LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month comes to a close, doctors with UofL Health are reminding the community about resources available to those who may need help.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in the U.S. in 2021 — the equivalent of one death every 11 minutes.
"The reasons why it feels like a staggering statistic is because it's silent. Nobody's talking about it, and we don't hear about it," said Dr. Stephen Taylor, chief medical officer of UofL Health-Peace Hospital. "So having an awareness of it and raising our awareness of it, as we're doing this month and as we're all doing here in this conversation, I think, is one of the ways we begin to acknowledge the reality of that statistic and that we begin to talk about it."
Taylor spoke about suicide awareness Tuesday and the resources available for those who need help. His No. 1 way to prevent suicide is for people to talk about those thoughts and feelings with a mental health professional.
The CDC lists some warning signs to look out for, including changes in a person's eating and/or sleeping habits, becoming more irritable, or engaging in risky behaviors.Â
UofL Health and Peace Hospital have centers open 24-hours a day, Taylor said, for anyone needing to talk to someone.
If you, or someone you know, are experiencing feelings of suicide, help is available. You can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or via live chat at 988lifeline.org, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
For suicide prevention resources and other warning signs from the CDC, click here.
For resources available in Louisville, click here.
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