Suicide Prevention Day - Everyday

September 10th was World Suicide Prevention Day.  Even though the day has passed, I only became aware of it yesterday when a friend of mine posted this meaningful story on her facebook page. It is written by an attorney who survived her suicide attempt and it is worth reading considering how it draws attention to a prevalent issue that is plagued by stigma and silence. 

This is what I mean by prevalent: the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about one million people die by suicide every year.  This represents a "global" mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds. The rate continues to climb in developing countries. 

Since the purpose of establishing a “Suicide Prevention Day” was to draw awareness to suicide and to resources that are available to help people that are contemplating suicide or that have experienced the suicide of someone else, there's no reason this information shouldn't be passed along during other days of the year. 

I am cataloging this post under the label “mental health” even though I actually do not want to label suicide anything at all.  It is a tragic human condition that affects us all on some level or another.

The US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), is a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. 

Suicide Prevention Organizations

• International Association for Suicide Prevention
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline 
• Active Minds
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
• The American Association of Suicidology
• Crisis Education and Support
• The Jed Foundation
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
• Mental Health America
• National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide (NOPCAS)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center
• Suicide Awareness/ Voices of Education
• Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• The Trevor Project
• Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Peer Support Organizations 

• Peer-to-Peer Resource Center
• Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance
• The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse
• The National Empowerment Center
• Directory of Consumer-Run State-Wide Organizations
• National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center
• National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations
• STAR Center