October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and this year, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has announced the theme as, “Dignity in Mental Health – Psychological & Mental Health First Aid for All.” The goal of this year’s theme is to bring mental health to the forefront of the global conversation so people feel more confident and comfortable speaking up, reaching out and getting the help they may need.
Compare the number of people trained to perform CPR with the number of people trained to provide mental health first aid. Poor mental health can be just as life threatening as poor heart health.
Read more about this year’s World Mental Health Day theme in The Huffington Post and find a Mental Health First Aid course near you by visiting the NAMI website. If you need some help locating a course, just let me know! You can also sign up for one of my and visit my Resource Page.
My bias is that while suicide awareness and prevention are important topics, ultimately the fundamental issue is mental health–one reason I became a certified mental health first aid specialist for adults and youth. But research also shows that a “barely trained” person can deter suicide. You don’t have to be an expert. Students who’ve attended my two hour Suicide Awareness and Prevention Class report
- 85% either agreed or strongly agreed they feel more comfortable talking about suicide.
- 93% either agreed or strongly agreed they feel more confident in their ability to recognize suicide warning signs and risk factors.
- 85% feel better equipped to help someone who might seem suicidal.
You can make a difference.