September is dedicated to suicide prevention. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. 30,000 Americans die by suicide each year; 500,000 Americans attempt suicide annually. No suicide attempt should be taken lightly or dismissed. According to Mental Health America (MHA), there are ways to help prevent suicide and help people who are considering it.

1. Talk with the person about concerns.

Communication needs to include listening too.

2. Ask questions without being judgmental.

Determine if the person has a plan to carry out the suicide. The more detailed the plan, the greater risk of actually attempting.

3. If the person resists, get professional help.

4. Do not swear to secrecy.

If someone is thinking about suicide, someone else needs to know. Even its the parents, a doctor, or a teacher.

5. Do not act shocked or judgmental.

This topic is hard enough as it is to let out. If someone is talking to you about it, they trust you. They trust you to help. So be kind.

6. With all of this being said, do not counsel the person yourself.

Get the help of a professional.

Eight out of ten people who are thinking of suicide give signs of their thoughts. Some signs of suicide according to the MHA are expressions of hopelessness, previous attempts of suicide, daring behavior, personality changes, depression, and lack of interest in future plans. Although people may not want to call a suicide prevention hotline, they usually do seek some help. 64% of people who attempt suicide tend to visit a doctor in the month before their attempt.

If you know someone or are thinking of attempting suicide please call 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK

If you would like to help the MHA further their research in mental health and further their resources please donate on their website: www.mentalhealthamerica.net