Suicidal thoughts can arise in anyone, regardless of age, class, race, or health. This is why it’s so important to foster positive mental health and pay attention to one’s thoughts and feelings. Depression and anxiety are the two most common mental health concerns, and they affect millions each year. When not properly addressed, mental health issues like these can lead to suicidal thoughts. Fortunately, suicide is preventable. The first step is learning to recognize the condition. Then, how best to reach out to people and find a professional mental health treatment program for support.
That’s what Suicide Prevention Day is all about一awareness and celebration. People can come together on the 10th of September to mourn suicide victims and to spread awareness about the tools available to those facing suicidal thoughts today.
Sierra Sage knows how difficult contending with a substance use disorder can be. Coping with addiction on top of suicide ideation can make your day-to-day life feel impossibly difficult. If you have any questions about dual diagnosis treatment and your recovery options, you can call the Sierra Sage team at 833.922.2884.
What Is Suicide Prevention Day?
Suicide Prevention Day takes place every September 10th. This day lets people who’ve suffered from suicidal thoughts and those impacted by incidents of suicide come together. These people can mourn their loved ones and spread awareness about the conditions that make them more likely to consider killing themselves. It’s also a good time to encourage those suffering to seek depression treatment.
The Factors Behind Suicidal Thoughts
People can suffer from suicidal thoughts for a myriad of reasons. Low self-worth and fear often influence these thoughts, though they can worsen if affected by outside sources. Some of the most common factors to aggravate a person’s suicidal thoughts include:
Is Depression Treatment Necessary?
Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety can exacerbate a person’s suicidal thoughts. These conditions inspire feelings of stress, mania, and worthlessness and make it difficult to attend to their everyday needs. If a person with a mental health condition doesn’t seek out a depression treatment program, they may feel that life would be easier without them.
Poverty and Fear of the Future
Fear of the future is a powerful motivator. If a person fears that they’ll lose their home or face unmanageable bills, they may consider suicide. In these cases, poverty becomes one of the driving factors behind certain demographics’ suicide rates.
Mental Health and Addiction
Mental health and addiction often co-occur. Many people use certain substances to cope with mental health conditions. While these substances can alleviate the worst of a person’s paranoia, anxiety, and depression for a while, the effects rarely last long. In pursuing that high again, you can easily develop an addiction on top of a mental health condition.
Certain substances encourage or facilitate suicidal thoughts. Other times, the lack of those substances can force a person through withdrawal so severe that they consider suicide. In all situations, however, substance use disorders do not serve a person with suicidal intentions well. In turn, people who suffer from suicidal thoughts on top of a substance use disorder benefit from the rapid and comprehensive professional intervention for mental health and addiction.
Dual Diagnosis and Suicide Ideation
It’s never easy to learn that a loved one has considered suicide. However, helping someone contend both with suicide ideation and a substance use disorder isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have professional experience in either realm. When a person is struggling with addiction and mental health issues, dual diagnosis treatment is the best course of action. This treats both conditions simultaneously, allowing for more holistic healing.
There are steps you can take to make a loved one’s life easier. These include:
- Listen to your loved ones tell you about their problems
- Be honest but kind about how you feel
- Ask your loved one how they’d like to proceed
- Help your friend research dual diagnosis treatment options
Reaching out for professional guidance is always in your best interest if a loved one has a substance use disorder. If you feel you’re facing an emergency, either due to your loved one’s suicide ideation or use of uncontrolled substances, you can call 911 for immediate support.
Preparing for Suicide Prevention Day with SierraSage
Suicide Prevention Day is a day of awareness and celebration. As awareness spreads about suicide statistics, more and more people have the opportunity to act with their loved ones’ interests in mind.
Suicide Resources:
- International Association for Suicide Prevention
- Take 5 to Save Lives (campaign launched by IASP)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 Press 1
- Crisis Text Line – text HELLO to 741741
If you or a loved one suffer from suicidal thoughts on top of a substance use disorder, we can help. Call Sierra Sage today at 833.922.2884, and we can answer any questions you may have about suicide prevention, dual diagnosis, and substance use disorder treatment programs. You can also send your questions to the team via Sierra Sage’s online form.
