST
CE Webinar – 3 CE Credits
Learn more or register

 

Suicide Prevention Information from American Association of Suicidology:

If you are considering suicide

The last thing that most people expect is that they will run out of reasons to live. But if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you need to know that you’re not alone. By some estimates, as many as one in six people will become seriously suicidal at some point in their lives.
Some Important Facts AAS Would Like to Share with You

  • Suicidal thinking is usually associated with problems that can be treated.

Clinical depression, anxiety disorders, chemical dependency, and other disorders produce profound emotional distress. They also interfere with effective problem-solving. But you need to know that studies show that the vast majority of people who receive appropriate treatment improve or recover completely. Even if you have received treatment before, you should know that different treatments work better for different people in different situations. Several tries are sometimes necessary before the right combination is found.

  • If you are unable to think of solutions other than suicide, it is not that solutions don’t exist, only that you are currently unable to see them.

Therapists and counselors (and sometimes friends) can help you to see solutions that otherwise are not apparent to you.

  • Suicidal crises are almost always temporary.

Although it might seem as if your unhappiness will never end, it is important to realize that crises are usually time-limited. Solutions are found, feelings change, unexpected positive events occur. Suicide is sometimes referred to as “a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” Don’t let suicide rob you of better times that will come your way when you allow more time to pass.

  • Problems are seldom as great as they appear at first glance.

Job loss, financial problems, loss of important people in our lives – all such stressful events can seem catastrophic at the time they are happening. Then, month or years later, they usually look smaller and more manageable. Sometimes, imagining ourselves “five years down the road” can help us to see that a problem that currently seems catastrophic will pass and that we will survive.

  • Reasons for living can help sustain a person in pain.

A famous psychologist once conducted a study of Nazi concentration camp survivors, and found that those who survived almost always reported strong beliefs about what was important in life. You, too, might be able to strengthen your connection with life if you consider what has sustained you through hard times in the past. Family ties, religion, love of art or nature, and dreams for the future are just a few of the many aspects of life that provide meaning and gratification, but which we can lose sight of due to emotional distress.

Do not keep suicidal thoughts to yourself! Help is available for you, whether through a friend, therapist, or member of the clergy. Find someone you trust and let them know how bad things are. This can be your first step on the road to healing.

Telephone Numbers for More Information on Receiving Help

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7) 1-800-273-TALK(8255)
Mental Health America 703-684-7722
Anxiety Disorders Association of America 301-231-9350
American Psychological Association 202-336-5500
American Psychiatric Association 202-682-6000
National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association 312-642-0049
National Alliance on Mental Illness 703-524-7600

JOIN OUR ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP

Weekly meetings
Fridays at noon / PST

WE ARE HERE TO HELP

VIRTUAL TREATMENT OPTIONS

Meeting each client where they are on their recovery journey. Virtually.

Start the road to recovery with Alsana.

Go to the top