Last month, the Humanism in Medicine Club brought in representatives from the Ohio State REACH program to talk to us about their work in suicide prevention. Mental health is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, as I have several people back home who have suffered at its hand. Most recently, my high school was rocked with the death of a student who had taken his own life. For that reason, out of everything that I have done and experienced in the three months since I’ve been at Ohio State, this particular meeting stuck with me.
By the end of the evening, I was confident that I could approach someone who was showing signs of mental illness and provide them with resources to get help. These are skills that could prove to be vital in the future, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn. Medicine revolves around people. So people should be at the center of our focus.
REACH is a great program at Ohio State that works to raise awareness and prevent suicide by teaching people how to help in five steps:
Recognize warning signs
Engage with empathy
Ask directly about suicide
Communicate hope
Help suicidal individuals to access care and treatment
For more information on how to get certified in suicide prevention, visit http://www.reach.osu.edu