CAMFT Observes National Suicide Prevention Month: Therapy Can Save Lives

SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#MentalHealth–The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
announced its support of September as National Suicide Prevention Month.
With deaths by suicide on the rise over the past fifteen years,¹
it is now one of the 10 leading causes of death in the nation resulting
in nearly 43,000 people a year taking their own lives.²

“Suicide is devastating for families who lose a loved one and are left
trying to make sense of what happened and wondering if there was
something they could have done to prevent it. Suicide touches the whole
community and leaves people deeply shaken. Suicide Prevention Month is a
time we focus special attention on educating everyone about the warning
signs of suicide and providing information about resources for those at
risk and their families. Early treatment of depression and other mental
health conditions are key to preventing suicide,” said Patricia Ravitz,
LMFT and President of CAMFT. “As experts in the treatment of depression,
relationship issues, addiction, trauma, and anxiety, CAMFT reminds
Californians that Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists can be a vital
part of a treatment plan to help those struggling with thoughts of
suicide.”

Suicide is often related to serious depression, substance use disorders,
and can surface with difficulties in personal relationships, the loss of
a job, bullying or in abusive situations. According to the National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 10–24, and
the second leading cause of death for people ages 15–24.

Many of our nation’s veterans and military service members are also
susceptible to suicide due to the stressors and trauma of war and
combat. An estimated 18-22 veterans die by suicide each day.³

In California, the suicide rate has been consistently lower than the
national average; however, at 10.9 per 100,000 individuals,⁴
the data points to a critical need for families and communities to
better recognize psychological distress and to seek mental health care
treatment when loved ones need help.

The best way to prevent suicide is through early detection, diagnosis,
and treatment of depression and other mental health conditions.⁵
Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health experts licensed and
trained to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Marriage and
Family Therapists are located in communities throughout California and
can be accessed by visiting www.counselingcalifornia.com.
Individuals can click on “Find a Therapist” and indicate preferences for
location, language, and mental health specialization.

About CounselingCalifornia.com:

CounselingCalifornia.com is California’s lifeline to finding a Marriage
and Family Therapist who can help manage life’s challenges. At its
heart, CounselingCalifornia.com contains a comprehensive searchable
directory of thousands of Marriage and Family Therapists. For more
information on mental health issues and access an online directory of
therapists, visit CounselingCalifornia.com.

About California Association of Marriage and
Family Therapists (CAMFT):

CAMFT is an independent professional organization of over 32,000 members
representing Marriage and Family Therapists. It is dedicated to
advancing the profession, maintaining high standards of professional
ethics, upholding the qualifications for the profession and expanding
awareness of the mental health treatment provided by Marriage and Family
Therapists for individuals, couples and families. For more information,
contact CAMFT at www.camft.org.

_________________
¹ Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. Increase in Suicide
in the United States, 1999–2014. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db241.htm
²
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Suicide Statistics.
Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
³
“Mental Health by the Numbers,” National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers
⁴
American Association of Suicidology. U.S.A. Suicide: 2014 Official Final
Data. Retrieved from http://www.suicidology.org/Portals/14/docs/Resources/FactSheets/2014/2014datapgsv1b.pdf
⁵
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Retrieved from http://theovernight.donordrive.com/?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1034

Contacts

Scott Public Relations
Julia Natasha Watthey, MBA
818-610-0270
Julia@scottpublicrelations.com