Ohio State raises suicide prevention awareness through open dialogue

TALK to #EndSuicideSilence is an awareness campaign aimed at educating the public on the importance of learning to talk about suicide so that no one feels alone and anyone can get the help they need. Credit: Courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

The Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State is partnering with Ohio State’s Harding Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Ohio State College of Medicine to raise awareness for suicide prevention.

During Saturday’s football game against Purdue, billboard and jumbotron signage in Ohio Stadium featured TALK to #EndSuicideSilence, an awareness campaign aimed at educating the public on the importance of talking about suicide so that no one feels alone and anyone can get the help they need. 

“Just simply telling someone you care about them, that they matter, to get them to a better spot and better place is a fundamental first step,” Dr. K. Luan Phan, chair and professor of the department, said.

The campaign also included a booth in the Fan Fest area across Woodruff Avenue from Ohio Stadium, where visitors were greeted with info cards, pins and stickers. During the game, a 60-second in-game ad spot during halftime promoted the campaign, according to an email from the medical center.

TALK is a four-letter acronym that details how individuals can help others struggling with suicidal thoughts, according to the medical center’s website: Tell them you care; Act immediately; Listen without judgment; and Know that treatment works.

Phan said the campaign event was a unique opportunity to begin layering advice with awareness about mental health, which will continue with different campaigns throughout the year.

“Awareness is great and probably fundamental, but it’s not sufficient for us to get to solutions to the problem,” Phan said.

Common warning signs of depression include an inability to function in everyday activities, along with withdrawal from other people and not engaging in typically enjoyable social settings, Phan said.

Craig Bryan, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at the department, said depression can impact eating patterns and sleep cycles, as well as contribute to changes in appearance and increase restless energy and aggravation.

“People also might not attend as much to the clothing, the grooming, things like that,” Bryan said. “Other changes might include things like you’re getting frustrated, or you’ll notice that they seem agitated, they might have difficulty sitting still.”

Phan said negative emotions can derail motivation, which can worsen anxiety. As motivation decreases, people may feel helpless, which can lead to suicidal thoughts and ideation when coupled with depression, anxiety or addiction, he said.

“Emotions imbue meaning in our thoughts and our actions,” Phan said. “When those negative emotions, distress, anxiety, worry, depression get out of hand, so they’re exaggerated or they’re persistent and pervasive, and you kind of get stuck in a rut, that’s when your emotions have overcome your ability to think straight.”

Tell them you care

“If you’re concerned about someone, start the conversation. Let them know you care and want to help,” the medical center’s website stated.

When a person is feeling suicidal or is struggling, they may feel guilt and shame and feel alone, so they may not be open to sharing because they don’t want to burden others with their struggles, Phan said.

Phan said simply letting someone know they are cared for can help them get to a better spot. He said initiating a conversation and listening without judgement can show them there is someone they can open up to.

Act immediately

“If you suspect someone is having suicidal thoughts or is about to harm themselves, call 911 immediately and ask for help to resolve the crisis situation,” the website stated.

Phan said the first step if someone is suicidal is getting them into crisis care right away. Being aware of the crisis line number and undestanding emergency departments are ready to evaluate the crisis is very important, he said.

Listen without judgment

“When someone talks about suicide, they need to be heard to feel understood,” the website stated. “Listening helps, so hear them out.”

Working to understand each individual’s story helps build trust and the individual’s sense of feeling understood, Bryan said.

Know that treatment works

“Let your loved one, friend or colleague know there are confidential treatment options available to help them,” the website stated.

Phan said people don’t seek treatment for a number of different reasons, including stigma surrounding mental health. Individuals may not be aware of all the different opportunities to receive specific care and treatment methods, he said.

“You’re not stuck with one size fits all, or one kind of treatment,” Phan said. “It depends who you see and what discipline they’re in and what their expertise is.”

Phan said many conditions such as anxiety, depression, addiction and stress- or trauma-related disorders are best treated through talk and behavioral therapy, where individuals learn about their emotions, thoughts and actions and how they’re related to depression, anxiety and addiction.

The other major form of treatment is medication, Phan said.

“There’s always this worry that if you get on a synthetic medication you’ll walk around like a zombie, but by and large, these medicines are not only effective, they’re also really well-tolerated,” Phan said.

Phan said there are many mental health treatment options on campus, including Student Life wellness initiatives, the counseling center and psychological services. 

The medical center has walk-in clinics which can serve as an urgent-care-like system for mental health and behavioral health, and the greater Columbus area has a number of hospital systems and outpatient systems for all levels of care if students would like off-campus treatment, Phan said.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255, with distress support, prevention and crisis resources available and free and confidential for anyone.

Care through the Wexner Medical Center for mental or behavioral health conditions can be found over the phone at 614-293-9600.

Additional information about the TALK campaign, treatment options and resources can be found here.