Frontier Health is dedicated to shedding light on an important and often stigmatized topic as we commemorate Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September. Our mission is to inform, educate, and increase awareness about the significant issue of suicide. Regardless of gender, age, or background, anyone can experience the weight of suicidal thoughts. These thoughts should never be dismissed as normal emotions.
Marking a crucial week within the month, Suicide Prevention Week spans from September 4th to 10th, culminating in the globally recognized World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), suicide stands as the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10–14 and the third leading cause among those aged 15–24 in the United States. In a broader context, suicide ranks as the twelfth leading cause of death overall in the country. NAMI further reveals vital insights:
- A striking 79% of individuals who lose their lives to suicide are male.
- While women make more suicide attempts, men face a fourfold higher risk of dying by suicide.
- 46% of those who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition. Intriguingly, research indicates that 90% may have encountered symptoms of a mental health issue.
When you encounter a mental health crisis in your life, the hand of assistance is never far away. Reach out to the 24/7 Frontier Health Crisis Hotline at 1-877-928-9062 or use the accessible call/text service at 988 without hesitation. Additionally, the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at your service 24/7, ready to listen and support, reachable at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
“Frontier Health provides an array of caring, compassionate staff who are here to walk with you on your journey to a brighter tomorrow!” – Sherri Feathers, Sr. VP of Specialty Services
If you or a loved one are struggling with thoughts of suicide, immediate help is available. Frontier Health provides our community with a 24 hour emergency walk-In center, Turning Point, located at 208 E. Unaka Ave in Johnson City. Our trained staff are here to listen and provide the care and support you need. For additional information about services at Turning Point, you can call our emergency crisis line or simply walk in at any time.
At Frontier Health, we have helped hundreds of children and adults struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide. We are here to help you talk it out, because we believe, talking to someone helps bring our thoughts and feeling to life and helps us feel more hopeful. Talking can ease our mental pain and help us understand, we are not alone. Talking has helped hundreds of people realize that suicide is not the solution, life is the solution! At Frontier Health, we are here to listen, let’s talk.
Join us in our commitment to erasing stigma, spreading awareness, and offering hope during this National Suicide Prevention Month. Together, we can make a difference and save lives.