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The Sacramento Brief Editorial Suicide Prevention Month · The Sacramento Brief

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  Hello, I'm Carol, and this is a Sacramento Brief
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  editorial. September is National Suicide Prevention
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  Month, and it's a reminder that behind every
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  statistic is a real person, someone's child,
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  parent, friend, or neighbor. Suicide remains
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  one of the leading causes of death in the United
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  States, claiming nearly 50 ,000 lives each year.
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  And for every life lost, countless others are
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  impacted. Families, friends, coworkers, entire
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  communities grappling with grief, regret, and
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  questions that may never be answered. According
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  to the Sacramento County Coroner's Office, there
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  have been at least 119 suicides since January
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  1 of this year. With lives lost ranging in age
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  14 to 89 years old. It's a sobering reminder
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  of the urgent need for awareness, compassion
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  and prevention. But here's the truth. Suicide
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  is preventable. The first step is understanding
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  that mental health is health. Just as we would
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  check in on loved ones with a broken bone or
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  chronic illness. We must normalize checking in
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  when someone seems distant, overwhelmed, or hopeless.
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  Sometimes a simple conversation can interrupt
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  a spiral of despair. As a certified mental health
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  first aid responder, I know how important it
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  is to recognize the signs. Withdrawing from others,
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  sudden mood changes, giving away possessions,
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  Or even just saying things like, I can't do this
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  anymore. These are not small comments. They're
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  signals. Signals that someone may be in deep
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  pain. And just as important as noticing is asking
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  directly. Are you thinking of suicide? It may
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  feel uncomfortable. But asking the question does
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  not plant the idea. In fact, it can open the
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  door to hope, showing a person that you care
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  enough to listen without judgment. This month
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  and every month, I urge you to keep 988, the
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  suicide and crisis lifeline, in your phone and
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  in your heart. That number connects you instantly
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  to trained counselors available 24 -7 who can
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  provide support. and guide you to local resources.
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  If you are worried about someone, call together.
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  If you're struggling yourself, don't wait. Dial
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  988 and talk to someone who understands. Suicide
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  prevention is not the job of professionals alone.
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  It's a responsibility we share as a community.
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  You never know how much your voice, your presence,
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  your compassion can mean to someone who's feeling
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  unseen. So this September, let's commit to breaking
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  the silence, ending the stigma and building a
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  culture where mental health is treated with the
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  same urgency and care as physical health. Together,
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  we can save lives. That's all for today's Sacramento
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  Brief. You will find links to resources in the
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  show notes. So be safe, stay sharp and compassionate,
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  and I'll see you next time.