Suicide Prevention Week helps to inform and engage the public about a problem that affects nearly 800,000 families every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens. With the help of awareness campaigns like Suicide Prevention Week, people learn what signs to watch for and where to go for help.
If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, reach out to a mental health treatment center near you today.
What Is Suicide Prevention Week?
Suicide Prevention Week is part of an international campaign to raise awareness about suicide prevention. It coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on the 10th of September every year. During this time, countries all over the world spend time on suicide awareness.
Since 1975, healthcare professionals and groups like The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) have used this week to conduct depression screenings, promote suicide prevention programs, and raise awareness.
It is a time for subgroups to make people more aware of specific issues as well, like the rising rate of suicides among military veterans, bullied teens, and the LGBTQ community. Organizations like The Trevor Project use Suicide Prevention Week to introduce new initiatives as well.
What You Can Do for Suicide Prevention Week
Get involved in your local community in some way. That might mean volunteering to serve on the suicide hotline in your area or raising awareness by sponsoring a walk or other local event. Look at the websites of organizations to see what they are doing this week and if you can help. They might have ribbons you can use on social media or other promotional material.
Telling Your Story
People are invited to share their stories during Suicide Prevention Week. They may be stories of lost loved ones, discussions of mental health conditions that can lead to suicide like depression, or tales of recovery and hope.
Those with a story can share it on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They can upload videos of lost friends on YouTube or visit a Google Hangout or a Facebook group to raise suicide awareness.
It’s also a time to talk about the connection between substance use disorders and mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Getting Help
One of the most significant benefits of Suicide Prevention Week is that others can learn where to go for help. There are many options, including centers like Westwind Recovery® that offer mental health and addiction treatment services.
Contact Westwind Recovery®
Westwind Recovery® is an addiction treatment center and sober living program that offers primary mental health services as well. Westwind Recovery® has 12 locations throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. They include:
- Six residential beds
- Six detox beds
- 80 outpatient slots
- Seven sober living residences
The mental health treatment programs at Westwind Recovery® provide a broad spectrum response to ensure each person gets the individualized help they need. The programs feature:
- Chronic pain management
- Adventure therapy with regular outings for camping, hiking, and surfing
- Dual diagnosis treatment for those with mental health and substance use disorders
- Virtual reality mediation therapy
- Nutrition counseling
- Gym memberships
- Body positivity groups
Westwind Recovery® believes it takes a client-centered, comprehensive approach to help those with a mental health disorder find recovery. In addition to innovative therapies like art and music, we offer evidence-based approaches to treating depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.
Mental health treatments offered include gold standards like cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and psychotherapy. We also believe family plays a vital role in treatment, so we offer them education, information about family support organizations and provide a list of symptoms to watch for that might indicate someone is considering suicide.
If you know of someone at risk for suicide or that needs mental health treatment, contact us. Our Westwind Recovery® team is waiting to help.
Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993. LCSW #20628. Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Deena has worked running treatment centers, worked as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals as well as school settings and currently has a thriving private practice in the LA area. Dr. Deena has appeared regularly on the Dr. Phil Show as an expert since 2003. She has also been featured on many other TV shows, podcasts and has contributed to written publications as well as podcasts.
