September is Suicide Prevention Month

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - On average in 2020, one person died by suicide every six hours, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34.

September marks Suicide Prevention Month.

“Someone who’s thinking of suicide thinks ‘I feel hopeless.’ And the key to keeping someone alive is to offer them hope in any positive form,” said Holly Wright, who works in the health promotions and wellness clinic at Valdosta State University.

According to Mental Health Services, 12.2 million adults thought seriously about suicide. Some 3.2 million made a plan. And 1.2 attempted to take their lives in the past year.

Holly Wright runs the health promotions and wellness clinic at Valdosta State University. She... — Holly Wright runs the health promotions and wellness clinic at Valdosta State University. She also runs a suicide prevention program.(Source: WALB)

“To take all signs seriously. If you think the person’s joking or they don’t really mean that they are going to hurt themselves or they want to die or they want to kill themselves, take it seriously regardless. Because you frankly just never know what’s going on in somebody’s mind. And statistics show that people verbalize their intent about a week before they’re looking to make an attempt,” said Wright.

Wright said often, people give verbal cues, indirect messages or sometimes, direct messages when they’re about to make an attempt. We just have to know what to look for, how to look for it, and actually listen for it.

“They often will have a low mood or isolate themselves. Or things like, ‘I won’t be around much longer.’ That’s a verbal cue of, ‘what do you mean you’re not going to be around much longer?’ And sometimes frankly, students or anybody may just simply say, ‘I want to die. I don’t want to be here. I want to kill myself,’” she said.

Valdosta State has a health promotions and wellness clinic that has multiple resources to help... — Valdosta State has a health promotions and wellness clinic that has multiple resources to help students out.(Source: WALB)

If you or anyone you may know is contemplating suicide, remember this is a crisis moment. Reach out for help. The Georgia Crisis and Access Line can be reached by calling 1-800-715-4225. G-CAL is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.