Suicide Prevention
Since the 1960s, the number of completed suicides has risen at an alarming rate. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among youth aged 15-24. It is the 8th leading cause of death among women. Suicide is also high among the elderly. Suicide is a rather taboo subject because anybody can be vulnerable. Can you safely say that you will NEVER contemplate or attempt suicide? That question is the stigma that keeps suicide from being openly discussed. When I was in elementary school, we had something called the DARE (Drug and resistance education) Program. In this program, the aim was to educate young children about the different types of illicit drugs and the effects it might have them. There is a sticker on the back of my parents' car that reads "Proud parent of a DARE student". Why can't we have a similar program for suicide? I propose a program similar to DARE that will be placed in elementary schools, called STAE (Suicide training and education).
Detail of The Death of Socrates. A disciple is han...
English: United States Army Suicide Prevention Pos...
English: Chart showing he circumstances for suicid...I am hoping that their will be sticker that reads "proud parent of a STAE student."
There is a lot of ignorance and stigma surrounding the issue of suicide. Different myths like "most people commit suicide because they're insane" or "if they're really going to follow through with it, they won't talk about it". STAE will help to dispel these myths and train students in suicide prevention.
STAE will target students in upper elementary and middle school. It will start with a definition of suicide, since many youngsters might not be aware of what suicide is. Next risk factors will be discussed, as well as training for recognizing signs of depression. Students will then be educated about the different subtle warning signs that are present before an attempt occurs.