Fall is a time for themed football games, new Starbucks menus and early Halloween decorations. Yet it is also a reminder to slow down amongst hectic schedules and social calendars to focus on wellbeing.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the Institute for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 740,000 individuals around the world die by suicide annually—one life taken every 43 seconds. Cases of suicide in the United States have been on an increase, reaching the highest rates since 1941, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents.
“Suicide doesn’t discriminate; it impacts all communities, all identities. At St. John’s, we’re not exempt from that,” Upper School counselor Jake Davis said.
At the University of Washington’s Forefront program, Davis taught the steps to LEARN: Look for signs, Empathize and listen, Ask directly about suicide, Reduce the danger and Next steps. The acronym teaches how to recognize signs of suicide.
“There has often been a feeling for many individuals that they have to tough it out on their own, and that it’s more of a matter of mental toughness than actual health,” Davis said. “But there are others who are quietly fighting similar battles.”
Students Against Stigma co-chair Eva Ngu suggests being more cautious of using language surrounding mental health. Ngu says that using the term “committed suicide” or referencing conditions like OCD in inappropriate contexts can increase stigma.
“Stigma surrounding mental health is taught, whether it’s the community you’re around, your family, your friends or your school,” Ngu said.
Ngu says an important first step towards reducing stigma is listening to others.
“Sometimes I just have so much to do, and it gets to be a lot. I feel like I have the whole world on my shoulders, and I forget that I’m not alone,” Ngu said. “It’s something that a lot of students forget, too.”
Throughout this month, both Davis and the SAS club are working to raise awareness about the hardships that individuals in the School’s community may undergo.
“We’re intentionally creating space for people to talk about struggles that are too often kept silent, and making sure no one feels alone in their pain,” Davis said. “This month is a time to honor those we’ve lost, support those who are hurting and remind people that reaching out is a sign of strength.”
On Sept. 10, Students Against Stigma posted and handed out resources to recognize World Suicide Prevention Day. The club will also host an event this October, inviting professionals to train students on becoming effective peer responders.
“At St. John’s, our community as a whole doesn’t do as much as we need to to talk about the subject,” Ngu said. “Awareness is the biggest thing that we can do.”
