September: Suicide Prevention Month

Hi everybody.  September is the Suicide Prevention Month. Many days in our lives are busy, rushed and at the end we wish we had more time to accomplish more.  At the same time we are going through our regular days, some people are going through an extremely irregular day because they might be contemplating the idea of suicide.  When was the last time you looked at all those around you and wonder if they are in need of help? The National statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db64_fig5.png) are alarming.  In 2009, there were approximately 11,838 suicides. That is a significant number.  In my opinion, 1 or 11,838, is significant when we are talking about suicides. 

How can we prevent suicide?  Regardless of our social status, job position, age, ethnicity, gender, political affiliation, etc, we should be taking care of those to our left and right.  We should be talking to them and be concerned if we see any sign of suicides.  As we see this signs we should become an instrument of hope, support and information. 

There is a very famous quote by Charles F. Browne "We can't all be Washingtons, but we can all be patriots".  In suicides, one cannot prevent all but we can all prevent one.  It is sad to see that a life is so hopeless that they contemplate suicide as an option.  It deeply saddens me when I learn through the media that somebody has committed suicide.  There is a lot that all of us can do to help prevent such deaths.

There are resources that by us knowing we can share with those in need.  Nationally we have the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Veterans Crisis Lifeline, the Defense Centers of Excellence, Real Warriors, churches, chaplains, among many others.

Let's do our part!

Let's put our grain of sand!

Let's be people of action!

Let's help others!

Let's be instrument of change and support!

One life lost is too much!