The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Toolkit. This toolkit includes key messages, images, and resources.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Although mental health and suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices and share that there is hope, help is available, and healing is possible.
This year’s theme is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” with the call to start the conversation. The aim of the theme is to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding mental health and suicide. Changing the narrative on how we perceive and talk about mental health and suicide requires systemic change. To make change happen, we will need to shift our culture from silence and stigma, to encouragement, understanding, and support.
Week 1: Let’s Change How We Talk About Mental Health. What we say to ourselves and others about mental health matters. We all have mental health and it is as essential to a person’s life, just as physical health. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and shapes how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
It can be hard for people, families, organizations, and communities to talk about mental health. Not talking about mental health and suicide can increase the risk of people that are struggling, and potentially decrease the likelihood that someone will seek help when they need it most.
Too often, public messaging conveys negative narratives about mental health and suicide. These negative narratives stigmatize mental health and suicide, which can contribute to feelings of uncertainty, shame, and self-loathing that prevent someone from seeking help or putting them at greater risk for harm. Instead, a narrative of hope and resilience can influence how people think, feel and act and lets us know that there is hope, there is help, and suicide is preventable. What we say to ourselves and others can encourage hope, celebrate life, and help ourselves and others understand that mental illnesses are treatable.
Ideas for action to start the conversation with yourself about your mental health:
- Know that you are never alone. Do you have crisis numbers available or a plan if you do feel like you get into a state of emotional crisis? 988 resource reminders and safety plan sheets are available year-round at Meinders Community Library.
- Identify what you do and do not have control over. As hard as it may be, life is a balance of holding on and letting go.
- Manage your own life and take responsibility for your actions. Recognize that you cannot control every event, but you can always choose how you respond. Put your energy into what you can fix right now instead of ruminating about the past.
- Seek help and support from family, friends, or health care professionals during times of need. Therapy and/or medications are sometimes needed to control your symptoms and better understand your illness.
- Seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider, or the 988 Lifeline by calling or texting 9-8-8 or using the 988 Online Chat feature.
- Sometimes it is hard to know when you need to connect with someone to support you with your mental health. If you want to learn more about when you may need to get support, check out My Mental Health from the National Institute of Mental Health.
- Starting the conversation around mental health doesn’t have to be heavy. Seize the Awkward has tips and opening lines to help make starting the conversation easier.
- We are less alone when we turn to each other. The Mental Health Coalition has tips for fostering connection and how to find people to connect with through technology.
Be sure to stop by the library and browse our selection of suicide and mental health materials. From books to promotional items, magnets, and stickers, our display will be up throughout the month of September. I am one of four wonderful librarians, so please don’t be afraid to ask questions or reach out. Even if I don’t know you, I am always open for a conversation.
Keep following along during the month of September for more information and resources. Week two will cover talking about mental health with loved ones using the five action steps from #BeThe1To.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~