New Jersey’s True Heroes
Written by Kimberly Bollard. This article was originally published in the Sparta Independent. New... more
World Mental Health Day is observed every October 10th in order to raise awareness for mental health issues, and to find solutions to bring mental health care to people worldwide.
This year, suicide prevention is the theme of World Mental Health Day. Suicide has existed throughout human history, but suicidal behavior has been on the rise in recent decades. According to the World Health Organization, an alarming 800,000 people die by suicide every year worldwide.
Suicide is preventable. The World Health Organization is taking action to reduce the number of suicides worldwide by the year 2020. The major strategies in their plan of action are to:
- Strengthen leadership for mental health
- Provide responsive mental health services in the community
- Implement strategies for prevention in mental health
- Strengthen research for mental health
If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. They are responsive 24 hours everyday.