GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 20 American adults has serious suicidal thoughts every year. Suicide affects people of all ages, all genders, and all races.
A major goal of the awareness month is to continue talking about mental health and suicide. The more conversation, the more the stigma breaks down, and the fewer people suffer in silence.
“Suicide is something that’s preventable if people are getting treated for their mental health concerns,” said Dr. Charletta Dennis, medical director of behavioral health at Priority Health. “Whether it’s substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, or just overall fears, those things can be treated, and suicide can be prevented when people have those supports available.”…