Most suicidal people do not want to die, they just want to end the pain they are experiencing. Many times, if someone reaches and takes the time to talk to an individual, a tragic end can be avoided.
During the week of Sept. 6 – 12 mental health workers, medical professionals, school staff and suicide prevention groups nationwide work to create awareness.
When suicidal intent or risk is detected early, lives can be saved, according to Deborah Franko Lane, a prevention specialist on staff at Big Horn Basin Counseling Services.
Lane has the sometimes bleak job of keeping statistics of suicidal attempts and deaths but remains hopeful that numbers of clients with suicidal thoughts can increase while the actual number of deaths can decrease.
“Big Horn County consistently has higher than average numbers of completions,” Lane said.
Experts know that suicidal crises tend to be brief and when people are linked with professional help and receive support, tragedy can be avoided, according to the American Association of Suicidology.
Information posted on the Web at www.suicidology.org shows that 50 percent more people die by suicide each year than by homicide.
Big Horn County Suicide Prevention Coalition chairman Devin Armstrong will meet with counselors from each of the high schools in the county during the week. Information about suicide prevention and bracelets and magnets with help phone numbers will be passed out.
Armstrong said she feels the key to reaching young people is to keep the Gate Keeper peer suicide prevention training program in place in the high schools.
“Many of the Gate Keepers we have trained have graduated, so it is important to get those new younger kids involved,” she said.
Parental consent forms will be sent home with any teen interested in learning more about how they can help a friend in a bad spot. A myth that talking about suicide promotes suicidal behavior is absolutely not true, she said.
“I encourage any interested parents to call me for more information,” Armstrong said.
The suicide prevention coalition will also host two separate Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) opportunities.
ASIST is essentially suicide first aide, according to Armstrong.
“It is a great program and I’ve already heard back from at least 40 people who want to attend,” she said.
The coalition is picking up the tab for the workshop, which will be this month, but exact dates have yet to be announced.
“While we would have liked to present them during Suicide Prevention Awareness week, the timing just didn’t match up,” Armstrong said.
What makes the training so dynamic is that it gives everyday people the courage to speak up to someone who they suspect is suicidal.
“They tell you the words to use and there is even role-playing to practice,” said Lovell Police Chief Nick Lewis, who recommends the training for every officer.
As part of Suicide Prevention Week activities, the counseling center will host a substance abuse awareness meeting, which is open to the public, on Sept. 10 with a special portion of the program dedicated to suicidal behavior.
The program is from 8 a.m. to noon at the counseling center located at 116 South 3rd St. in Basin. The program will be repeated 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lovell counseling center at 1114 Lane 12.
The suicide prevention coalition meets the second Wednesday of each month. For more information about any prevention activities contact Armstrong at 568-2020.