Yuma Family YMCA partners with SADD to provide free suicide prevention clinic
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there are on average about 123 suicides per day.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US.
In order to create awareness for suicide amongst Yumans, the YMCA and Students Against Destructive Decisions have partnered to host a free suicide prevention clinic at the Yuma Family YMCA.
The adult session will take place in the Teen Room from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24.
A teen prevention session will be offered on Wednesday, July 25 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Julie Mack, Suicide Prevention Specialist with Cenpatico will be teaching attendees about suicide signs and prevention.
Mack said that these sessions are intended to “educate people on how to have a conversation with someone who is struggling with suicide.”
Historically, suicide has been a taboo topic that not many people are willing to talk about whether it be from someone who personally struggles with thoughts of suicide or their loved ones.
In Arizona on average, one person dies by suicide every seven hours.
In addition, almost twice as many people die by suicide annually than by homicide.
For ages 15-34, suicide is the second leading cause of death.
In the US, suicide rates have increased by 24 percent.
These statistics are based on the most recent 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Based on those numbers, they have been adjusted for 2018.
It is often difficult for people to know what to say to someone who is struggling with thoughts of suicide.
“I always tell people it’s important to take that conversation on…often people who are struggling with thoughts of suicide are met with silence, people don’t know what to say.”
Signs of suicidal thoughts may include a radical change of behavior, a life-changing situation such as a death or breakup and verbal cues which may be as obvious as “I want to die.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide and are interested in learning more about warning signs and prevent self-harm, you can contact Cenpatico at their 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-866-495-6735.
