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Shining a Light on Mental Health: Suicide Awareness Month

This is a guest post on the subject of suicide prevention and National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. 

September has long been recognized as National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Many healthcare institutions take this month as an opportunity to spread awareness of the rise in suicide rates in our nation and, more importantly, how to prevent suicide altogether.

Raising awareness during September and beyond is imperative in helping our communities recognize indications of suicidal ideation and promptly connect individuals with the appropriate mental health care service or provider. It is equally important to recognize those who have lost loved ones and to offer support. By coming together to shed light on such a vital topic, healthcare providers, families, and communities as a whole can ensure important resources are more readily available so that everyone has the tools necessary to promote healing.

Know the Statistics

While statistics about our nation’s mental health crisis may be jarring, they reinstate the gravity of this public health issue. According to data gathered by the CDC in 2021:

  • 48,183 lives were lost due to suicide in 1 year (1 life taken every 11 minutes)
  • Suicide was the second leading cause of death for teens ages 10-14 and young adults ages 20-34
  • Almost 12.3 million adults in America seriously considered taking their own life, while 1.7 million attempted suicide
  • In the state of Illinois specifically, more than 1,400 deaths were related to suicide

Understanding and Combatting the Mental Health Stigma

The first step in reducing these statistics is destigmatizing mental health conditions and normalizing treatment. Historical evidence has shown the mistreatment of those suffering from mental illnesses, including improper care received at the United States’ earliest mental health hospitals and care facilities, and public shaming and shunning. Due to such tragic beginnings, our modern culture still struggles to understand the complexities of mental help, and to seek treatment when needed.

However, by continuing to raise awareness, provide education on the power of proper care and intervention, and advocate for loved ones, we can eliminate the stigma and encourage those who need help to reach out. The CDC recommends simple, practical ways everyone can make a difference:

  • Create safer environments for individuals with suicidal ideations by removing access to weapons and substances
  • Spread awareness of the resources available in your local area and nationwide
  • Promote kindness and healthy relationships in communities
  • Identify and support people you know who are at risk
  • Follow up with someone if you know they have recently attempted suicide

Learn to Recognize the Warning Signs

No one is immune to experiencing thoughts of self-harm, no matter their age, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Therefore, warning signs may not always be identified until it’s too late. Many elements may be contributing to an individual’s suicidal thoughts—be vigilant in identifying common warning signs and behaviors in someone who is:

  • Battling depression, chronic pain, or a chronic illness
  • Comes from a family with a history of violence, abuse, mental disorders, substance abuse, or suicide
  • Experiencing relational troubles or is dealing with stressful life events
  • Dealing with harassment, bullying, or discrimination
  • Showing drastic changes in personal hygiene, eating/sleeping habits, substance abuse, or abnormal increased use of drugs and/or alcohol
  • Obsessed with the idea of dying or often talks about death or wanting to pass away
  • Expressing they don’t see the point in carrying on, feeling hopeless, or talking about feeling trapped or that there are no solutions to their problems
  • Withdrawing from family and friends and refraining from participating in their normal activities (e.g. work, school, extracurricular activities, sports, hobbies)
  • Shameful or who talks about being a burden to others, or who is saying goodbye to family and friends and giving away their belongings
  • Participating in risky or reckless behavior that could lead to serious injury or fatality (e.g. reckless driving)

These warning signs are to be taken seriously and are cause for immediate action.

Kind, Compassionate Conversations Can Save Lives

Having uncomfortable conversations could profoundly impact and may even save someone’s life. If you recognize these warning signs, be sure to have a conversation with your loved one about what they’re feeling and let them know they can come to you when they are struggling. Be sure to truly listen to what they have to say and act on it.  Promptly assist your loved one in taking the appropriate measures to seek and obtain help.

Here are some “Dos” and “Don’ts” to keep in mind for this difficult conversation:

Do:

  • Be empathetic and provide your full attention to the individual right away
  • Take them seriously
  • Ask them how they’ve been feeling lately
  • Directly ask if they are thinking about harming themselves or taking their own life— remember, talking about it may reduce their risk of self-harm
  • Express your concern and understanding of their circumstance
  • Tell them how you value them and care about them as a person
  • Use gentle language and emphasize seeking professional care
  • Help them connect to trusted resources; a hotline if needs are immediate, then a family member that lives with them, a spiritual advisor, or a mental health care provider
  • Remove any access to weapons, ropes/cords, or pills from their environment if possible

Don’t:

  • Talk to them while distracted (on your phone or while watching TV)
  • Argue, threaten, or raise your voice at the individual
  • Encourage them to act on their thoughts and feelings
  • Treat this lightly or ignore this issue at hand
  • Gossip about it; rather, inform important individuals in the at-risk persons’ life of their state
  • Fail to follow up—suicide risk can diminish upon someone reaching out to the at-risk individual. Call or message that individual after your initial conversation to check on them.

