It is mindboggling to think that one million people worldwide take their lives each year. One million! More than 32,000 of those suicides occur in the United States. In the U.S., the death rate by suicide is nearly twice the rate of death by homicide.

The global issue of suicide is enormous. I asked myself, “So what can I do?”

To answer that question, I started scanning the various websites announcing September 10 as World Suicide Prevention Day. I discovered all sorts of events being planned and suggestions for what can be done to dispel myths, raise awareness and provide community education, all with the intent to decrease the stigma associated with suicide. There will be a Facebook event on September 10. There are media programs available along with downloadable brochures and various types of programs. There is a plethora of ideas complete with resources. One simple suggestion caught my eye: BLOG!

After several attempts at writing something useful, it became clear. There are all sorts of available websites, many of which are well organized and quite informative. There has been time and expertise devoted to the development of information to use for World Suicide Prevention Day and even Suicide Prevention Week (September 4 – 10). Rather than reinvent the wheel or try to compile a summary, I am issuing an invitation to you to visit one of the sites below and take one minute to learn more about preventing suicide and decreasing stigma:

• International Association for Suicide Prevention
• American Association of Suicidology
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center

One minute may not sound like much, but in the fight to prevent suicide, sometimes one minute makes the difference between life and death.

Imagine yourself sitting in a small auditorium at an international conference with healthcare executives. A leader in healthcare, seen as having authority and credibility, is presenting and uses the phrase “strategic schizophrenia” on his PowerPoint slide and in his speech. He is using this terminology to describe elements of healthcare reform.

What would you do?

I confess, as an audience member in that very situation, I heard little of the speaker’s subsequent message. I was too preoccupied with his use of the phrase “strategic schizophrenia.” He was using this to leverage a strong, negative emotional response toward pending reforms to our healthcare system. Because there is still so much stigma toward mental illness, the presenter could evoke the intended response from the audience. As a perceived authority figure, he also is able to contribute to the stigma associated with mental illness.

What could I do?

At the close of the presentation, a friend and colleague who had been sitting a couple of rows behind me rushed down to me asking (as well as exclaiming), “ Did you have a visceral reaction to that?!” She did not have to specify further. This individual knows me. She knows where I work. She has heard me profess my passion for mental healthcare. If I walked away, what message would I convey?

I had no doubt this speaker will present the same speech to other audiences; his views are sought after. Taking a deep breath, I requested a brief word with the presenter. He was pleasant and appeared genuinely surprised by my respectful objection to the use of the phrase “strategic schizophrenia.” He explained he was merely drawing from what he had found in the healthcare literature. I acknowledged this could be what was written, but raised the question about re-thinking what he, as a leader, chose to quote, understanding the potential unintended consequences.

He offered assurances that he would, in fact, commit to changing the wording in his presentation. I hope he does.

That day I did not keep silent. We are each presented with opportunities to speak up. One at a time, we can choose to say “no” to stigma until there is no stigma to say “no” to.