Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
More needs to be done to prevent suicide, a public health problem that claims a life every 16 minutes in the United States. However, stigma and misconceptions about mental illnesses and suicide continue to be barriers.
Since National Suicide Prevention Week is September 9-15, I would like to use this time to encourage the public to learn more about suicide. For example, research shows that more than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have an underlying, although not always diagnosed, psychiatric illness at the time of their deaths.
On October 7th, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will conduct one of their Out of the Darkness Community Walks here in Santa Monica at the Third Street Promenade. Funds will support suicide prevention research and education as well as local programs.
Walk with us and help bring suicide ‘out of the darkness’. Together we can help save lives. For more information visit www.outofthedarkness.org.
Kind regards,
Brooke Mason
