JOPLIN, Mo. — September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It’s a chance to spread the word about how to identify and help someone who’s at risk.
“It’s very complex human issue suicide is. And what we need to do is just lower the shame and the hiding it in the closet and just have frank open honest conversations that to be human is difficult and sometimes as humans we become so overwhelmed and can’t cope that,” said Ozark Ctr. Dir. Crisis Services Debbie Fitzgerald,
Fitzgerald says connecting a patient with the right services is crucial.
“We do know that treatment works. We have very effective treatments for those that can articulate or self-identify, I’m having a crisis, I need help, or those that show clear warning signs and say, I’m going to give up, I would be better off dead, I want to die.”
She adds there is no single sign someone is considering suicide… but instead a potential range of triggers.
“Have had recent losses in their life, they’ve had something happen, maybe that was shameful. For instance, if they were a good athlete at school and suddenly started making bad grades and then couldn’t play a game, or if they were a straight A student and put too much pressure on themselves and then suddenly started making bad grades.”
Fitzgerald encourages everyone to take action if they see warning signs from loved ones.
“And if grades start dropping, if people cannot go to work, cannot take care of themselves, not get up and do adult daily living skills. They’re not able to get up and take care of their daily needs, you know, bathing, hygiene, showering, eating, cleaning the house, taking the trash out. They’re just the kind of quit life, if you will.”
Options include calling 988 to connect with professional help.
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