According to americashealthrankings.org, there were 14.8 suicides per every 100,000 people in 2018. In Texas alone, there were 5.8 female suicides per 100,000, and 23.2 male suicides per 100,000. The largest demographic committing suicide is ages forty-five to sixty-four. The group of forty-five to fifty-four counted 18.7 per 100,000, and fifty-five to sixty-four counted 18.6. Texas is a large state, but many would agree these numbers are much too high.
Fortunately, help is available. The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas is a haven for anyone struggling with mental health pertaining to suicidal thoughts or actions. They say, “Our ongoing task from day one has been to de-mystify the concept of suicide and make it a subject that people more and more can talk about, especially people whose family lives are impacted by suicide. Training workshops open to the public or to special professional groups such as physicians or pastors were regularly conducted during our early years.” Besides the families of the victims, people who seem to struggle greatly with suicide are medical and mental professionals. People who work with suicide and see it constantly need mental guidance as well. After integrating suicide and self-harm into your daily life and your career, it can be hard to get the thought out of your head.
The goal of the Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas is not only to prevent suicide among the general population in any way they can but also to educate people and workers in the field about suicide. If more people know how to help in a crisis situation such as a loved one thinking about suicide, it may result in fewer suicides. In addition to this, they also state that “Suicide remains our primary area of expertise. Suicide represents man’s most extreme state of personal crisis, generally the most frightening possibility that professional people-helpers face in dealing with emotionally disturbed persons. But suicide also is the ultimate threat to parents who want so to help their children manage the risky issues of growing up. We have much to learn about helping people talk out their inner struggles instead of losing hope and destroying themselves.”
Some suicide programs may only aim to combat suicide in a hands-on way, serving as a sort of safe house for people dealing with these intrusive thoughts. The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas wants to educate and inform about Suicide from every angle and make it a less taboo topic to talk about. The unfortunate reality is that suicide happens and is common in certain demographics more than others. Once informed about the problem of suicide, people may look at it in a different light. Someone who once looked at it as a sort of disgusting act may not look at it from more of a mental health point of view.
The center offers programs like a twenty-four-hour crisis line and a support group for survivors of suicide. They also offer some programs for friends and family who have been affected by suicide.