Weighing The Facts: children's mental health

What is World Suicide Prevention Day?

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world.The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health, to host World Suicide Prevention Day. In 2011 an estimated 40 countries held awareness events to mark the occasion. The United Nations issued 'National Policy for Suicide Prevention' in the 1990s which some countries use as a basis for their suicide policies.
source Wikipedia

Worldwide Statistics:

Worldwide suicide rates have increased 60% in the last 45 years.
Nearly 1 million people die each year from suicide, globally. One death every 40 seconds.
Suicide is among the 3 top causes of death for those between the ages of 15 and 44.
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 24.
Attempted suicide occurs up to 20 times more frequently than completed suicide.
Suicide rates among young people has increased so dramatically that they have surpassed suicide statistics for elderly males, becoming the highest risk group in a thirdrd of countries (both developed and developing).
source WHO (World Health Organization)

US Specific Statistics

Nearly 1,000,000 people in the U.S. attempt suicide every year.
Someone dies by suicide every 14.2 minutes.
90% of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable/treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of death.
Most people with mental illness do not die by suicide.
Yearly medical cost for suicide are nearly 100 million dollars.
Though women attempt suicide 3x more often than men, men are nearly 4x more likely to die by suicide.
The highest risk age group for death due to suicide is 40-59.

Statistics by State.
source: AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Risk Factors For Suicide
Warning Signs of Suicide
What To Do if you fear someone will take their life

Resources for Suicide Prevention: Hotlines, Organizations, Websites

picsource:http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossap/4374522776/

Thursday, May 6th, is the fifth annual National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day.

Serious emotional and mental health disorders in children are treatable. Treatment is essential to a child's overall health and well-being. Children and their families should not have to face these challenges with shame but with dignity, support, understanding, and acceptance.

The goal of Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is to promote positive mental health from birth to adulthood:

to raise awareness of effective programs for children's mental health needs
to demonstrate how children's mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, recovery, and resilience
to show how children with mental health needs thrive in their communities.

SAMHSA explains:

The overall message of Awareness Day is that children and youth with mental health needs and their families can thrive if provided with the services and supports they need. Children's mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, prevention, recovery, and resilience for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families. It is a goal of children's mental health initiatives to transform the mental health service delivery system for children and youth with mental health needs and their families. In 2010, Awareness Day will mark its 5th anniversary, as well as a first-time focus at the national level on the topic of early childhood. The key message for 2010 is that "positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development from birth."

By shining a spotlight on early childhood, Awareness Day efforts will encourage the following actions:

Integrate mental health into every environment that impacts child development from birth
Nurture the social and emotional well-being of children from birth
Look for and discuss milestones of a child's social and emotional development from birth