Suicide Prevention: What You Can Do

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, and there are an estimated 1.5 million suicide attempts yearly. But suicide is preventable. World Suicide Prevention Day, on Thursday, Sept. 10, helps raise awareness by talking about suicide and mental health.

What can you do if a friend or loved one needs help?

“The most important thing you can do is to do something,” said Ben Yamnitz, a manager with Memorial Behavioral Health. “If there is an immediate risk, like someone actively trying to hurt themselves, call 911 so that the individual can be safe and be seen by a mental health professional.”

“If they are willing to seek help, guide them to 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or suggest they talk to their primary care provider, a faith leader or another trusted person in their life,” he added. “You can also direct them to their local mental health service provider such as Memorial Behavioral Health.”

Memorial Behavioral Health also has a Mobile Crisis Response Team, which is a team of trained crisis counselors available 24/7/365. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 217-788-7070 and speak with our crisis specialists. They will be able to respond in person or over the phone to assist the person in finding the help they need.

 Join an Awareness Walk

Two upcoming walks, one in Springfield, and one in Jacksonville, also strive to help raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health. Community members are welcome and encouraged to participate.

• Oct. 4 at 12:30 p.m. The Out of the Darkness American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Walk will be held at the University of Illinois at Springfield campus. The money raised will be used for new research, creation of educational programs, public policy advocacy and survivor support. Register here.
• Oct. 11 at 9:30 a.m. The NAMI Walks West Central Illinois will be held at Community Park in Jacksonville. Money raised will help ensure that the free resources and programs offered by NAMI continue to be available. Register here.