By: Johanna Ramirez-Perez    

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Let’s take a moment of silence to honor and remember those who have lost their lives to suicide. 

The month of September is Suicide Prevention Month, with Suicide Prevention Week begining on September 5th and ending on the 11th. It’s important for us to help those who are struggling with deep depression. We should be on the lookout for suicidal thoughts or those who might be hurting themselves or plan to in the future.

During the pandemic it’s been really stressful and hard for others to open up to others about the struggles and issues they have. Suicide is a really serious matter that  often isn’t taken too seriously until it’s too late. Don’t ignore the signs because you could save a life.  

Suicidal Behaviors:                                                            

1. Talking about dying or wanting to die                  
2. Feeling numb or feeling hopeless 
3. Feeling trapped 
4. Increase in alcohol or drugs 
5. Aggression 
6. Lost of interest
7. Depression 
8. Isolating themselves from others
9. Withdrawal 
10.  Sleeping too much/too little 

What to do if you think someone is struggling with suicide/depression:

Let the person know you are listening. You want to reassure them and let them know you are taking them seriously.

Encourage them to keep talking and give them your full attention. 

Suggest ways that you can help. If they are talking about suicide, do not leave their side. If they are losing control or you feel like there’s a risk, call 911 and try to keep them calm. 

What you can say if someone has admitted to wanting to commit suicide:

• “How often are you having these thoughts?”
• “When it gets really bad, what do you do?”
•  “What do you need to do to feel safe?” 

The symbol of the semicolon is metaphor that is used during Suicide Prevention Week. The semicolon is used when an author decides when they could have ended their sentence but chooses not to. In this metaphor, you are the author in your life and you can choose to continue your sentence.  

IF YOU ARE FEELING OR HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS: 

Call 800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Talk to a counselor, a teacher, family or friends, or Text TALK to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line, open 24/7. If you need or you want to talk about anything, you can email me at Juannaperez.jp@gmail.com .