September 10, 2017 is World Suicide Prevention Day and the AAEM Resident and Student Association (RSA) is asking everyone to Take 5 to Save Lives! Take 5 to Save Lives is a public awareness campaign started by the National Council for Suicide Prevention in support of World Suicide Prevention Day. The campaign provides prevention-focused tools to help keep yourself and others safe from suicide. What does it mean to Take 5 to Save Lives? Head to www.take5tosavelives.org to learn 5 steps you can take in just 5 minutes. The steps include:
- LEARN THE SIGNS. An expert-consensus list of warning signs was created to help people identify someone who may be in suicidal crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Take a couple minutes to learn and memorize the warning signs of suicide. Suicide prevention preparedness will help save more lives.
- DO YOUR PART. Teachers, parents, students, caregivers, and countless other stakeholders all play a vital role in preventing the tragedy of suicide. Preventing suicide is a collective responsibility. Learn how you can do more to raise awareness and prevent suicide.
- PRACTICE SELF-CARE. Research tells us that our mental fitness or wellness is crucial to our overall long-term health, and can even protect us from disease. Learn some tips for keeping mentally fit. Make self-care a priority in your life.
- REACH OUT. There are many resources for those experiencing suicidal thoughts or a suicidal crisis. Know where to turn to if you or someone you know needs help.
- SPREAD THE WORD. One great way to end stigma is to talk about suicide prevention and share real life stories of living with depression or other mental illnesses. Pledge to tell at least 5 other people about Take 5 and World Suicide Prevention Day.
The Take 5 to Save Lives movement is a fun and easy way to get involved this World Suicide Prevention Day. Visit the Promote Take 5 page on the website for more information on how you can support and share the Take 5 campaign. Are you part of a business or organization? Become a Take 5 Partner!
In addition to the Take 5 to Save Lives campaign, RSA has worked to create a robust campaign to help prevent suicide this month. Please visit the RSA website for more information.
*If you or someone you know is experiencing a suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.