by Amelia Meigs, ATC

Work Right has a mission to put a dent in healthcare. This dent has workplace injury prevention at its core – keeping you physically safe and healthy while you do your job. But what about mental health? This month is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. So let’s put this stigmatized (and often taboo) subject out in the open. You might be surprised at how common this issue has become in the workplace.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Men die by suicide almost 4x more than women.

  • The rate of suicde is highest in middle-aged white men.

  • Suicide rates are 1.5x times higher for veterans than non-veterans.

  • Men in the construction, machining, labor, maintenance, and mining industries are generally at 2-3x times higher risk for suicide.

These alarming statistics shouldn’t be ignored! Work Right wants to help educate and bring awareness to this topic, especially knowing the risk for suicide is so much greater for the industrial athletes we help.

WHERE DO YOU START?

With such a serious topic, sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to navigate such a sensitive issue. Remember the ASK acronym.

Ask About Suicide. The number one best thing we can do to prevent suicide is ask directly “Are you thinking of suicide?” or “Do you ever want to go to sleep and not wake up?”

Seek More Information. Assure the person’s safety, but also look for other clues. Is there an immediate risk of suicide? Establish a relationship with the person and ask questions.

Know Where and How to Refer. If the person is in immediate risk of suicide, call 911. Otherwise, refer them to the Suicide & Crisis Hotline – 988.

WHO DO YOU TALK TO?

The new number for this hotline has transitioned simply to ‘988’. You can call OR text this number to be linked with a trained crisis counselor. These counselors can help with suicidal thoughts, self harm, substance use, and mental health crises or emotional distress. Veterans, likewise, can call or text 988, then press 1.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Hopefully, these tips help if you’re faced with someone who is struggling with suicide. However, if YOU are struggling:

  • Treat yourself like you would treat someone else who needs your help.

  • Seek mental health treatment or talk to your doctor about your suicidal thoughts.

  • Call or text 988 for immediate crisis support and resources.

◊◊◊ For even more information, listen to Amelia’s podcast with Learn Right Radio about her upcoming course – Practical Suicide Prevention in the Industrial Setting. 

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Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips from Work Right NW!