The following was submitted by Wayland Youth & Family Services:
Dear Community,
As we shift into fall schedules, we are also given a reminder to take care of each other and ourselves with National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week September 5-11, and World Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day September 10th. All year, and every day, the attention and care we give each other is sustaining. We create happiness and health, and offer support and comfort in times of pain.
So many exciting things are happening all at once as the fall season starts. It can also be a very scary time for people suffering with depression, or any type of intense loss and pain. Suicide is a risk when people in pain feel hopeless and don’t know where to turn. Talking about suicide is difficult, but it also saves lives.
When people attempt suicide it is a desperate effort to end pain and suffering. Suffering can feel unbearable when we don’t know who to turn to or mistakenly believe no one else cares, sees us, or is able to help. But HOPE is realistic, even in the face of suffering. Please read on and discover new ways to help and get help at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
In times of intense pain, we can lose sight of how important we really are to each other. We are strong when we show each other how much we care. Our strong connection in community is happening all around us. We are strong in our families, schools, neighborhoods, houses of worship, government, police and fire departments. Everywhere we are known by each other, and valued by each other for who we are, we build strength, health, and happiness together. We are all needed by the people we know. In times of pain remember these connections!
Information in the following paragraph is from the Signs of Suicide or SOS program, a curriculum used by Wayland Public Schools (and many other school systems) to help give students the tools to seek help for friends or for themselves. Please take time to pay attention to your friends and family, particularly young people and anyone who seems unusually stressed.
Signs to look for:
- Loss of interest in school and regular activities
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Feeling hopeless worthless angry or irritable
- Feeling trapped, like there’s no way out
- Talking about death or making threats of suicide
If you see any of these signs or are worried about someone (including yourself!) you can ACT:
- Acknowledge that your friend has a problem, and that the symptoms are serious.
- Care – let your friends know you’re there for them, and that you want to help.
- Tell a trusted adult about your concerns. It could make all the difference!
If you are worried TAKE ACTION, contact someone who can help:
- 911 for any life threatening emergency
- Human Relations Service 781 235 4950 24hrs urgent consultation, counseling by appointment
- Emergency Psychiatric Services 508 872 3333, 24hrs helpline for evaluation
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800 273 TALK (8255)
- Wayland Youth and Family Services 508 358 4293 consultation and counseling by appointment
- Talk with a teacher, guidance counselor or nurse
There is a lot of good news to share in this conversation. Across our community, adolescents and younger children seek support directly from the adults in their lives. Very often they will confide in a parent, teacher, nurse or guidance counselor seeking help for a friend. Please take a look at the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey summaries available at http://waylandcares.org/metrowest-2014-health-survey-data/ , our middle school and high school websites and www.waylandcares.org for more information. We must all work to increase connection and trust, and to offer friends clear paths to each other.
Dossie F. Kahn, Psy.D., Assistant Director Wayland Youth and Family Services
Lynn Dowd, Psy.D, Director Wayland Youth and Family Services
Muriel Sypek, Administrative Assistant Wayland Youth and Family Services
Paul Stein, Ed.D.Superintendent Wayland Public Schools
Marlene Moskowitz-Dodyk, Ph.D., Director of Student Service Wayland Public Schools
Robert Irving, Chief Wayland Police Department
Shane Bowles, Youth Officer Wayland Police Department
David G. Houghton, Chief Wayland Fire Department
Julia Junghanns, R.S., C.H.O., Director of Public Health, Town of Wayland
Ruth Mori B.S.N, R.N., Public Health Nurse/School Nurse Leader, Wayland Health Department
Amy Schoeff, R.N. Wayland High School Nurse
Marcia Nims, B.S.N., R.N. Wayland Middle School Nurse
Noreen D’Amico, B.S.N, R.N. Claypit Hill School Nurse
Jeanne MacDonald, R.N. Happy Hollow School Nurse
Jennifer McLeod, R.N. Loker School Nurse
Betsy Gavron, Principal Wayland Middle School
Allyson Mizoguchi, Principal Wayland High School
Marybeth Sacramone, Wayland High School Guidance Department Coordinator
Youth Advisory Committee members:
Malcolm Astley, Detective Ruth Backman (retired), Reverend Theodore Crass, Corrie Dretler, Sarah Greenaway, Deborah Seidman, Brenda Ross
Jason Verhoosky, Wayland Cares Program Director, Wayland Youth and Family Services
Jane Purser, Wayland Cares Program Coordinator, Wayland Youth and Family Services
