be nice. & BE SMART Suicide Prevention Panel by Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan is Wednesday, September 12 from 6 P.M. – 8 P.M. at the Kent County Health Department at 700 Fuller Avenue Northeast in Grand Rapids.
The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America have partnered to host a Suicide Prevention Panel. Both organizations offer life-saving action plans - be nice. & BE SMART - that can work together to prevent suicide and promote safety. The panel will include professionals from the community.
Stats:
Second Leading cause of death by people between the ages of 10 and 34, second to accidental injuries.
Suggestions:
Parents:
Broach the subject with your teens. Let them know safe to talk to you or another adult figure/mentor in their lives. Let them know that they can come to you if they get to that point.
Teen Friends:
Listen
Listen to your friend without judging and offer reassurance that you're there and you care. If you think your friend is in immediate danger, stay close — make sure he or she isn't left alone.
Tell
Even if you're sworn to secrecy and you feel like you'll be betraying your friend if you tell, you should still get help. Share your concerns with an adult you trust as soon as possible. You can also call the toll-free number for a suicide crisis line
Teen:
ask yourself what has stopped you from doing this in the past? and write those down. often family, pets, future, etc
There is ALWAYS another solution, even if you can’t see it right now.
Having thoughts of hurting yourself or others does not make you a bad person.
If your feelings are uncontrollable, tell yourself to wait 24 hours before you take any action.
If you’re afraid you can’t control yourself, make sure you are never alone.
Mindfulness exercise: focus on one thing you see, one thing you hear, one thing you can touch, and one thing you can smell. this can snap us back to the here and now when we are caught in our heads.
Cyberbullying is real. And cyber comparisons. we adults do it too.
National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-Talk
Crisis Text text connect to 741741
For LGBTQ Youth: 1-866-488-7386
Courtesy: Dr. Matthew Clark, The Clark Institute