As the sun once again becomes a regular part of the Pittsburgh skyline, we recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM). Mental health is a crucial component of overall health. Caring for our mental health has an exponential impact on our overall wellbeing, inclusive of our physical health. Several studies have found that severe mental illness can even decrease life expectancy by 10 to 20 years.

When we strengthen and foster our minds to overcome and cope with mental illness in healthy ways, we have a greater capacity to positively navigate stress. MHAM is an opportunity for us to remember the importance of cultivating a culture that can identify and effectively speak about signs that someone is struggling mentally. We can care for our own mental health, and the mental health of those around us, by prioritizing self-care and destigmatizing taboo topics like suicide, one of the leading causes of death in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2022 an estimated 49,000 people died by suicide in the U.S. This number is equivalent to one death every 11 minutes. Yet suicide remains a topic for which we have a very limited vocabulary. We fail to talk about suicide in our culture, despite the devastating impacts it has on individuals and communities. And because we lack the words, perhaps the most well-intended among us also lacks the confidence to reach out and help those who appear to be struggling.

There is a growing movement in the mental health field to equip and empower clinicians to regularly train on how to identify when a client is at risk for suicide,  and how to intervene. Likewise, clinicians are increasingly encouraged to screen for suicidal ideation in their clients regardless of perceived risk, countering the myth that talking about suicide could lead an at-risk individual to actually die by suicide. In fact, evidence points to the opposite; talking about it, in a direct and unambiguous manner, saves lives.

Several suicide prevention programs are aimed at empowering communities like ours to have the words and thus the confidence to know when to intervene and how to do it. One such program, from the QPR Institute, provides a robust overview of what individuals can do, regardless of prior mental health training, to prevent suicide. Outreach’s counselors, trained as QPR Gatekeeper Instructors, can present for businesses, community organizations, religious institutions and schools. These counselors serve Mt. Lebanon organizations and institutions interested in educating staff/volunteers with the necessary tools to confidently identify and intervene in mental health crises and thus prevent suicide.

If you are struggling with your mental health we encourage you, especially in this Mental Health Awareness Month, to seek professional help and to invest in your self-care*! You matter and you are worth it. Outreach provides counseling services to Mt. Lebanon youth ages 5-21, parents and families, at a discounted rate and is accepting new clients.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide,  please call the National Suicide Crisis Hotline at 988 or report to your nearest emergency room.

Outreach Teen & Family Services is a nonprofit, confidential counseling service. We offer programs to youth ages 5 to 21, parents and families in a welcoming environment.
 (412) 561-5405. This column is partially underwritten by the Mt. Lebanon Police Association.