The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has set May 6, 2019 as Awareness Day along with the theme “Suicide Prevention: Strategies that Work.” May 9, 2019 is also being recognized as SOC Day in Wagner and the surrounding area to also coincide with the prevention message.

SAMHSA hopes to bring awareness to the impact that suicide has on children, youth, young adults, families, and communities by showcasing evidence-based best practices in the field of children’s mental health, encouraging child-serving providers to collaborate, and to educate the public on the importance of seeking mental health services.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for adults and the 3rd leading cause of death in adolescents in the U.S. and is on the rise. While serious, it is preventable. Prevention efforts focus on decreasing risk factors and increasing resilience or coping factors. The CDC recommends the following strategies/approaches for preventing suicide.

One of the most effective strategies we can adopt is to learn about the warning signs of suicide. These signs may include an increase in substance use, an increase in aggression or rage, individuals talking about wanting to hurt or kill themselves, withdrawal from friends, family or the community, impulsive/reckless behavior, a preoccupation in talking about death, and having changes in mood, diet, or sleeping patterns. When a person is experiencing these warning signs it is important to quickly connect the person to supportive services.

May 9 has been designated as SOC (Strengthening Our Community) Day in Wagner and the surrounding area. To bring awareness to mental wellness everyone is encouraged to wear “silly socks” or the SOC suicide prevention socks on that day. You can wear your own or both types are available for purchase at This, That, & More in Wagner. Socks have been chosen because they represent a non-threatening way of talking about mental health. Socks come in pairs, meaning you are never alone. Socks go on your feet, meaning we take one step at a time and continue to move forward. Socks keep our feet warm, meaning each of us are loved. Lastly, we all wear socks, meaning that we all have the potential to be impacted by mental illness.