The goal of the day is to raise awareness about suicide and how we can prevent it. People who are suicidal often show warning signs beforehand, so knowing what they are can help you help someone before it’s too late. In this post, we’ll explore what exactly World Suicide Prevention Day is, some of the statistics surrounding suicide and give you suggestions on how you can help spread awareness.
The goal of World Suicide Prevention Day is to encourage individuals, schools, and organizations worldwide to get involved in raising awareness about suicide prevention. The focus is on providing information about warning signs of suicidal behavior and how you can help someone who may be contemplating suicide.
In 2017, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) decided to change their color from pink to purple. They made the switch so that people with depression and those who have lost loved ones to suicide can feel included in their message and not excluded by any specific gender.
Unless you are directly affected by suicide you might not be aware of the scope of the problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The tragic loss of life to suicide is even more heart wrenching when you see that it is preventable yet is still the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15-24.
According to Alice Hendy, Founder and CEO of R;pple, “searches for suicide hotlines or helpline numbers have increased by 125% since January 2019. I’ve worked recently with a company called SEMrush who did some data analysis and research in this field. And from their research, they found that searches for suicide methods have actually increased by 50% in the last two years.”
There is a lot of stigma and barriers surrounding the topic of suicide. To help spread awareness, it’s important to become aware of the signs of someone who is struggling and find ways to support them.
We also suggest taking a look at the important work our partner R;pple is doing in the field to prevent suicide and spread awareness.
While there is still much work to be done in terms of suicide prevention, we have made significant progress over the past few years. As we continue our efforts on World Suicide Prevention Day, let’s remember that it takes all of us working together to make a difference in the lives of those suffering from depression and anxiety.
Further Resources
Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Students