Suicide Prevention: You’re Not Alone

From September 6-12, 2020, the United States acknowledges National Suicide Prevention Week in order to bring education and help to the millions of people who are feeling lost and hopeless. The fact is that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and in 2018 alone, more than 48,000 people took their own lives.

We will  take a look at some of the more common drivers of suicide, the warning flags of suicide, and how to get help.

Behind suicide

There’s no single cause of suicide, but there are a few issues that tend to lead one down this dangerous path, including:

• Untreated depression
• Substance use disorders
• Unresolved trauma
• Loss and grief
• Chronic Illnesses

The factors that place you or a loved one more at risk are unique to each individual, and often it’s a combination of factors that come together to lead the person to think that death is the only solution.

Warning signs of suicide

All too often we hear people say that they wish they had paid more attention to the warning signs before a loved one did the unthinkable. To help you identify the warning signs in both yourself or someone close to you, the following are some indicators that suicide may be a threat:

• Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
• Increasing isolation
• Lamenting the fact that one has no purpose in life
• Extreme mood swings or irritability
• Feeling like just a burden
• Experiencing unbearable pain
• Feeling trapped

You may have heard about suicide ideation, which is when one entertains the thought of suicide, going so far as to contemplate how one would do it, whether one would be missed, and devising a plan. Once the idea of suicide plants itself, it can become an obsession, which is very dangerous territory.

Getting help

The first thing we want to underscore is that you’re not alone and that there is help. At our practice, we routinely help patients overcome mental health issues of all kinds, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, giving our patients every reason to lead happy lives.

Through a holistic approach, using psychotherapy, medication management, support group, and more, we can help you get on a healthier path where life has meaning and purpose.

The first step is the most important one — reaching out for help. If you or a loved one is at risk for suicide, we strongly urge you to contact us right away so so that we can use every tool available to prevent this devastating action. 

All you have to do is click here to get the help you need at our office in Plymouth, Minnesota. You can also call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.