Suicide program may be life saver for you, others

When a loved one commits suicide it may be one of the most difficult, heartbreaking incidents to happen in the life of the surviving family members and friends.
While anyone who commits suicide makes that decision because they are in so much mental pain that they have given up on the chance that things will ever get better, the devastation left behind is hard to completely calculate.
It is the remaining family, and even friends, who live the rest of their life with potential guilt or other emotions for what they may consider their own part in not doing more to have stopped such a thing from happening.
That’s why we are fortunate in St. Tammany Parish to have more resources than most small communities when it comes to understanding the warning signs of a potential suicide, and hopefully how we can prevent it from happening.
This Friday, June 24 at the LOPA building in Covington, just off Interstate 12 at the Covington-Mandeville exit, there will be a suicide symposium that is open to the public, either to come in person or to watch online. There are outstanding speakers on the subject, personal stories you will hear, and then a panel discussion starting at 12:30 that will allow in-person or online questions and comments. The main event begins at 8:30 a.m.
Parish officials on the North Shore began to recognize years ago that mental health issues are just as important as other health matters. That is why we have excellent resources today. There is the 24/7 crisis center at Safe Haven on the former South Louisiana Mental Health Hospital campus, and 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Alan Zaunbrecher began yet another program recently—the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program that is offering free services for those struggling with mental health matters. (Call 985-809-5394 and ask for Wendy to get more information.)
The Friday suicide symposium is another outstanding resource for residents of our parish. If you have any concern for a friend or loved one who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol issues, or personal issues that concern you, the program this Friday is something you should not miss. You can attend in person or go to the Facebook site of the St. Tammany Coroner’s Office and click “upcoming events.”
The symposium will provide information on signs to recognize a potential suicide victim, tips on how to help someone you are concerned about, and how to access the services we have in this parish.
Don’t put off this outstanding opportunity. You do not want to be the person who wishes later that you should have done something that might have saved the life of a loved one.