Suicide Prevention Month: Training helps struggling community members, people who care about them

By Titus Ledbetter III, Belvoir EagleSeptember 13, 2013

Fort Belvoir is hosting a series of classes at Barden Education Center this month in observance of Suicide Prevention Month.

The suicide prevention training classes will be Sept. 18, 19 and 25, according to Milagros Frank, Directorate of Human Resources Suicide Prevention, specialist. Sessions, sponsored by Fort Belvoir's Suicide Prevention Program, will be presented throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The classes are open to everyone, not just servicemembers or Department of Defense civilians.

People who are considering the possibility of suicide are invited to come to the classes, along with those looking to prevent someone else from committing suicide, Frank said. The training will help participants to reflect internally on their thoughts and attitudes toward suicide. Frank hopes the sessions will also make participants feel more comfortable with approaching someone dealing with personal issues.

"You can prevent someone from going over the edge," she said. "If you talk to that person, and show compassion for that person, it could change the turn of events."

U.S. Army personnel have already committed at least 208 suicides this calendar year, and they committed 394 suicides last year, Frank said. On Fort Belvoir, those considering suicide can speak with chaplains, social workers and behavioral health professionals.

People seeking to prevent someone else from committing suicide should remind at-risk people about all of the positive things that are happening in their lives, Frank said. Sometimes those at-risk for committing suicide simply need to reflect on times in their lives when they were happy. It is important for people seeking to intervene to be knowledgeable about suicide, because it will empower them to be able to make a difference.

"When you talk to people who have thoughts of suicide, they talk about this intense pain," Frank said. "They say pain because it is the only word they can correlate with this intense feeling."

The common suicide risk factors are relationship problems, divorce, depression, death of a loved one and financial troubles, Frank said. The poor economy is creating a difficult time for many people. It is important to express concern for those who display changes in behavior and mood.

People can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline at 1-800-273-TALK if they are considering suicide. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is important for those considering suicide to talk about their feelings instead of bottling them up, Frank said.

"Suicide is an extreme reaction to whatever the circumstance is in a person's life," Frank said. "We tend to look at things from a different perspective. What may be OK for one person may not be OK for another."

For more information, contact Frank at (703) 805-5529 or email her at milagros.frank.civ@mail.mil.