The first full week of September not only marked the return of students to classrooms in Minnesota, but it also started the national campaign around suicide awareness. First officially recognized in 2008, the month of September is dedicated to not only raising awareness and having an open dialogue about the topic, but preventing it.

It’s a topic not many people are comfortable talking about: suicide. But some professionals say the more open we are about it, the less likely it is that someone may feel helpless to stop it.

Signs or symptoms of suicidal thoughts or tendencies can vary from person-to-person. These include a change in sleep or behavior, substance use, or stressful life events such as a new clinical diagnosis.

With the school year starting up and students returning to the classroom full time, conversations about mental health struggles with these young demographics can help prevent emotional burnout and destigmatize a crucial conversation.

Sanford Health in Bemidji will continue offering resources for mental health through their new crisis center, which opens at the end of September. Operations will start in October.

If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, contact the National Crisis Hotline at 988.

By — Mary Balstad