September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US.Each year, 44,965 Americans die by suicide. For every suicide, there are 25 attempts. Suicide costs the U.S. $69 billion annually. As most of my readers know, this topic has now become personal to me. In the four years I have been writing this blog, I have discussed the topic of suicide on multiple occasions, not just in the month of September. Throughout the month, I will continue to share helpful information. To start, I thought it would best to take a preventative approach. Over the month of September, here are some activities you can do to raise awareness, as well as build your self-care and resiliency.1. Start with relaxation. Watch a movie, read a book, take a walk, talk with a friend or practice deep breathing.2. Write down three positive ways you can cope with a stressor. Identify two people that you can talk to and one local resource available.3. Strive for seven hours of sleep per night, which promotes psychological health and well-being.4. Be prepared to help others. Ask others "Are you okay?"5. Send a hilarious email or text message to three individuals.6. Suicide takes a life every 13 minutes. Learn more about how you can help.7. Volunteer or offer to help someone with a task you enjoy. It will give you a sense of purpose.8. Engage in 20 minutes of physical activity. There is a strong correlation between physical and psychological fitness.9. Practice mindfulness to reduce anxiety. Promote a positive outlook, and recharge resilience.10. Avoid or minimize social media use. Have face-to-face conversations. Personal connections are what matter.11. Complete a random act of kindness.12. Gratitude can help improve a person's mood and promote happiness. List three people or things that you are thankful for.13. Increase social support.14. Let three people in your life know the difference they make to you.15. Leave a note with a positive quote or inspiring saying in a random place for someone else to find.16. Take two minutes sitting in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and count your breaths. When you reach eight, start over and repeat three times.17. Download a stress management APP such as Pacifica or Breathe 2 Relax.18. Remember true involvement is ongoing. Continually ask if a person is okay.19. Break the silence. If a friend, family member or classmate's behavior seems different, ask the question "Are you okay?"20. Add the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to your contact list (800-273-8255).Rachel Velishek is a licensed professional clinical counselor with Fisher-Titus Behavioral Health, Fisher-Titus Medical Park 2, Suite C, 282 Benedict Ave., Norwalk. Her office can be reached at 419-668-0311. For more information on Fisher-Titus Behavioral Health, visit fishertitus.org/behavioral-health.