Suicide Awareness Month: How can you help?

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Suicide is a worldwide issue, one that has affected people for as long as we can remember.

Everyone knows about the issue, but it can be hard to understand how to help.

With September being national suicide prevention month, we spoke with Emergence health crisis specialist Stacey Contreras about what you can do to help yourself or others who may be in need.

"If someone is opening up to us about having thoughts of suicide, to validate their feelings, and even be willing to help them find those resources, right? Asking them, how can I support you? What can I do in this moment for you?"

ABC-7 obtained statistics regarding suicides from the El Paso medical examiner's office. 

Those statistics showed that there have been 166 suicides in El Paso county since the start of 2023. 

These numbers match the trend that we see nationally, with suicide by men completed at a much higher rate than women -- nearly 4 times as much.

82% of completed suicides were achieved with either a gun or by suffocation, another number that is in line with national statistics.

Texas has similar suicide rates per 100,000 people with the rest of the country, and in El Paso, those rates are going down compared to previous years.

Contreras told us how we can help keep those rates down.

"Knowing that these resources are out there, and a reduction in stigma, the more we talk about suicide, the more that we normalize the subject, and the more that we're open as a culture to talking about mental health and showing compassion to our loved ones without judgment."

Not all cases from this year are finalized by the medical examiners office, meaning the total number will continue to rise as we go through the last few months of 2024.

If you believe that you, a loved one, or anyone in your life is considering harming themselves or taking their lives, please visit the numbers and clinic listed below:

988 - National Suicide and Crisis Hotline

8500 Boeing Drive, El Paso, TX 79925 - Emergence Health Children and Adolescent Clinic for Behavioral Health

1551 Montana Avenue, El Paso, TX 79902 - Central Outpatient Clinic and Pharmacy Adult Mental Health

2400 Trawood Dr. Suite 301 A, El Paso, TX 79936 - East Valley Outpatient Clinic and Pharmacy Adult Mental Health