NAMI Miami-Dade marks Suicide Prevention and Awareness month by sharing warning signs and resources available
September 12, 2022—Suicide confronts us every day in the headlines. A local high school student. A 27-year-old Tampa, Florida native news anchor, and most recently, the CFO of Bed Bath & Beyond. And many more tragedies that we never hear about. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34 in 2020, the most recent year for which data is available. Researchers emphasize that reported suicides are likely undercounted.
“There is a suicide death in the US every 11 minutes, and we must work on doing something about it,” said Kathy Coppola, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Miami-Dade executive director. “We have to educate everyone about mental health, no matter their age or demographic. We offer free suicide prevention training presentations,” she said. “In this community, NAMI Miami-Dade is working to try to stem these potential tragedies, with programs supported by Thriving Mind South Florida and The Florida Department of Children and Families,” she said.
While suicide has been covered in the news extensively in recent years, “the most important factor is becoming educated; being aware of mental unwellness or suicide ideation in your circle of friends, listening empathetically without judgement and knowing the resources available in your community,” Ms. Coppola explained.
Mental Health Myths and Facts
“We work to upend several myths about mental health in our educational programs — QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) and Ending the Silence Presentations,” said Lisa LeSueur, NAMI Miami-Dade’s suicide prevention initiative coordinator. In addition, Ms. LeSueur is a pastor and the Secretary for the Coral Gables United Church of Christ (UCC); Mental Health Network Board and the Coordinator for the UCC Florida Conference WISE Mental Health Ministry Initiative.
“One of the biggest myths about suicide is that if you simply talk about it with someone, that puts the idea of suicide in their heads. The opposite is true. Talking about it gives the person a great sense of relief to be able to talk about how they are feeling with someone,” LeSueur said.
“Another myth is that people keep thoughts of their suicide to themselves. This is not usually the case; they show warning signs,” LeSueur said. “Their friends, family and colleagues need to be aware what those signs are. This comes back to each of us educating ourselves.”
Warning Signs of Suicidal Thoughts
This is not an exhaustive list but it includes some of the most common signs of suicidal thoughts, especially in people who have a history of mental illness.
Feelings of:
- Empty, hopeless, trapped, or having no reason to live
- Extremely sad, more anxious, agitated, or full of rage
- Unbearable emotional or physical pain
Behavioral changes:
- Making a plan or researching ways to die
- Withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important items or making a will
- Taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast
- Displaying extreme mood swings
- Eating or sleeping more or less
- Using drugs or alcohol more often
Resources available. NAMI Miami-Dade, provides support for those experiencing mental health challenges, and their families. Its mission includes: educate the public about mental health, eliminate the stigma of mental illness and advocate for improvements in for recovery outcomes for those with a mental health condition.
NAMI Miami offers all programs for free: 36 peer-led support groups a month; classes for individuals, youth and their families including suicide education and prevention programs; hosts presentations for groups, companies or organizations about mental health and where to find help in our community. These important free resources are more paramount than ever in light of these 2020 statistics:
- an estimated 12.2 million adults seriously thought about suicide
- 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt, and
- 1.2 million attempted suicides.
- suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10-64.
About NAMI Miami-Dade
NAMI Miami-Dade County is an affiliate of the nation’s largest peer-led mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of individuals affected by a mental health condition and their families. Approximately 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness each year, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Gallup polling, mental unwellness due to the pandemic has created a suicide crisis in teens and a workplace crisis for employers. NAMI Miami-Dade offers free and confidential mental health support, education, and advocacy for individuals and their families and friends in both English and Spanish. For more information, call 305-665-2540, or visit NAMIMiami.org and connect with us on Facebook or Instagram at @NAMIMiami.
