In Nevada, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death, with approximately one person committing suicide every 13 hours. Though Nevada has made great strides in lowering the suicide rate in the past couple of decades, this is still a major public health crisis, and one that suicide awareness can help to combat.
With suicide awareness comes mental health and suicide treatment. Read below to understand more about suicide prevention awareness and where you can get help for suicidal thoughts today.
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How Can Suicide Awareness Help Address this Problem?
Suicide awareness can help people in Nevada to understand the risk factors for suicide, like addiction to drugs or alcohol, as well as ways to prevent mental health conditions from reaching such deadly results. Most of all, having suicide awareness and suicide resources can offer solutions to those who need an extra helping hand to find recovery.
Oftentimes, suicide is misunderstood as something that only happens to people who are outwardly depressed, withdrawn, or who have experienced traumas in life. While these factors can certainly describe some people’s experiences with suicidal ideation, it’s important to know that this is a problem that can happen to anybody.
Recently, a 12-year old student in Las Vegas attempted suicide. When journalists interviewed the boy’s family members, they all expressed shock. Nobody had suspected that he was at risk of suicide, because mental health goes much deeper than the surface. In this case, it was an internet search alert that saved this boy’s life. The family members said that suicide awareness is extremely important in stopping more children—and more people in general—from reaching this point of desperation.
Risk Factors for Suicide
As this example shows, suicide impacts countless people in Nevada and around the country, but are there certain risk factors that make you more susceptible for mental health conditions? In short, yes: some risk factors can increase the chances of developing mental health symptoms, including suicidal thoughts.
Currently, everybody is at an increased risk for new and worsening mental health conditions. Studies show that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased rates of depression, substance use disorders, and suicidal crises.
Feeling isolated from the world can leave a significant impact on people, especially young adults, minority groups, and anybody who already struggles with mental health conditions.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) documents that COVID-19 has caused worsening behavioral health symptoms and lowered the access to treatment for communities of color in particular.
Of course, there are other risk factors for suicide, including:
- Substance use disorders
- Other mental health conditions
- Family history of suicidal attempts
Suicide can happen to anyone in Nevada at any age, in any life situation, and can appear seemingly out of thin air. But the truth is that suicide is preventable. This is why one of the most important aspects of suicide awareness is knowing the warning signs for suicide. With these in mind, you might be able to act early and help someone in need—including yourself.
Know the Warning Signs of Suicide
The warning signs for suicide vary and for this reason, it is always essential to check in with your loved ones and with yourself. Do you recognize any of the warning signs for suicide listed below? If so, please seek help immediately through Las Vegas, Nevada treatment centers, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or by calling local authorities.
Even if you do not have suicidal thoughts, suicide awareness can help you spot it in other people. Some of the warning signs include:
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Persistent sadness and depression
- Numbness or lack of feeling
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Suicidal thoughts
- Increased use of drugs and alcohol
Interestingly, substance abuse and suicide are actually closely linked. According to the SAMHSA, over 20 percent of suicides are related to the use of alcohol and/or drugs. Substance use disorders can worsen mental health conditions and alter behavioral health. In situations where addiction, mental health, and suicide risk are all involved, it’s urgent to find the right resources and treatments to stay safe and find happiness.
Addiction and Suicide Resources
If you or a loved one is currently struggling with addiction and suicidal thoughts or warning signs, consider treatment at the Vance Johnson Recovery Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here, we offer services to treat every type of addiction from alcohol abuse to the following:
Most importantly, our intensive inpatient program is meant specifically to help those who have mental health and substance use disorders. In treatment, you will receive counseling by mental health professionals and learn valuable life skills that will help you in and out of rehab. Additionally, you will have access to therapies such as:
- Substance use disorder counseling
- Recovery maintenance skills counseling
- Trauma-informed care
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Chronic pain recovery
- Group support
- Family therapy
- And complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, such as yoga, qi gong, and tai chi.
We believe that each of our patients is unique and deserves specialized treatment. With the combination of all of these therapeutic options and a focus on suicide awareness, we can find solutions to the suicide crisis in Nevada.
Contact the Vance Johnson Recovery Center
Give us a call today at 888-828-2623. If you are not yet ready to talk, feel free to fill out our confidential form online. We are ready to answer your questions, continue to raise suicide awareness, and keep Nevada safe.
The post The Importance of Suicide Awareness in Las Vegas, Nevada appeared first on Vance Johnson Recovery Center.
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Original Author: Vance Johnson Recovery Center
