Every 11 minutes in the United States we lose a person to suicide.
These are the warning signs for youth from the Centers for Disease Control:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide.
- Expressing hopelessness about the future.
- Displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
- Changing or withdrawing from social connections or situations.
- Changes in sleep (increased or decreased).
- Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context.
- Recent increased agitation or irritability.
Help is available. At the 988 Suicide & ttps://youtu.be/_gFHRQ_a7kQ?si=DTef1Z8Xuqt152vfCrisis Lifeline, counselors are available to talk with anyone. People can call, text, or chat on the website at 988lifeline.org.
CASA volunteers and staff have access to valuable training on our YouTube channel. Dr. Donald P. Belau provides an educational session for CASA volunteers and staff. This one-hour training will provide you with signs of suicide and how to start and have a conversation with youth and much more essential information. Find it here.
World Suicide Prevention Day is today. For the next three years the theme is "Changing the Narrative on Suicide" with the call to action "Start the Conversation". This theme aims to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicides.
The call to action encourages everyone to start the conversation on suicide and suicide prevention. Every conversation, no matter how small, contributes to a supportive and understanding society. By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of support.
This theme also emphasizes the need to prioritize suicide prevention and mental health in policy making, calling for government action. Changing the narrative requires advocating for policies that prioritize mental health, increase access to care, and provide support for those in need.
