September marks suicide prevention month

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) September marks World Suicide Prevention Month. According to the World Heath Organization, more than 720,000 people die due to suicide every year, and suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15-to-29-year-olds globally. For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind.

Jessica Pirro with Crisis Services says 101 people died by suicide in Erie County in 2025, she says that has been up a little bit the last few years. "We've had kind of an up and down trend as we've been tracking this data now for for several years. But we did have an uptick last year. This year we're we're trending around the same, but it's hard to say where that number will be. You know, as we head into the year end, but here in Erie County, we have we do have unfortunately lose 101 people last year, but it is a lower rate compared to some other places in New York State and across the country," explains Pirro.

Pirro says if you worry about someone contemplating suicide, keep checking in on them. "You might have somebody who's maybe going through a hard time, and they say they're doing better, or they're you know maybe things have improved and then sometimes we don't check in again and there's a bit of up and down process that sometimes happens when people are struggling and that's where sometimes it's hard to see are they you know what risks might be present," notes Pirro. "I think that when we have conversations with family members who have lost somebody to suicide, you know there has there was signs that they were working towards with that loved one, and and then there's signs that they didn't see, and that's the unfortunately the nature of of this experience, but I think the more we can just be very aware of our friends, family, co-workers, any changes in behavior, any differences in mood or attitude about life, any impacts that might have recently happened-a big trauma event or a significant loss in their life, if it's financial or a loved one. Those are the times that we really have to check in, but then continue to check in to try to catch when we might find somebody at that lowest moment where that decision to action happens, and we might lose them."

Erie County Mental Health Commissioner Sarah Bonk says it's difficult to know if a loved one is contemplating suicide. "A lot of times what we'll hear from families or communities after the completed suicide of a loved one is the sort of expression of guilt that they just didn't know, and it can be really hard depending on when we interact with folks in that time of their suffering," says Bonk. "It's going to be hard. Oftentimes, folks before a suicide attempt will have an improved mood or sort of seem as though they're coming around family, stop isolating, and that's when we start to have hope, and we miss sometimes those signals. But that's often right around an immediate attempt. The classic traditional symptoms that we may be on the lookout for more long term are the isolation, folks not eating, sleeping, or functioning to the same level that they may have been previously, but it ultimately comes down on the relationship that we have and our and our gut. And if we're concerned, we need to reach out for help. And if we're concerned, we should ask that individual quite directly about it."

She says asking the suicide question directly is not easy either. "It's hard because the best thing to do is to ask the question, especially about suicide. The best thing you can do is ask, "Are you having thoughts to kill yourself? And sometimes that is a really difficult question to ask because it can be considered taboo for some. And so, really being intentional in saying, "I'm concerned about you. I would like to know if there's anything I can do to help you is really the way to go about that. Just being direct but compassionate," recommends Bonk.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You are not alone. You can call ortext 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are freeand confidential. You can also chat online at 988lifeline.org.