Remembering You Are Not Alone ! It's Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

WRitten by:  Tina Tofaeono, PROVISION

September is recognized annually as National Suicide Prevention Month, it’s to help raise awareness and open the dialogue about suicide.  Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background.  Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate a more serious issue.  

This month is a time to raise awareness of this taboo subject. In addition to shifting public perception and spreading hope and vital information to people affected by suicide.  Everyone is affected by suicide, not just the victim.  Suicide impacts family and friends long after the loss of a loved one.  

One way to help prevent suicide is to increase access to treatment for depression.  However, identifying depression can be difficult.  Not all people who suffer from depression show signs.  We need to keep our eyes open for not only our youth but also adults.  The mental health of yourself or a loved one can never be taken too seriously.  Whether the issue of a long-term struggle or a crisis weighs you down, allow friends, family, or a counselor to lighten the load by finding support.  There is no shame in seeking help.

In American Samoa, the suicide rate has gone up.  We need to start talking about it to help prevent it.  Unfortunately, our society is not a huge fan of the topic and it’s frowned upon to speak of.  But, until we can extinguish that type of behavior and thinking, we need to do our part.  If you encounter someone speaking about dying or wanting to die, they feel empty, hopeless, or lonely.  They could mention strong feelings of shame, guilt or they are withdrawn and start to give away personal items, they might even post things on social media.  These could be warning signs and should raise a flag for you to reach out to them.  Here are some tips on how to help someone with suicidal thoughts:

ASK: Ask the person if they think about dying or killing themselves.  Don’t hesitate to do this, asking will not put the idea in their head, nor will it make them more likely to attempt suicide.

LISTEN: Start a conversation with the person and listen without judging to show you care.  Create a safe space for them to share their feelings and vent.

STAY: Don’t leave the person alone.  Stay with them or make sure they are in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help.

SECURE:  If you suspect the person could be a harm to themselves, take them seriously.  Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

CALL:  Call the  988 Helpline and follow their guidance.  If danger for self-harm seems immediate, call 911.  ​