Suicide numbers in the U.S. are staggering: nearly 50,000 people ended their lives by suicide in 2022, according to the most recent national statistics. For every suicide, 52 others attempted to take their lives, and 336 seriously considered it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That’s why suicide awareness is important. There is hope we can turn the tide on the suicide crisis.
Research shows that suicide can be prevented through protective strategies at the societal level and by teaching individuals to recognize the warning signs and respond effectively. Can you prevent a suicide? When you know how to recognize the warning signs and how best to respond, you greatly increase the odds of saving a life.
During National Suicide Prevention Month, we’re sharing information on how to prevent suicide. We also are introducing you to a client who suffered deeply but found his way back to a life he now wholeheartedly embraces, thanks to NewBridge’s support.
Importance of Suicide Prevention Awareness
“The vast majority of people with suicidal thoughts give clear clues before they are at the point of acting on them,” said Viki Ferlauto, NewBridge’s Executive Director of Counseling Services. Most of these individuals “just want the emotional pain to stop.”
If you see someone in distress, ask them how they are and if they need help. Often, the individual is suffering in silence. “What families can do is ask the question, ‘Are you thinking of killing yourself?’ That question alone usually will yield an honest answer,” Ferlauto said.
NewBridge Services takes a multi-pronged approach to suicide awareness and prevention. Counseling is a key for both adult and youth suicide prevention. We train all staff — not just direct service providers — to recognize warning signs, as part of the national Zero Suicide movement. Additionally, NewBridge is a certified instructor of both Mental Health First Aid and Youth MHFA. We train and empower educators, first responders and community members to recognize and respond to crises in children, teens, and adults. NewBridge has also been involved in organizing forums where families who lost a child to suicide share their experiences to help others spot red flags for suicidal thoughts.
The Zero Suicide movement that NewBridge is a part of is based on the understanding that suicide is preventable through awareness and intervention. “We can no longer accept that suicide is inevitable,” Ferlauto emphasized.
Suicide Risk Factors & Warning Signs
Suicide risk factors include, but are not limited to:
- Trauma
- Loneliness
- Unemployment
- Homelessness
- Grief
- Humiliation
- Financial struggles
- Chronic pain
What Increases Suicide Risk?
When these factors combine with depression, substance use, or an anxiety disorder, the likelihood of the person acting on their thoughts increases, Ferlauto noted. Major warning signs include:
- Hopelessness
- Reckless behavior
- Dramatic changes in appearance
- Neglect of self-care
- Self-isolation
- Substance abuse
Statements like “The world would be better off without me” or “What’s the point of living?” are cries for help that require immediate attention, Ferlauto said.
Five Steps to Help
The National Institute of Mental Health recommends these suicide prevention strategies:
- ASK: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
- KEEP THEM SAFE: Reduce the person’s access to lethal means.
- BE THERE: Listen without judgment to understand what they are thinking and feeling.
- HELP THEM CONNECT: Share the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect them with a trusted family member, spiritual advisor, or mental health professional.
- STAY CONNECTED: Maintaining contact can help prevent a future crisis.
988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org anytime. Encourage the person to seek professional help.
Among activities for suicide prevention, adding crisis resources to smartphones for round-the-clock support is key. In addition, NewBridge recommends people who struggle with suicidal thoughts have a suicide safety plan, a toolkit of strategies for diffusing an emotional crisis.
Other Ways NewBridge Lowers Suicide Risk
NewBridge addresses many underlying issues that can lead to suicidal ideation, including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, substance abuse, compulsive gambling, and homelessness. We also provide case management and psychiatric rehabilitation services so people with mental illness can live independently, offer affordable housing to those with mental illness and special needs, support seniors so they can remain in their homes and teach them techniques for managing chronic pain without heavy reliance on opioids. Additionally, we help young adults who struggled academically and/or emotionally in traditional school settings succeed in NewBridge JobsPlus, our alternative education and career program.
Donate to Suicide Prevention
We invite you to join us in bringing balance to people’s lives. Please make a donation at newbridge.org/donate. Thank you! To learn more about Mental Health First Aid training opportunities, contact NewBridge Director of Community Outreach and Education Beth Jacobson at ejacobson@newbridge.org.
