If the staggering data just released from our United Way 211 Infoline mental health crisis team is indicative of a much greater cross-section of our state and local residents, Connecticut is facing a suicide risk crisis like none we have ever seen.

According to United Way of Connecticut, so far this year (yes, just since January) 110,792 of our moms and dads, friends, neighbors, sisters, brothers, and co-workers have used one or more resources to ask for help because they were considering self-harm or worse.

These troubled individuals proved once again that Suicide does not discriminate, as they were equally male and female. But even more concerning, is that nearly 12,000 were under the age of 18.

Locally, Newtown Human Services and those volunteering with the Newtown Suicide Prevention Initiative remind everyone that September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we are nearing the end of Suicide Prevention Week. Volunteers will be staffing a suicide awareness and prevention table at the upcoming Newtown Health Fair, scheduled for Saturday, September 24, from 9 am to noon at the Community Center.

Their literature, in part, reminds us that suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people age 10-24; the second leading cause of death for young adults age 25-34; and fourth leading cause of death among those age 35-44. But they also remind you that suicidal thoughts are a symptom — just like any other they can be treated and have been treated for countless individuals who believed suicide was their only and last resort — and those symptoms can improve over time.

For some according to NAMI — the National Alliance On Mental Illness — suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. And suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues. The CDC concurrently reports that 90% of all people who died by suicide had a diagnosable mental health condition at their death. And this doesn’t even include the number of people who attempted suicide but weren’t successful.

In Connecticut, 211 is the point of entry for all crisis intervention in Connecticut (988, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline [1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)], the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Service’s “Action Line” (1-800-HOPE-135) and the Youth Mobile Crisis Line through Connecticut 211.

United Way of Connecticut’s 211 mental health crisis team via 988, Action Line, and 211 Option 1 for mental health and addiction resources, is provided thanks to a close partnership with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Here in Newtown, we have heard too often after the fact that those left behind either had no idea their friend or loved one was so hopeless, or that they were struggling to the point where they just wanted to end it all.

If you are, PLEASE call 211 or reach out through one of the resource services above. And if you know someone who you believe is considering suicide, you MUST say something immediately.

If you would like some good, locally-sourced information on the subject, we invite you to access The Newtown Bee YouTube channel to view our 2021 Youth Suicide Awareness Roundtable webcast by clicking HERE.