WiRED International Marks World Suicide Prevention Day

BY OLIVIA SPIRITO; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN

Awareness of mental health is on the rise these past few years. Suicide Prevention Day, established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), is promoted each year on September 10. This year’s theme is “Working Together to Prevent Suicide.”

 

This is an important observance. According to IASP, a person dies every 40 seconds by suicide, and up to 25 times as many people attempt suicide. To help engage the community in an issue that plagues too many lives, Suicide Prevention Day encourages teamwork to combat suicide and spread awareness about it.

 

Anyone is at risk for suicide, which is preventable with help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers access to local crisis centers with trained professionals working 24/7 to provide confidential support to anyone struggling with suicidal feelings. Some resources are geared to specific groups such as youth, veterans, LGBQ+ persons and disaster survivors. If you, a family member or a friend is in distress and feeling suicidal, you can get free and confidential support by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (in the United States), by chatting online or by going directly to a local crisis center near you.