– Editorial – - Suicide prevention begins with each one of us

Sometimes, all it takes is one. One person to answer the phone or respond to a text. One person to know how to react to the call for help, one person to pull a stranger into an embrace, rather than allow them to take a fatal step forward. One person to have seen and understood what the warning signs are, and was able to get help. On average, one person dies by suicide, every 11 minutes, in the United States, each year. This equals about 49,000 annual deaths by suicide, placing suicide among the leading causes of death, nationwide. In Wisconsin, on average 1,000 people die from suicide each year, placing it among the state’s top 10 causes of death. Thousands of others are standing on the brink, having contemplated suicide, attempted or participated in, risky and self-destructive behaviors. For each person who dies by suicide, there are dozens more who attempt suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 1.5 million suicide attempts in the U.S., during the 2023 calendar year, the most recent year, for which statistics are available. It is a sobering and staggering number of people, who have lost hope and who seek an end to their physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual pain. For some, it is an act of impulsiveness, for others, the attempt is planned, and plotted out days or weeks ahead. Suicide and other self-destructive behaviors are symptoms of mental illness. Often, they do not get detected until far too late. The fight with our inner demons is an intensely private and personal one. Family and loved ones may be unaware, or intentionally shut off and distanced from the very real battles being fought; often, they are fighting their own battles with the darkness. It is vital to break down this barrier and let those living with mental health issues know, they are not alone in this fight. We, as a society, must break down the stigmas related to mental health and ensure that no one stands alone. Just as those trained in basic first-aid react when someone is bleeding, physically injured or distressed, so too, people must be trained to identify, and appropriately render aid and assistance to those facing mental health crises. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there are things we can do as individuals and communities, to push back the darkness, and bring help and support to those in need. These steps include creating positive coping and problem-solving skills, engaging individuals at risk, and giving them a reason for living as part of a strong and healthy community. We also must work to combat isolation. It is a sad irony, that in an age when technology has made communication nearly instantaneous, it has also created an intense isolation, because of a lack of actual human interaction. This is particularly true with young people, who are increasingly alone, rather than being part of strong, positive networks of family and friends. Each of us must do our part and learn the warning signs of suicide, and get those suffering with mental illness, the help they need. Each one of us must do our part, to end the epidemic of suicide. Members of the Courier Sentinel editorial board include publisher Carol O’Leary, general manager Kris O’Leary and Star News editor Brian Wilson.