National Council for Suicide Prevention Launches Take5toSaveLives Campaign

The NCSP promotes World Suicide Prevention Day with suicide prevention campaign

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Council for Suicide Prevention launched the Take5toSaveLives campaign (www.take5tosavelives.org) to recognize and support World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), which is held annually on September 10. Take5ToSaveLives.org is a website that encourages everyone to take five minutes to learn about suicide prevention and share what they learned with others. Supporters are asked to take the following 5 easy steps:

1) Learn the signs  2) Join the movement  3) Spread the word  4) Support a friend  5) Reach out if you need help

"Take5toSaveLives is our way of encouraging even more people to join the suicide prevention movement and help them get involved in easy and effective ways," said Dr. Dan Reidenberg, Director of the NCSP.  

In partnership with the World Health Organization, the International Association for Suicide Prevention  (IASP) established WSPD in 2003 as part of an effort to start a global conversation about suicide and it's prevention.

"World Suicide Prevention Day has grown to become an important day of recognition around the world and that this is an important public health issue. It's a time we can join forces, reach out to our networks, and spread awareness of suicide prevention on a global scale," according to Reidenberg.

This year's WSPD theme is, "Stigma: A Major Barrier to Suicide Prevention." Stigma is a major problem in the prevention of suicide. If we can change perceptions, and even false perceptions, we can begin to chip away at stigma and the barriers to getting help, resources and health care.

To learn more or to get involved in the Take5toSaveLives campaign visit: www.take5tosavelives.org

Show your support for WSPD by joining the Take5 virtual Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/take5tosavelives

For more information on the International Association for Suicide Prevention's World Suicide Prevention Day go to http://www.iasp.info/wspd/index.php. To download a message from the WSPD's president, Dr. Lanny Berman, visit: http://goo.gl/I4AKkW

Suicide is an international public health crisis. The mission of the National Council for Suicide Prevention is to advance suicide prevention through leadership, advocacy, and a collective voice.

CONTACT:
Dr. Daniel J. Reidenberg, PsyD
Managing Director, NCSP
Executive Director, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE)
952-946-7998 dreidenberg@save.org

SOURCE National Council for Suicide Prevention