How to Get Help

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, remember there is always hope.

For immediate help:

  • If you or a loved one are in crisis, dial 988 for the suicide and crisis hotline or visit their site to live chat with someone at https://988lifeline.org
  • For emergencies, call 911

For More Resources:

For other prevention resources, visit the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Alliance on Mental Illness websites. Remember, there are caring people at the other end of all these free resources who value you and want to provide the necessary tools for a better life.

How SunCloud Health Can Help:

The staff at SunCloud Health is here to help you or your loved ones struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression. Contact us at (866) 729-1012 or visit our website to schedule a confidential consultation.

We are all responsible for the prevention of someone taking their life. By normalizing suicide as an issue, recognizing an individual’s struggles, and connecting them with the resources they need to heal, we can save lives together.

There is always hope for a better life. We’re here to help you achieve it.

Get Help Now

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Rachel Collins, LCSW
Site Director of Northbrook PHP and IOP

Rachel Collins, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Northbrook Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for both adolescents and adults. Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to complete her master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University. She has since worked in a wide range of settings, including inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, therapeutic group homes, and private practice. Rachel specializes in treating trauma (using Cognitive Processing Therapy) and anxiety, practicing through a relational, compassionate, and client-centered lens. She is passionate about creating a therapeutic space in which clients feel safe and able to explore various parts of themselves with curiosity as opposed to judgement. In addition to her leadership and clinical work, she is passionate about creating art, and learning about the intersection between creativity and mental health.

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW
Site Director, Naperville PHP/IOP (Adolescents & Adults)

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Naperville Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for adolescents and adults. She brings extensive experience working with individuals across the lifespan, including adolescents, adults, and geriatric populations, and specializes in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, substance use, family systems, forensic populations, and individuals in crisis.

Kayla has worked in a wide range of clinical and community settings, including community-based interventions, police crisis response, correctional facilities, inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, and with vulnerable and underserved populations. In addition to her clinical and leadership work, she is passionate about providing mental health education and advocacy within the community.

Kayla earned her Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Psychology and Sociology from Aurora University and went on to complete her Master’s degree in Forensic Social Work, also at Aurora University. Her clinical approach is evidence-based, compassionate, trauma-informed, and integrative, emphasizing collaboration and individualized care.

Driven by a personal mission to meet individuals where they are, Kayla is committed to helping clients feel safe, supported, and understood. She strives to create a natural and empathetic healing environment while ensuring individuals from all backgrounds and identities know they are not alone and have access to meaningful resources and support.

Elizabeth E. Sita, MD
Medical Director of Adult Services
Dr. Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, is a Board Certified psychiatrist specializing in the care of patients with eating disorders. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Chicago and graduated with Highest Honors. She then earned her medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and was recognized with the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. She subsequently completed residency with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, where she was elected Chief Resident and received the Resident Psychiatrist Leadership & Service Award. Upon completing her training, Dr. Sita came to Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, where she served as Assistant Medical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders and Director of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Services before transitioning to lead the new inpatient eating disorder unit as Medical Director of Eating Disorder Services at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital – Chicago. In these roles, she has cared for a multitude of adolescents and adults struggling with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders as well as severe, cooccurring mood, trauma, personality, and substance use disorders. Dr. Sita has been recognized throughout her training and practice for a commitment to excellence in patient care and for her ability to engage patients in their most challenging moments. Her passions include the care of treatment-resistant eating and mood disorders as well as questions of medical capacity and end-of-life decision making. She believes that, first and foremost, human connection is key to mental health and well-being and strives to share this philosophy in each and every patient encounter. She is excited to bring her expertise to SunCloud Health as the Medical Director of Adult Services!   VIDEO: Meet Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, Medical Director of Adult Services  
Lacey Lemke, PsyD
Assistant Vice President of Clinical Services

Dr. Lacey Lemke (she/her) is a licensed clinical health psychologist with specialized expertise in the treatment of eating disorders and the practice of medical and health psychology. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology with a Primary Care emphasis at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Lemke went on to complete both her predoctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship through Ascension Health, where she gained advanced training working with individuals experiencing eating disorders and self-injurious behaviors, as well as within pediatric subspecialty settings including endocrinology, neurology, and adolescent medicine.

Dr. Lemke is deeply committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care and collaborates closely with interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive treatment. Her professional mission is to support patients in achieving their fullest potential by guiding them to the most appropriate level of care and empowering them to make meaningful, sustainable progress toward improved health and well-being.

VIDEO: 2. Meet Lacey Lemke, PsyD.