How To Reach Out When Someone You Know May Be At Risk Of Suicide

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 5 April 2021

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

Currently, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US. But research shows that suicide is preventable. Host Emily Kwong talks with NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee about the signs that someone you know may be thinking about dying, the ways you can support them, and how to possibly prevent suicide.

To read more of the story, find Rhitu's reporting here.

You can email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everybody, Emily Kwong here.
0:02.4	So throughout this episode we'll be talking about suicide and suicidal thoughts.
0:07.0	If you or anyone you know has been having suicidal thoughts,
0:11.4	I really recommend you call the 24-hour National Suicide Lifeline.
0:15.7	That number is 1-800-273-8255.
0:21.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:26.0	Hey everybody, Emily Kwong here, Shortwave reporter.
0:29.4	And I'm Dree Thu Chaturji, I cover mental health for NPR.
0:32.7	Today we're going to talk about how you may be able to help someone who is suicidal.
0:38.0	Now, my mom is a suicide attempt survivor.
0:41.8	And this topic is really meaningful for both of us because there's so much shame and stigma
0:48.2	that can make people who are suffering unable to safely talk about suicidal thoughts and feelings.
0:54.9	But as a society these days, Ritu, we seem more open to talking about it.
0:59.8	Certainly, I mean we have a long way to go, but yes, we are becoming more open to talking about it.
1:05.3	Yeah, let's talk first about how prevalent suicide is right now.
1:09.4	Well, it's the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in 2019.
1:14.2	And that's the most recent year we have data for.
1:16.7	About 47,000 people died by suicide.
1:20.6	And according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, about 1.4 million people attempted suicide that year.
1:28.5	But here's the thing about suicide.
1:30.7	Research shows that suicide is preventable.
1:33.7	Yes, and there are things that friends and family can do that are genuinely helpful to someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts.
	...

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