Suicide Awareness/Prevention Series

A recent email to me took me to task for writing about a person whose death had occurred by suicide. My article hadn’t been so much about that person as it was about the importance of suicide awareness and prevention. The sender wrote:

“I just wanted to let you know that you are one of the most despicable and disrespectful things on this earth. ... What is most sickening is that you try to act like you actually care about suicide prevention. ... Don't you realize that nasty blogs like yours have often driven people to take their own lives?"

I am appreciative of the person who took the time to send that email, even months after the other person’s death.

Community Partners of McHenry County is sponsoring a Help and Hope Series as part of May Mental Health Month. Three evening programs are scheduled for May 10, 7PM, at the Shah Center, 4100 Shamrock Lane, McHenry; May 17, 7PM, in the atrium of Centegra's South St. Hospital at 527 W. South St., Woodstock; and May 24, 7PM, at Centegra Health Center, 10350 Haligus Road, Huntley.

At last year's series one of the mental health professionals explained that, while people sometimes hesitate to talk about suicide because they fear it might cause a suicide, that is actually not the case.

One of the national suicide prevention organizations urges journalists to avoid sensationalizing suicide, but it does not promote avoidance of reporting. As readers know, I do not sensationalize reports of deaths by suicide. I speak for increased awareness and taking the initiative, wherever possible, to prevent a suicide. Familiarize yourselves with examples and conditions that might indicate that a person is thinking about suicide. Treat every indication seriously, and take action to help that person.

You can make a difference by caring and by saying so. And by acting. Sometimes that means intervening. Sometimes that means arranging a therapy appointment or emergency hospitalization or calling the McHenry County Crisis Line: 800/892-8900 or 9-1-1. If you call for help or someone calls for help for you, do not accept, "We have an opening next week." Get in your car and go for help now.