September 10th is Suicide Prevention Day

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department has been helping raise awareness of suicide prevention by putting up signs all across Muskingum County.

Dr Vicki Whitacre, M.D. at Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department explains what to do if you happen to know someone who might be thinking of committing suicide.

“You need to stay with them if you are aware that they are thinking of suicide,” said Whitacre.  “You need to call a counselor.  There is a suicide prevention hotline that you can call, locally we have our own crisis hotline and you can always just take them to the hospital.”

Whitacre said that the majority of suicide cases are associated with mental illness.  “About 80 to 90 percent of the time suicide is linked to a mental illness and it’s treatable.”

Whitacre said that just reaching out to someone and showing that you care, can make all of the difference.