Suicide Prevention Week

Dear Friends, We have some real momentum going into National Suicide Prevention Week –September 6-12. We recently partnered with the Anxiety Depression Association of America and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to conduct a public opinion poll on mental health and suicide prevention, and the results are truly encouraging. Highlights include: Nearly all respondents think suicide is sometimes or often preventable (94 percent). Adults (93 percent) would do something if someone close to them was thinking about suicide. Of those that have received treatment for mental health conditions, most thought it was helpful whether it was psychotherapy (82 percent), medication (78 percent) or another form of treatment. Two out of three people said they would tell someone if they were having thoughts of suicide. This is great progress. Public perception of suicide prevention and mental health is improving, and I credit this shift to the hard work of our volunteers, staff, and partner organizations who are out there every day raising awareness and working to improve suicide prevention and mental health care. So, thank you! There’s still much work to do. More than half (55 percent) of respondents have been affected by suicide in some way. Men are significantly more likely than women to say they would not reach out to anyone if they were contemplating suicide. It’s up to us to change the culture. That’s why our main message for suicide prevention week this year is “You Can #StopSuicide.” We need your help to reach out to family, friends, coworkers and classmates to spread the word that mental health is important, and suicide preventable.  Yesterday, AFSP’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christine Moutier joined our survey partners to brief interested reporters on the public opinion poll results.  Today, Dr. Moutier gave media interviews to radio and TV stations across the country to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention – including how to get involved in the movement through our Out of the Darkness Community Walks this fall. And tomorrow through next week, we’re partnering with To Write Love on Her Arms on its See You Tomorrow campaign, sharing information about the Campaign to Change Direction, publishing blog posts in the Huffington Post and WebMD, and collaborating with our partners (NAMI, Mental Health America, and the Treatment Advocacy Center) to post articles on their websites about the hopeful message that suicide is preventable. Our VP of Research Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman will also be doing a Twitter Chat with the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness onSeptember 8, and our VP of Public Policy John Madigan will be speaking on Capitol Hill on September 10. We’re counting on you to spread the word on social media this week and next week. Use hashtag #StopSuicide, take selfies to #StopSuicide on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, and wear your Be the Voice apparel with pride.  You can find more information on National Suicide Prevention Week and download shareable graphics on our website.  Keep checking the site throughout the week for updates and links to all the content surrounding National Suicide Prevention Week. Thanks for being a part of this life-saving work. Bob Gebbia CEO, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention