DCH Corner – Resources for Suicide Awareness Month

September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and all month long we’ve been dedicating our DCH Corner to articles about suicide risks, suicide prevention, and ways you can support loved ones or receive support. These articles are also archived on our website (www.www.decaturcountyhospital.org).

You can also join the Senior Life Solutions staff at Decatur County Hospital for a Suicide Awareness conversation with local and state experts. Dewey McConville, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) representative, and Kevin Comer, LMSW with Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa, Inc. (CHCSI) will be presenting on Thursday, September 26th at 2:00 pm in the DCH Cafeteria. They will be sharing information on suicide prevention and helping us spread awareness.

For the last article in our series, we want to provide concrete statistics about suicide, and resources in case you or someone you know need help.

Did you know?

  • 1 in 5 (46.6 million) adults in the United States experience a mental health condition in a given year.
  • 1 in 25 (11.2 million) adults in the United States experience a serious mental illness in a given year.
  • Approximately 46.6 million adults in the United States face the reality of managing a mental illness every day.
  • Half of all lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24, but early intervention programs can help.
  • Up to 90% of those who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness as revealed by psychological autopsy. 46% of those who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental illness.
  • Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. With effective care, suicidal thoughts are treatable, and suicide is preventable.
  • Individuals with mental health conditions face an average 11-year delay between experiencing symptoms and starting treatment.
  • Common barriers to treatment include the cost of mental health care and insurance, prejudice and discrimination, and structural barriers like transportation.
  • Even though most people can experience relief from symptoms and support for their recovery in treatment, less than half of the adults in the United States get the help they need.

There are multiple resources available for assistance if you or a loved one are suffering from suicidal thoughts.

Crisis Services: 24/7 Crisis Hotline: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network – http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ – 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (Veterans, press 1).

Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7

Veterans Crisis Line: Send a text to 838255

SAMHSA Treatment Referral Hotline (Substance Abuse): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474

Also visit your: primary care provider, local psychiatric hospital, local walk-in clinic, local emergency department, local urgent care center, or Veterans Affairs.

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and/or thinking about suicide, get help now. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), is a free resource that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. You can also text “TALK” to 741741 to text confidentially with a trained Crisis Counselor for free, 24/7.

To learn more about Decatur County Hospital, Senior Life Solutions, and all our available services, please visit www.www.decaturcountyhospital.org, or follow us on Facebook @DecaturCountyHospitalIowa.