Wellesley Hills, MA (October 4, 2011) – Latest data from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention indicates that suicide rates for every age group have reached an all time high, making suicide prevention education critical, especially among adults 45-54 years old. Research indicates that 90 percent of people who die by suicide have depression or another treatable mental illness or substance abuse disorder.

“We lose too many men and women to suicide every year because of the stigma against mental health,” Rep. Grace Napolitano said. “Americans from all walks of life are affected by this issue, regardless of age, race, or gender, and we must all work together to reduce the stigma and invest in mental health services for those who need help.”

Every 15 minutes someone dies by suicide. On the average, 95 individuals die by suicide each day; 75 of them men, 20 of them women. It is now the 10th leading cause of death in the US. Though suicide attempts are not reported, it is estimated that close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year. Among the higher ranking causes of death, suicide is preventable as most people who are suicidal do give warnings.

“Basically, there is this myth that people, who talk about wanting to kill themselves, don’t do it.  In fact, we know that 70% of people who die by suicide have let someone know their intention but that person does not know what to do with that information,” says Douglas G. Jacobs, MD, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and founder and CEO of Screening for Mental Health. “It’s important to create a community of support, and National Depression Screening Day is an easy way for the public to check their own or a loved one’s mental health and learns about treatment options.”

National Depression Screening Day® (NDSD) is held on October 6th and serves as a supportive community initiative to connect the public with mental health professionals. The public can locate a screening site or take a free, anonymous online mental health screening at www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org. Mental health screenings are an easy way for the public to monitor their own or a loved one’s mental health and learn about local resources for follow up treatment.

“One of the tenets of mental health professionals is that ‘no one kills himself or wishes to die who still has hope for love,’ says Robert L. Pyles, MD, president-elect of the American Psychoanalytic Association of America. “Suicide is a major public health issue and mental health professionals, regardless of their training, techniques or specialty, are strong advocates for suicide prevention, supporting a comprehensive approach to treating mental health disorders.“

Thousands of organizations nationwide host National Depression Screening Day events including hospitals, colleges, community centers and military installations. After completing a screening, participants can receive referral information to local agencies that offer further evaluation and treatment. The public can access screening information at www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org.

About Congresswoman Grace Napolitano
Rep. Grace F. Napolitano is the Co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and a long-time advocate for mental health. Over the last ten years she has supported and developed a successful youth-suicide prevention program in eastern Los Angeles County, and she is the author of H.R. 751, the Mental Health in Schools Act, which would create grant funding for schools to partner with local mental health service providers and improve available services for students.

About Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
For more than two decades, Screening for Mental Health has worked with organizations to provide mental health education and screening programs, including National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), National Alcohol Screening Day^® (NASD), and National Eating Disorders Screening Program® (NEDSP). These programs are designed to educate, reduce stigma, and screen people for depression and other mood related disorders and alcohol problems. Individuals can locate a mental health screening site or take an online screening by visiting www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org. For more information about Screening for Mental Health, visit www.MentalHealthScreening.org.

About American Psychoanalytic Association of America
The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), the oldest national psychoanalytic organization in the nation, was founded in 1911. APsaA, as a professional organization for psychoanalysts, focuses on education, research and membership development. In addition to the national organization, APsaA’s membership includes 30 accredited training institutes and 39 affiliate societies throughout the United States. Since its founding, APsaA has been a component of the International Psychoanalytical Association, the largest worldwide psychoanalytic organization.

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