5-18-2023 5:48am

Mental Health Awareness Week Suicide Prevention Veterans, Students and 988 Resources

Chris Edwards Editor

1 in 5 Americans live with a mental health condition. If you're concerned that you or a loved one may be suffering from a mental health condition, you're not alone. The Defense Health Agency has many resources available to help.

Twenty two individuals in the active military commit suicide each month.

Suicide rates among teenagers is growing at rampant rates due to the additional pressures of social media bullying and the risk of violence in the schools in response.

There is no shame in mental health health care!

If you're concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing mental illness, you are not alone. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being, yet mental illness affects millions of people worldwide. Mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, or more serious illnesses as bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and more.

Unfortunately, most people with mental illness do not receive mental health services that they need.

Do what feels right for you.

There isn't one way to think or feel or act. The important thing is to take advantage of all mental health care resources. Remember that every moment in time can affect you and others differently. Treatment is available.

The Brandon Act

The Brandon Act honors Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Caserta who died by suicide in 2018. The legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 27, 2021, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. On May 5, 2023, DOD issued guidance to establish policy, assign responsibilities, and provide procedures for service members to initiate a referral for a mental health evaluation.

Suicide is intentional self-harm that results in death. Among children between the ages of 15 and 19, suicide is the second leading cause of death, and the leading cause of death for 14- to 15-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are the greatest predictors of suicide. These include frequent thoughts about ending one’s life, making plans, rehearsing or preparing for a suicide attempt, and attempting suicide.

If you think your child might be at risk for suicide, it is important to have them evaluated by a professional. Call your primary care physician, your child’s therapist or psychiatrist, your local mobile crisis team, or visit the closest emergency department. In an emergency, call 911.

What causes suicide?

There is no single factor that causes suicide or suicidal thoughts.

Many people who go through a stressful life event, such as the death of a loved one, may feel intense sadness or loss, anxiety, and anger. Some may even think they would be better off dead. But for most people, stressful life events do not lead to recurring thoughts of suicide.

Yet for someone with mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety, stressful life events or prolonged stress can cause deep feelings of distress and hopelessness and increase the risk of suicide.

Impulsivity and substance abuse can also increase a child’s risk of suicide. However, mental health issues can be treated and most often do not lead to suicide.

Suicide risk factors

mental illness
drug or alcohol abuse
access to guns, drugs, or other means of self-harm
prolonged stress or a stressful life event
suicide of a family member, friend, or classmate
childhood abuse, neglect, or trauma

What are the warning signs of suicide?

People who attempt or die by suicide often exhibit a number of warning signs. A child or teenager who exhibits more warning signs is typically at higher risk of suicide.

Warning signs include:

sudden changes in behavior
cutting off contact with friends and family members
losing interest in activities they used to enjoy
extreme irritability
increased use of drugs or alcohol
change in sleep patterns (either not sleeping or sleeping more than usual)
change of appetite
giving away possessions or calling people to say goodbye
preoccupation with death (recurring themes of death or self-destruction in artwork or written assignments)
frequently talking about suicide
previous attempts to harm themselves

What should I do if I think my child is at risk of suicide?

You can start by talking with your child. Ask how they are doing and if they ever think of killing themselves. Be sure to use clear, straightforward language. Having regular conversations in which you show concern and give your child room to express their honest thoughts and feelings lets your child know that they can talk with you when they need to.

If your child expresses suicidal thoughts or exhibits self-harming behaviors, seek professional help through your pediatrician, Boston Children’s Hospital, calling a suicide helpline like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contacting the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. Dial 988.

It’s important to limit your child’s access to possible means of suicide:

Remove guns or other weapons from the house or keep them locked up where your child can’t access them.
Store prescription medications safely and dispose of unused or expired medications.

How is a child’s risk of suicide measured?

A child’s risk of suicide is measured in stages by different health care providers.

Suicide risk screening is a set of questions used to identify whether a child is at risk of suicide. A screening may be done by your child’s pediatrician or a nurse as part of a standard health assessment.

Suicide risk assessment is more thorough than a screening and is used to confirm whether your child is at risk of suicide. Assessments are done by trained mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses, and mental health counselors.

For a rapid suicide risk assessment, contact your primary care physician, a local crisis team, or local emergency department.

If my child is at risk of suicide, what happens next?

The mental health professional who assesses your child should work with you and your child to make sure your child receives appropriate care. Your child’s treatment may include inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, a partial hospitalization (day program), outpatient psychotherapy, home-based therapy, psychiatric medication, or some combination of the above.

Is it possible to prevent suicide?

Yes. Frequent open communication that gives your child room to explore their thoughts and feelings with you is one of the best ways to prevent suicide.
Your child may not tell you they are thinking about suicide out of concern over how you might react. By asking direct, non-judgmental questions, you can encourage your child to share their thoughts and feelings.
Don’t be afraid to talk ask your child if they have suicidal thoughts. Studies repeatedly show that people do not start thinking about suicide just because someone asks them about it.
Have an emergency plan in place. If you suspect your child is at risk, get them help immediately.

Resources for families

The 988 System - Reasons to Call 988:

Worried about your safety or someone you know
Having a hard time managing strong emotions
Feeling hopeless, confused, angry or lonely
Worried about alcohol or drug use (substance use)
Need information or referrals for local community services
Have something on your mind that you want to talk over with someone outside of current situation
Service member or veteran and their families in need
Experiencing abuse or neglect
Dating issues or domestic violence
Struggling with eating disorders
Dealing with discrimination
Worried about parental discord or bullying
Stressed about work and having high anxiety

How it Works

CALL

People who call 988 are given three options:

Press 1 to connect with the Veterans Crisis Line
Press 2 to connect with the Spanish Subnetwork
Remain on the line and be connected to a local crisis center; if local crisis center is unable to answer, the caller is routed to a national backup center

TEXT or CHAT

People who text “TALK” to 988 will be connected to crisis centers equipped to respond to texts. Chat will be available through the Lifeline’s website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.