The American Foundation Of Suicide Prevention

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The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a non-profit organization that acknowledges suicide and mental health problems that are part of our society. By understanding this support can go to those in need of education and those who are at risk. Suicide affects a tremendous amount of people those who suffer from depression and their love ones, but with proper education and treatment it can prevent many from committing suicide. In fact according to Mental Health Business Week “Each year in the United States, suicide claims over 40,000 lives - more than war, murder, and natural disasters combined…Suicide is not just a faceless health issue for our society - it affects real people” (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 60). Therefore organizations like The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention were established to assist. The AFSP was founded in 1987, which is one of the leaders in fighting against suicide by offering research, education, and supports to those individuals and their families that are affected by suicide.
The AFSP has been funding research to better understand suicidal risk, for example work done by Yair Ben-Efaim Ph.D. who focus is in psychiatry, genetic epidemiology, and biostatics form the Weizmann Institute of Science found, “The cortisol response to psychosocial stress may become dysregulated in stress-related disorders. It is potentiated by pituitary secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is, in part, regulated by arginine vasopressin receptor-1B (AVPR1B)… were previously reported to associate with mood and anxiety disorders”, which those people who suffer from mood and anxiety disorders are at higher risk of committing suicide (Efraim et al.). The AFSP has also done extens...

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...by taking action to help others”, Nock’s focused is in deconstructing suicide and is helping the AFSP (AFSP 2014 Annual Report).
Just for a minute, think about a family member or friend who has been depress. Now imagine if they are not able to control their emotions and go into want many call a “dark place” in their subconscious. That family member or friend might start feeling hopeless, unbearable pain, distant themselves from social gathers, and might start saying things like “I have no reason to live anymore”, or they might ask “have you ever thought what dying might be like?” These are all warning sign that something might be wrong, and for those people that aren’t able to relies these sign can the AFSP offer information on the warning sign and how to talk to some. Just by understand what the early warning signs are anyone can possibly help save someone’s life.

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