Editorial: Suicide prevention that starts close to home
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Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States. In 2019, 47,511 people lost their lives to whatever combination of pain or trauma or mental anguish made ending everything seem like the only solution.
But as awful as that number is, there is another that might be worse. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there were 1.38 million suicide attempts during that same period.
That’s a staggering number of people who brought themselves to the brink. What it points to is a desperate need for help.
Part of that is a critical shortage of mental health workers. In 2020, the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Joint State Government Commission identified a shortage in the mental health workforce that was particularly troubling in the face of rising need.
So what are people left with when they can’t get the help they so desperately need? What fills the void?
Come, Talk Inc., a nonprofit resource center in Irwin, is making help available inside the Norwin Chamber of Commerce offices. The center is a way for people to search out help, explore answers on their own or reach out to others in similar situations.
What might set it apart from other providers is that it is more than just a phone number. While crisis numbers like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) provide an invaluable service, it is not the only help someone might need.
It is not only people who have attempted suicide or considered it that need a hand to hold or an ear to bend. It can also be the mom who is worried about her child, the husband worried about his wife or the daughter worried about her dad. Friends might want to know how to approach the topic.
Suicide affects more than just the person at the center of the pain. It’s a rippling pool of need that can wash over a whole family or a church or a school. It is important for people to be able to find help, but also essential they reach out for it in a way that is most accessible for them.
If you need help — for yourself or for someone you care about — don’t hesitate to ask for it from a medical professional or a social service office or a nonprofit like Come, Talk. Call them at 724-978-1330, send an email to come.talk15642@gmail.com or go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/cometalkinc.
There may be a shortage of mental health professionals out there, but they are out there.