September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This blog post is the 2nd in a series of 4 posts regarding suicide awareness.
Thoughts of death or suicide are, unfortunately, quite common. Suicide does not discriminate – suicide can affect people of any background, sex, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, culture, sexual orientation, etc.
Key Terms You Need to Know
Suicidal ideation
Thinking about, considering, or planning for suicide
Suicide attempt
A non-fatal self-directed potentially injurious behavior with any intent to die as a result of the behavior. A suicide attempt may or may not result in injury
Suicide
Death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with any intent to die as a result of the behavior
Warning Signs You Need to Know
Suicidal ideation is a symptom of an underlying mental health concern which needs to be addressed. If you’re uncertain as to whether or not someone is experiencing or expressing suicidal ideation (thoughts), be the one to ask. It’s okay to ask, “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” It’s a myth that you will put an idea in their head simply by asking the question.
