Local Groups Discuss Suicide Prevention
(SALISBURY, Md) – September is National Suicide Awareness Month.
Getting the necessary help when you or someone you care about is suffering from suicidal thoughts is difficult to navigate.
But we spoke with one member of the Wicomico County Health Department about getting people dealing with those thoughts in touch with the proper resources.
“In our role as the Wicomico Local Behavioral Health Authority, we actually provide information and resources to the community on resources that are available…” says Michelle Hardy of the Wicomico County Health Department.
We spoke with another resource about helping prevent people from acting on suicidal thoughts.
And at the LifeCrisis Center in Salisbury, they know that helping people is not a quick fix.
24/7 Services Director at LifeCrisis, Erica Hunter tells us, “Research shows that a lot of people, I don’t know the percentage right offhand. But there is a very large percentage of people, 97 percent, I believe, who say that if they were just asked, suicide could’ve been preventable.”
As we found out from these mental health groups and resources, unfortunately talking about suicidal thoughts can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss.
But there is a plan if you want to talk about this behind closed doors at home.
Michelle says, “If someone wants to keep that within their home, it’s important to have conversations with individuals just to make sure that the person is okay. It’s okay to ask the question, Are you thinking about killing yourself or you’re thinking about suicide?”
And simply talking about it can make a world of difference.
“If we talk about it, if we ask about it, if we’re supportive of local 988 centers and call centers, we’re giving people a voice,” says Erica.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can contact 988 which will put you in touch with the LifeCrisis Center.
You can also go to the TidalHealth Crisis Center at 200 East Vine Street in Salisbury, 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. any day of the week.
