Event draws attention to suicide prevention
More needs to be done to prevent suicide, a public health problem that claims a life every 16 minutes in the United States. However, stigma and misconceptions about mental illnesses and suicide continue to be barriers.
Because National Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 9-15, I would like to encourage the public to learn more about suicide. For example, research shows that more than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have an underlying, although not always diagnosed, psychiatric illness at the time of their deaths.
On Sept. 22, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will conduct an Out of the Darkness Community walk in the Triad at Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem. Funds will support suicide prevention research and education as well as local programs.
Walk with us and help bring suicide "out of the darkness." Together we can help save lives. For more information, visit www.outofthedarkness.org.
Anthony Burchette
Kernersville
Comments (4)
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"more than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have an underlying, although not always diagnosed, psychiatric illness at the time of their deaths"
you think?
Posted on September 7, 2007 12:45 PM
nit, was that comment necessary?
I have been to those depths of despair. I consider it God's grace alone that I am still here and even writing this post.
Mental illness carries a stigma that should not be there in the 21st Century. However, with our supposed advanced intellect etc., our society is still stuck in the Middle Ages.
If one has not been mentally ill to the point of: considering, contemplating, having ideation's, or even attempting suicide; One will never know what it is like. And often, it is extremely difficult for the person who is in this dilemma to communicate how they are feeling.
Mental illness is not like other illnesses. One cannot see the pain of depression, etc. as can be seen with a broken limb. That makes communicating with a physician even more difficult (as noted previously).
I applaud Mr. Burchette for the topic of the LTTE and for submitting it for publication.
Shalom
Posted on September 7, 2007 1:56 PM
"Was that comment necessary?"
I didn't think so. That's why I called attention to it.
I understand mental illness and its effects more than I'd like to. I agree that it is nearly impossible to communicate to others, explain, or correct (regardless of what the pharm companies might say).
Posted on September 7, 2007 2:33 PM
I sense that something is being missed in the communiction between nit and shalom. Could it be that nit was agreeing with the letter writter but questioning the suicide percentage rate?
Mental illness or psychological disorder can correlate with suicide I understand that there is a very high rate of suicide among Iraq veterans. If that's the case, then a simple "cure" would be to bring all the troops home. There is some irony in what I have just written though. This is more than just a research question.
Posted on September 8, 2007 8:33 AM