National Suicide Prevention Week: Your Mental Health Is Wealth

Do you wake up physically exhausted on a regular basis?  Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in the day and seem to never sleep enough?  Do you work and study too much?  Do you study full-time and see it as a chore?  Do you feel self-conscious often? 

Chances are you are looking for improvement this fall semester.  You also have many self-reflective questions you still need to find the answers for.  It all starts with having a healthy mindset because mental health is true wealth.

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September 10, 2016, also known as World Suicide Prevention Day, will continue to kick off the significant social media challenges and raise awareness in the media about ”National Suicide Prevention Week,” which will run from September 5 to September 11, 2016.

In my honest opinion, the topic of national suicide prevention has not been promoted nearly enough as it has been overshadowed by other topics such as ongoing political debates, athletes similar to Ryan Lochte facing heat for their poor decisions off the clock, the upcoming Paralympics ceremony, and football season airing on national television.

The highlights of this article are to give you a look at how severe poor mental health can become and how you can help.  If you haven’t set aside time to address how important it is to reach out to others you are aware of with mental health issues, and how you can achieve better mental health for the stressful fall semester, start thinking about it today!

Do your research and seek help for the signs of your (or your loved ones’) declining mental health.

There are so many warning signs of a suicidal prospect that you have to be aware of.

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Some factors of suicidal prospects include turning to drugs and alcohol as a form of release, expressing severe depression, having anxiety attacks, not taking their medication, acting without regrets, and spending too much time alone.  For more signs, visit here.

Seek help for the signs of your loved ones’ declining mental health by first notifying a counselor.  Then, spend quality time with him or her to assess potential symptoms.  Also, make anonymous phone calls to a suicide prevention hotline to seek more information and gain professional advice.  Don’t try to be the hero and deal with the suicidal victim yourself after they have shared their abuse story or other dangerous signs.

Get a trusted adult involved by letting them know you are having a friend experience signs of potential suicide.  That way, you do not fall into stress mode trying to conquer the battle by yourself.  Be more careful and conscious in public settings and interact with your teen if you are a parent.  Frequently spend time with young adult friends and family.

Use social media to your advantage this week, and every week thereafter.  

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Keep your eyes clear, and ears and heart open for those that need it.  If you’re pressed for time or want to learn more about any topic in regards to suicide, there are so many resources made readily available that you can spend some time looking into.

The upcoming World Suicide Prevention Day Twitter Chat is a perfect example to discuss how to help introduce the potential risk of suicide with someone older or younger than you.  Millennial students and generation Z students are most likely busy with school and work this fall. The student population is such a large crowd to keep an eye out for as they prepare for their first midterm and complete their major assignments.  Life only gets busier when we grow older and in today’s ever-evolving technology era, you can post a few times this week about this topic’s facts and figures that grasp your heart.

Take a social media pledge to involve yourself this week while online and spread the messages that you are available to talk if anyone needs your opinion on a topic.  Leave your phone on all night this week to see if anyone randomly reaches out to you mid-morning.

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If you are on campus this week and about to attend that afternoon club meeting, don’t forget to pitch the idea of speaking about suicide prevention on campus to your circle!  Get faculty and staff involved if you have an upcoming speech to give or a skit you are working on for your group discussion.

If you are a professor, take a few minutes of class time and tell students to stretch, stop, and introduce the topic for discussion.  Buy a shirt or place a large button on your backpack that states “#StopSuicide” to turn some heads and interact with your peers.  Volunteer on a Saturday afternoon at a local walk with victims and hear their story and let them know you want to support them.  Use your social media accounts and post some messages on the topics of discussing suicide and start a conversation about it.

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There are so many ways to be more than a local advocate, a small supporter of the cause, and a student that supports his or her fellow struggling classmates.  Be more than a voice, because most often than not, teens and young adults hide their scars whether it be physical or mental all too well.  You can change all this just by showing your utmost support for mental health this week by being a leader to your followers.

Go to bed early and get those eight hours in.  Write random letters of appreciation to your friends and family.  Treat a colleague to a study break lunch. Hit the gym with a friend after work.  Remember to stay committed to your workout routine or browse for a workout DVD that works for you.  You have to work out often!  Studies show physical activity heavily reduces stress, boosts your metabolism, and helps you unwind as you are working on the physical aspect of better mental health.

Studying in small chunks prevents feelings of anxiety and refrains your classes from overwhelming you.  Form a study group to get more opinions and ideas from your colleagues.  Stop feeling self-conscious about yourself because you are never, ever alone in this world of six billion people and you are constantly a hungry bear (yes, studying grows an appetite!).

Find time to meditate and have set aside alone time.  Relax the brain by turning off all social media, taking a power nap, and listen to piano music on low volume while you study.  Then, take a hot bath with those little melting scrub salts.

There are plenty of ways to have a more positive mood this week and prevent suicide by talking about it and taking action.  Which action will you take to support National Suicide Prevention Week?!