September is Suicide Prevention Month
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death across all ages in the United States and the second leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 10 and 34. September is a time to increase awareness of suicide and equip people with the resources to discuss suicide prevention and seek help. Mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to shift the public perspective on this topic and promote awareness.
If someone you know is mentioning suicide, it is important to start a conversation regarding his or her feelings. Make sure to listen and express empathy. Do not leave him or her alone, and if he or she refuses professional help, see that a parent or trusted friend is informed.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust. Do not be ashamed to admit you need help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is always staffed and ready to listen at 988 or you can text “Connect” to 741741.
Free National Resources
- 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (SPAM) | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
- #BeThe1To is a campaign to spread the word about actions we all can take to prevent suicide.
- The CDC created a National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, which includes four (4) Strategic ‘Directions’ on a guide to their National Strategy. They have a helpful toolkit for use as well as great social media resources.
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org)
Resources through Wahpeton Public Schools
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Mutual of Omaha is committed to supporting your well-being and has numerous resources for Suicide Awareness Month and year-round support.
- Unlimited telephone access to EAP professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Telephone assistance and referral
- Service for employees and eligible dependents
Additional Topics to Research
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) diagnosed in men in the United States. Furthermore, it’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, after lung cancer, in the United States.
Screening options for prostate cancer, which include a digital rectal exam and a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), often catch the disease before it spreads. As a result, the five-year survival rate is 97.5%.
Visit here for more information.
Ovarian cancer is often called a “silent killer” because the symptoms tend to go unnoticed. They may also be mistaken for other conditions, like endometriosis. There are no reliable effective screening tests that can detect ovarian cancer early. Treatment is more likely to be successful if the disease is diagnosed before it has had a chance to spread.
Although it sounds like one disease, there are many types of ovarian cancer. The ovaries are the female reproductive organs that produce eggs. Ovarian cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the ovaries grow out of control and divide into new abnormal cells.
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- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a brain condition that affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
- Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
- The risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, but Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging.
- Most people living with Alzheimer’s disease are older than 65 years. However, people younger than age 65 can develop Alzheimer’s disease but it is not common.
- Scientists do not know what causes Alzheimer’s disease. However, like other chronic conditions, it is probably a result of multiple factors.
- Controlling high blood pressure, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Although everyone’s brain changes as they age, it’s important to understand that Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory loss is typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, but occasionally forgetting words or names does not mean a person has Alzheimer’s. There are other signs that someone in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease may experience in addition to memory problems. In the early stages of the disease, these can include:
- Getting lost in familiar places.
- Having trouble handling money and paying bills.
- Repeating questions.
- Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks.
- Displaying poor judgment.
- Losing things or misplacing them in odd places.
- Displaying mood and personality changes
World Alzheimer’s Month | Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) (alzint.org)
On average, more than 290 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer every week.
While childhood cancer is rare, it is the leading cause of disease-related death past infancy in children and adolescents. Every September, advocacy organizations, healthcare institutions, patients, and families raise awareness for childhood cancer. The idea of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month was first introduced in 1990 in a presidential proclamation by then-President George H.W. Bush. On September 26th, 2019, September was officially recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – ACCO
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month | September – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org)