September: Suicide Awareness & Prevention Month

As September marks Suicide Awareness Month, you may find yourself reflecting on the importance of mental health and the devastating impact of suicide. Did you know that suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States? At Archway Behavioral Health in Boca Raton, FL, we understand the complexity of mental health challenges and offer comprehensive treatment for a range of conditions, including self-harm, depression and trauma. Our dedicated team provides evidence-based therapies, counseling, and specialized programs to support your journey towards healing. Whether you’re seeking outpatient care, intensive treatment, or psychiatric support, we’re here to offer hope and help when you need it most. This month, take the step toward reclaiming your life and health—contact us at (888) 488-4103

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Recognizing the Warning Signs

Understanding risk factors and warning signs is crucial for prevention. Mental health conditions, substance abuse, trauma, chronic pain, and feelings of hopelessness or despair can increase suicide risk. Changes in behavior, like withdrawing from loved ones or giving away possessions, may also signal a crisis.

Hope Through Comprehensive Support

With proper intervention and treatment, many suicides are preventable. Mental health professionals offer evidence-based therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to address underlying issues. Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs provide structured care during critical periods. Ultimately, a multifaceted approach addressing mental health, substance abuse, and social support can save lives.

Signs of Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior

Recognizing Warning Signs

Being aware of the warning signs is crucial when someone may be at risk of suicide. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) highlights key indicators like talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless or trapped, and changing behavior such as withdrawing from others or using substances more.

Looking for Cues

Other signs include giving away possessions, looking for ways to end one’s life, mood swings, and sudden improvement after being depressed. Another common sign may be self-harm. Self- harm treatment can be life-saving if caught early on. It’s vital to take these seriously and seek help immediately..

Urgent Care and Crisis Intervention

In times of crisis, Archway Behavioral Health offers psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, and a 24/7 hotline to provide immediate support and intervention for those struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation. The admissions process involves an initial assessment, insurance verification, and the development of a personalized treatment plan to ensure your specific needs are addressed.

Suicide Awareness: The Facts and Statistics

Sobering Global Statistics

In the United States alone, suicide claims one life every 11 minutes on average. September is designated as National Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness and promote resources to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

Suicide claims nearly 800,000 lives globally each year. It is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds worldwide. The age-standardized suicide rate is a staggering 11.4 per 100,000 population, with higher rates among men (15.0) compared to women (8.0).

Risk Factors and Vulnerable Groups

Mental disorders like depression, substance abuse, chronic pain, and previous suicide attempts are major risk factors for suicide. Certain groups face heightened risks, including LGBTQ+ individuals, war veterans, and older adults. Social determinants like relationship issues, financial troubles, and legal difficulties can also increase vulnerability.

Partial Hospitalization Programs for Suicide Prevention

A Lifeline for Those in Crisis

Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) provide a vital lifeline for individuals grappling with suicidal thoughts or behaviors. These intensive outpatient programs offer a higher level of care than traditional therapy while allowing participants to maintain connections to their daily lives.

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Approach

At their core, PHPs employ a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to suicide prevention. Participants receive individual and group therapy, medication management, and evidence-based interventions like CBT, DBT and EDMR.This holistic treatment addresses the underlying causes of suicidal ideation.

Building Healthy Coping Strategies

Beyond clinical interventions, PHPs incorporate holistic therapies like art, music, and outdoor activities. These experiential methods help participants develop positive coping mechanisms and build supportive networks – critical for long-term recovery.

Seamless Transition to Outpatient Care

For many, a PHP serves as an initial, intensive phase before transitioning to outpatient treatment. This gradual step-down approach ensures individuals receive the appropriate level of care throughout their healing journey.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) is a specialized form of psychotherapy designed to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It involves an acute phase of 12-16 sessions and a continuation phase of 12 more sessions, combining individual therapy and family interventions.

Key Components

The core elements of CBT-SP include:

• Chain analysis to identify triggers and risk factors
• Safety planning to develop coping strategies
• Skill-building in areas like emotion regulation and cognitive restructuring
• Family sessions to improve communication and support

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicide Prevention

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy proven effective in reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors, especially among individuals with borderline personality disorder. According to a multisite study, DBT significantly outperformed supportive therapy in decreasing suicide attempts, self-injury, and overall self-harm in high-risk adolescents after 6 months of treatment.

Direct Targeting of Suicide Risk

Unlike other therapies that indirectly address underlying disorders, DBT targets suicidal thoughts and behaviors as the key problem, utilizing thorough risk assessment and routine monitoring of fluctuating suicidal urges. This direct approach aims to provide the least restrictive, yet most effective treatment setting possible.

Building Life-Worth-Living Skills

DBT equips clients with mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. These tools help manage acute suicide risk while cultivating reasons for living through improved quality of life long-term. Therapists provide in-the-moment coaching between sessions to reinforce the application of learned skills.

Conclusion

As September draws to a close, remember that suicide awareness and prevention efforts continue year-round. At Archway Behavioral Health in Boca Raton, FL, you have access to comprehensive mental health care tailored to your needs. Whether you’re struggling with depression, trauma, OCD, or other challenges, their expert team offers a range of evidence-based treatments. From therapy and counseling to intensive outpatient programs and psychiatric care, help is available. Don’t let the alarming suicide statistics become your reality. Reach out today at (888) 488-4103 and take the first step towards hope and healing. Your life matters, and with proper support and treatment, you can overcome even the darkest moments and build a brighter future.