September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Sept. 17 is the seventh annual National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. The day is dedicated to honoring the memory of colleagues who have died by suicide and to continue to raise awareness and discussion on how to prevent it. It also serves as a reminder that suicide can affect us, our friends and our colleagues.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than 41,000 individuals die each year by suicide. The Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine estimates that up to 400 physicians take their own lives per year. While estimates of the actual number of physician suicides vary, the relative risk for suicide is 2.27 times greater among women and 1.41 times higher among men versus the general population.

"As a society and a professional community, it is more important now than ever to foster awareness, reduce stigma and promote a culture of self-care and help-seeking," Nicole Klaus, Ph.D., ABPP, associate professor at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, said about preventing physician suicide.

Activities this month include:

Share your creative path to well-being

CORD, which initiated National Physician Suicide Awareness Day in 2018, is inviting people to join their "Well-Being Through Creativity" campaign. You can share how you maintain your mental health through art, poetry, exercise or other creative outlets. Your participation fosters open conversations and offers support to those who may be struggling.

You can submit your creative work by Sept. 15 through the online form.

Sept. 16 memorial ceremony

KU Medical Center and the University of Kansas Health System will host a memorial ceremony in recognition of National Physician Suicide Awareness Day at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16, in the Murphy Courtyard at KU Medical Center. The ceremony will also be available virtually. The keynote speaker will be Kelsey Able, D.O.

Getting help

We can all help prevent suicide. Anyone could be struggling. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free, confidential support and resources for people in distress. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. The local 24/7 suicide prevention hotline is 316-660-7500.

KU School of Medicine-Wichita students can access personal counseling resources through the ASA SharePoint site. More information and resources are also available on the KU Medical Center website.

Employee Assistance Programs and resources are also available for KUSM-W resident doctors, along with KUSM-W faculty and staff members and Medical Practice Association employees.

Spotting warning signs

Talking or thinking about suicide, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, self-loathing, withdrawing from others, getting affairs in order, and a sudden sense of calm are some of the warning signs of suicide. Learn more about how to spot warning signs.

Nicole Klaus, Ph.D., ABPP, psychologist and associate professor at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, talks about preventing physician suicide, including warning signs and promoting a culture of self-care in this video:

Additional mental health resources

• Screening for Adult Depression
• ACGME Physician Well-Being Tools & Resources
• American Psychiatric Association website on suicide prevention
• "Time to Talk About It: Physician Depression & Suicide" - AAMC MedEdPORTAL publication
• "Make a Difference: Preventing Medical Trainee Suicide" - Mayo Clinic awareness video
• I Choose to Talk

*American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Emergency Medicine/Resident and Student Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians/Resident and Student Organization, Emergency Medicine Residents' Association and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine