Every 13 minutes there is one death by suicide in the United States. According to the American Association of Suicidology, 41,149 people in the U.S. committed suicide in 2013. In fact, worldwide, 800,000 people commit suicide every year, 90 percent of whom have a diagnosable mental illness.
Brookhaven Retreat recognizes National Suicide Prevention Week, Sept. 3 to 7, surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10 by sharing a list of signs that indicate suicide risk.
Brookhaven Retreat has incorporated Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment specifically designed for people with self-harm behaviors, such as self-cutting, suicide thoughts, urges toward suicide and suicide attempts. The use of DBT has cut the number of suicides in half and decreased hospital stays by 80 percent.
Many clients with these behaviors meet criteria for borderline personality (BPD) and may also struggle with depression, bipolar, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, eating disorders, or drug and/or alcohol addiction.
Founder Jacqueline Dawes, says, “Early detection saves many lives. If we pay attention to these warning signs, we can more effectively treat a client with the proper therapy that will help restore her physical and emotional strength, faith in herself and the determination not only to continue living, but to create a life worth living.”
To aid in early detection, Brookhaven Retreat recognizes the following list of warning signs as cited by the American Association of Suicidology:
- Increased substance (alcohol or drug) use
- No reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
- Anxiety, agitation, insomnia or sleeping too much
- Feeling trapped – like there’s no way out
- Hopelessness
- Withdrawal from friends, family and society
- Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
- Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
- Dramatic mood changes
If you know someone displaying these symptoms, Brookhaven Retreat suggests seeking help immediately. Early detection improves the chances of survival and recovery. A primary care physician or mental health provider who specializes in suicide prevention can provide appropriate guidelines. Help lines or hotlines are available to provide generalized referral services for finding service providers in your area. Contact information for those organizations can be found online or in a local phone directory.
